Bangor is a flourishing town of Penobscot county, Maine, situated thirty-five miles above Castine. It is built upon the banks of the rivers Kenduskeag and Penobscot. The increase of this town within a few years has been very surprising. Building-lots near the centre of the town, that in 1832 were held at three hundred dollars, are now valued at eight hundred or a thousand. Woodlands at three, four, or five miles distance, that were then sold at five, seven, or ten dollars the acre, are now selling from twenty to fifty. Rents and all marketable commodities are proportionably high.

'Bangor,' says a correspondent of the Portland Advertiser, 'has much the appearance of a hundred villages springing up on the non-slave-holding side of the Ohio, with this difference, that the buildings there are chiefly of wood, cheaply built, and hastily thrown up; and here they are fine blocks of brick with granite fronts, or handsome white houses that would do credit to any estate in Virginia or Carolina. I do not remember seeing what can be called a miserable house in Bangor. The Exchange is a building that would do credit to many of our large cities. The churches are numerous, and often elegantly built. Already they are numerous enough for a city; and it is such a spectacle that distinguishes New England; for no where, not even in the middle states, are such churches, and so numerous to be seen, as any village in New England of any size can exhibit.'

The water power in this vicinity is said to be superior to that of any town in the United States. Its present great source of wealth is the lumber business, which has been carried on to a very great extent. Thirty years ago, Bangor was a wilderness; according to the last census, its population was two thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven; but it has much increased within three years.

Bath, a town of Maine, on the west side of the Kennebec, twelve miles from the sea, is at the head of the winter navigation; is pleasantly situated,

at the present day, being distressed by regret at the failure of the attack on Baltimore, is, perhaps, somewhat closely connected with the ludicrous.

Baltimore is celebrated for its hospitality and the beauty of its women, and I can bear testimony to the justice of its reputation for both. In no other city of the United States is the former so frequent and habitual, and in none are there so few of the sordid characteristics of traffic apparent to a stranger. There struck me as being at Bal timore, more effort than elsewhere, to combine the pleasures of social life with professional labor. The effect of this is generally felt in society. The tone of conversation is lighter and more agreeable, and topics of mere commercial interest are rarely obtruded at the dinner table.

In Baltimore, there is not much pretension of any sort, and the average of literary accomplishment is, perhaps, lower than in Philadelphia or Boston. In such matters, however, a transient visitor can form, at best, but an uncertain and very fallible judg ment; but I can with truth assert, that my recollections of Baltimore are of the most agreeable kind, and that I quitted it with a strong sentiment of regard for several of its inhabitants, which time has yet done nothing to diminish.

The ladies of Baltimore, I have already intimated, are remarkable for personal attraction; indeed, I am not aware that, in proportion to the numbers assembled, I have ever seen so much beauty as in the parties of Baltimore. The figure is, perhaps, deficient in height, but sylph-like and graceful; the features are generally regular and delicately modelled, and the fair Baltimoreans are less remarkable than the American ladies usually are, for the absence of a certain fulness and grace of proportion, to which, from its rarity, one is led, perhaps, to attach somewhat too much value as an ingredient of beauty.-Hamilton's America.

24

and has great advantages for commerce. Ship-building is ca.ried on here to a large extent; and in 1827 the value of the shipping of Bath was a million of dollars. This town is almost isolated by some of the numerous arms of the sea which penetrate that part of the coast. Population, three thousand seven hundred and seventy-three.

Baton Rouge, a beautiful village on the eastern bank of the Mississippi, one hundred and fifty miles above New Orleans, is the capital of a parish of the same name in the eastern district of Louisiana. It is a small town, situated on the last bluff that is seen on descending the river, and about thirty or forty feet above its highest overflow. The village is toJerably compact, and the United States' barracks are built in a very handsome style. The town itself,' says Mr. Flint, especially in the months when the greatest verdure prevails, when seen from a steam-boat in the river, rising with such a fine swell from the banks, and with its singularly shaped French and Spanish houses, and its green square, looks like a finely painted landscape.' Population, one thousand two hundred.

6

Beaufort, principal town of Beaufort district, South Carolina, situated on the western bank of Port Royal river, is a pleasant and healthy place, containing a college, three churches, and about eleven hundred and fifty inhabitants. Its harbor is spacious.

Belfast, the capital of Waldo county, Maine, has a fine situation and good harbor, and is a flourishing town. It is twelve miles north-west of Castine, from which it is separated by Penobscot river. Its coasting trade is very considerable. Population, three thousand one hundred and seventy

seven.

Bennington is the chief town of the county of the same name in Vermont. It is situated at the foot of the Green mountains, near the southwest corner of the state. It has several manufactories, and a marble quar ry, and is celebrated for two victories of General Stark, over the British, in 1777. It is the largest and oldest town in the state, having been char tered by Governor Wentworth in 1749, and first settled by the Separatists under Robinson in 1761. Population, three thousand four hundred and

nineteen.

Bethlehem, in Albany county, New York, includes much rich alluvial land near Hudson river, inhabited by descendants of early Dutch settlers. It contains several caverns. Population, six thousand and eighty-two.

Bethlehem, in Northampton county, Pennsylvania, is situated on a fine acclivity rising from the Lehigh river. It was founded in 1741 by the United Brethren, or Moravians, under Count Zinzendorf. The same order still retain the ownership, and have established here a seminary of considerable note for female education. The houses are neat and substantial. There is but one place of public worship, in which service is performed in English and German. The situation of this village is remarkably picturesque and romantic. There are ten other towns of this name in the United States.

Beverly, town in Essex county, Massachusetts, is a seaport, and connected with Salem by a bridge. It was formerly a part of Salem. It is pleasantly situated, and is largely engaged in the fisheries and in commerce. Population, four thousand and seventy-nine.

