nomenon, but none could ever explain it to me sa tisfactorily.

At the beginning of summer I left Washington, and passing for the second time through Baltimore and Philadelphia, arrived at New York. Very different indeed was the appearance of this great commercial city, from that which it presented when I arrived there from Europe. Instead of a spectacle of desolation, all the houses were re-occupied, and the streets swarmed with an active and numerous population.

What moreover occasioned the city's being unusually full, was the arrival of about 20,000 people, chiefly Virginians and Southerners, who had come to see a great horse-race, which was to be decided in the neighbourhood of the town. The southern planters, like the rich and idle in most parts of the world, are very fond of any thing that comes under the head of sporting, and have always been particularly celebrated for their love of cockfights and horse-races. In the free States, where, at the present time, large inheritances are uncommon, and where almost every one is engaged in some active profession, sporting is much less prevalent, and is held in no great estimation by the higher classes, who in this particular, as in others, appear to me to shew the superiority of their intellect.

Of late however, the New Yorkers have imported some fine horses, and Long Island has be

come famous for its breed of these noble animals. Now of the horses bred here one named " Eclipse " had occasioned a great deal of discussion. While the New Yorkers thought him the best horse in America, the Southerners rather underrated his merits. At last his proprietor put forth a challenge in the public papers, offering to run him against any horse that the Southerners could produce, for the sum of 5,000 dollars. The challenge was accepted; but the day the match was to have been decided, on the race course at Washington, the Southern horse went lame, so that the gentleman to whom he belonged lost his 5,000 dollars. The New Yorkers exulted in their success; but the Southerners still maintained that they could produce a horse that could beat Eclipse, and immediately accepted a second challenge, for double the former sum.

When therefore I was journeying to New York, all the steam-boats and carriages were crowded with Southerners, who were going to see this great contest ultimately decided on the race-course of Long Island. All of them were confident that the Southern horse would win, and assured me, that if I wanted to make a fortune, I had only to bet on him. It was really amusing to see the interest this race excited; indeed an election for a President would not have excited greater. In all the papers, and in every man's mouth, were the questions, “Are you for the North or the South?" "The Free or

the Slave States ?" "The Whites or the Blacks?" It was indeed made quite a party question; all the Free States wishing success to Eclipse, and the Slave States to "Sir Henry." The day arrived, and Eclipse gained the first heat. After a very well contested race "Sir Henry" gained the second. Expectation had been wound up to the highest pitch, when after another severe heat, in which the four miles were run over in little more than seven minutes and a half, a degree of speed that would have done credit to Newmarket, the match was at last decided in favour of Eclipse.

Nothing could exceed the exultation of the New Yorkers, or the depression of the Southerners; for the vanquished party, besides losing their fame for having the best horse, lost individually large sums of money. The mail, that went through the western part of the State of New York, carried a red flag, on which was inscribed, "Eclipse for ever.Old Virginia a little tired ;" and all the people, as it passed through the different little villages and towns, turned out and huzzaed, such an interest did they take in what seemed to be an omen of political superiority.

The city of New York is the great commercial capital of the United States. It is situated at the head of one of the most noble bays, and probably of the very finest harbour, in the world; and vessels of the largest size can run along-side, and dis

charge their cargoes on the spacious quays surrounding two sides of the city. From hence that magnificent river the Hudson is navigable for large sloops and other vessels, as high up as Albany, a distance of 150 miles. The inhabitants of the whole State are enterprising and industrious, and lose no opportunity of improving by every means in their power, the natural advantages enjoyed by their city. They have cut a large canal joining Lake Champlain and the Hudson, thus connecting that river with the St. Lawrence; and have also cut a yet greater canal from Albany on the Hudson to Lake Erie; a work that the oldest established European empire would be proud of, and which of its kind is perfectly unrivalled in any part of the world.

New York contains some fine buildings. Among these the City Hall is conspicuous, and is really a noble edifice. There is a very good Museum filled with objects extremely valuable to the zoologist, which are in fine preservation, and are kept very neat and clean.

The chief promenade in New York is a very spacious and long street called Broadway, that runs through the middle of the town. One end of this terminates at the point of the island on which the city is built, near a spot called "The Battery," from an old fort built there, and which is at present entirely useless. From hence to Fort Clinton, another useless old castle built in defiance of all the rules

of fortification, is a very pretty little public walk, through an acre or two of ground containing some large trees. It is very agreeable during the hot months, because, from its running along the water's edge, it receives the sea-breeze of the evening.

But what must particularly be remarked with regard to New York is, that it contains one of the largest naval depots in the United States. I may here therefore without impropriety offer a few remarks, concerning the maritime power of the Republic.