stead of Captain Kidd who had buried his; so, having
realized their mare's-nest, they gave it up. One of the most beautiful
"bits" on the Hudson is West Point; but, as I purpose visiting it at my
leisure hereafter, I pass it by at present without further comment.

There are every now and then, especially on the southern bank, large
plots, which, at a distance, look exactly like Turkish cemeteries. On
nearing them, you find that the old destroyer, Time, has expended all
the soil sufficiently to allow the bare rock to peep through, and the
disconsolate forest has retired in consequence, leaving only the funeral
cypress to give silent expression to its affliction. Hark! what sound is
that? Dinner! A look at the company was not as _appetissant_ as a glass
of bitters, but a peep at the _tout-ensemble_ was fatal; so, patience to
the journey's end. Accordingly, I consoled myself with a cigar and the
surrounding scenery; no hard task either, with two good friends to help
you. On we went, passing little villages busy as bees, and some looking
as fresh as if they had been built over-night. At last, a little before
dusk, Albany hove in sight. As we neared the wharf, it became alive with
Paddy cabmen and porters of every age: the former, brandishing their
whips, made such a rush on board when we got within jumping distance,
that one would have thought they had come to storm the vessel. We took
it coolly, allowing the rush of passengers to land first; and then,
having engaged two "broths of boys" with hackney coaches, we drove up to
the Congress Hall Hotel, where, thanks to our young American cicerone,
we were very soon comfortably lodged, with a jolly good dinner before
us. I may as well explain why it was thanks to our friend that we were
comfortably lodged.

'Throughout the whole length and breadth of the Republic, the people are
gregarious, and go everywhere in flocks; consequently, on the arrival of
railway train or steamer, 'buses from the various hotels are always in
waiting, and speedily filled. No sooner does the 'bus pull up, than a
rush is made by each one to the book lying on the counter, that he may
inscribe his name as soon as possible, and secure a bedroom. The duty of
allotting the apartments generally devolves upon the head clerk, or
chief assistant; but as, from the locomotive propensities of the
population, he has a very extensive acquaintance, and knows not how soon
some of them may be arriving, he billets the un