Blakely is a seaport of Baldwin county, Alabama, on the Tensa, a branch

of the Mobile. It was founded in 1816, and is a flourishing place. Its situation is healthy, and it has a commodious harbor.

Boston, the capital of Massachusetts, and the chief city of New England, is situated at the head of Massachusetts bay, on a peninsula of an uneven surface, about a mile in width, and nearly three miles long. Its original Indian name was Shawmut, and it was afterwards called Trimountain; its present name was given in honor of the Rev. John Cotton, one of its earliest pastors, who emigrated from Boston in Lincolnshire, England. In the older parts of the city, the streets are crooked, narrow, and intricate; laid out with no reference to beauty or order. The more recent streets are wider, straight, and regular; with edifices of great elegance and large dimensions. The avenues leading into the adjacent country are the natural isthmus which connects the city with Roxbury, the mill dam, six bridges and three rail-roads. There is also a ferry between Boston and Chelsea, with steamboats for the conveyance of foot passengers and carriages. Of the bridges, four are thrown over Charles river, connecting the capital with Cambridge and Charlestown, and two unite it with South Boston.

The harbor has been before described. It is dotted with numerous islands, and affords ample accommodation for a fleet of five hundred sail. The approach to the city from the sea is highly picturesque and beautiful. The wharves and piers are ample, covered with spacious stores of brick and granite, and presenting as great conveniences for the transaction of business as are to be found in the world.

The local divisions of Boston are into North Boston,West Boston, South End, and South Boston. To these we may now add East Boston, compre hending what was formerly called Noddle's Island, a tract of about six hundred acres, purchased by a company in 1832 for the purpose of extending the city in that direction. The Common is a beautiful promenade at the west end of the city, containing an extent of nearly fifty acres, agreea bly varied by small eminences, the most prominent of which still exhibits the vestiges of a fortification thrown up by the British soldiers during the revolution. A little north of this mound is a small sheet of fresh water. This spacious green is surrounded by malls, lined with magnificent elms. On three sides are rows of fine private dwelling-houses, including some of the most elegant mansions in the city.

On an eminence overlooking the common stands the State House; a conspicuous and striking edifice, the view from whose dome is most interesting and extensive. The broad harbor with its green and picturesque islands, the adjacent country covered by pleasant villages, and with a pleasing alternation of hill and valley, interspersed with orchards and woodland-and at its base, the avenues of a crowded and busy city, form a combination of beauty that cannot fail to delight every beholder. Beyond the islands of the bay, the eye stretches eastward to the waters of the ocean; and to the north lies Charlestown with the navy-yard, and the monument erecting and soon to be completed on Bunker hill. To the west is a view of Cambridge, with the various edifices attached to the university. The state house was erected about thirty-eight years since. It is of an oblong form, one hundred and seventy-three feet front, and sixty-one deep; a dome thirty-five feet in height and fifty-two feet diameter, sur

mounts the edifice, and the whole terminates with a circular lantern twenty five feet high. The basement story is ornamented with rows of Doric pillars; in an open chamber projected from the north centre of this story is placed Chantry's noble statue of Washington. This building contains the usual accommodation for the various offices of state, besides the senate chamber, council chamber and representatives' hall.

Faneuil Hall is famous in American annals. It is a building of good proportions, and convenient size, though of no great architectural pretensions; its history is sacred to the spirit of eloquence, courage and patriotism. The building has a cupola which presents a good view of the harbor; the great hall is nearly eighty feet square, and about twenty-eight feet high. It is decorated with an original full length painting of Washington, by Stuart, and another of the same size by Colonel Sargent, representing Mr. Faneuil, the noble donor of the edifice. Faneuil Hall Market is situ ated to the east of Faneuil hall. It is a splendid building of granite, five hundred and thirty-five feet and nine inches in length. The basement story is occupied by market stalls; on the second floor is a spacious hall, used for public assemblies and caucuses, called Quincy Hall, in honor of the distinguished gentleman in whose mayoralty the edifice was projected and built.

The City Hall, formerly known as the old state house, was built in nearly its present form in the year 1747. It stands at the head of State

street, and on the line of Washington street, the principal avenue of the city. In this building are the post office, the marine news room, and the merchants' exchange; from this there is a winding stair-case leading to the hall of the common council, and that of the mayor and aldermen

together with various public offices connected with the city administration. Other public buildings, of great beauty to the city, are the old U. S Branch Bank, and the Masonic Temple. The latter building fronts on the common; it is of the Gothic order.

One of the most interesting of the churches of the city is that known as the King's Chapel. Its exterior is plain, and in appearance it is unfin

King's Chapel.

ished, being built entirely of unhammered stone. It was first opened for divine service in 1754. The tower is ornamented by a colonnade of large wooden pillars, and the whole presents the appearance of massy grandeur suited to distinguish in former days the place of worship for the public functionaries. In the interior, the governor's pew was formerly distinguished above the rest, but was taken down a few years since. The style of architecture is of the Corinthian order. There are several monu mental marbles, which add to the interest with which the church is visited. It is now the only house in which the old fashion of square pews is retained. Brattle street church is interesting from historical associations. Governors Hancock and Bowdoin were liberal benefactors of this society. The name of the former was inscribed on one of the rustic quoins at the south-west corner of the building. The British soldiery defaced it, and the stone remains in the condition in which they left it. A similar inscrip tion, unmutilated, appears on one of the rustic quoins at the south-west corner of the tower; and on one in the north-west corner, the name of Dr. John Greenleaf appears, who, with Gov. Bowdoin, advanced the money for refitting the church, it having been improved as a barrack, during the siege. A shot, which was sent from the American army at Cam