Travels Through North America, During the Years 1825 and 1826. v. 1-2. Bernhard
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When a family wishes to join the Shakers, the relation of brother and sister, must immediately take place between husband and wife. The children are then brought up in Shaker principles. Orphans also find a home with them; still, however, unfavourable reports are circulated about the origin of these orphans. Of course, if the principles of these people should prevail, which, however, may heaven prevent, the world would soon be depopulated. In countries, however, with too great population, it might perhaps be of service to receive missionaries of this sect and promote proselytism.
Every family possesses a shop, where all things made by the family are laid out for sale. These articles generally consist of wooden utensils, sieves, brushes, harness, table-linen, somewhat coarse silver writing pens, very good rose water, &c. Besides, they sell books, exposing the doctrines of their sect, and containing the life of their founder, Ann Lee, whom they call mother Ann. They pay also much attention to the breeding of cattle, make good butter, and particularly good cheese, great quantities of which they sell. Their hogs are remarkably handsome, and cleanliness is also extended to them. It is a rare pleasure to walk about in a Shaker pig-sty! They have a large kitchen garden behind the church, where they raise vegetables, principally for the sake of seed, which is said to be here of a remarkably good kind. Medicinal herbs, roots, and berries, which they cultivate very carefully in a separate garden, and which, as I heard in Albany, are of a remarkably good quality, form a principal part of their commerce.
The governor’s letter every where procured me a good reception, as they generally lead strangers about the settlement with reluctance. The few men with whom I spoke, and who accompanied me, were elderly people, and had long ago become Shakers with their parents. An old man told me, that he had been one of the first adherents of mother Ann at her arrival in America. They were very polite to me, and appear to be somewhat monkish. They showed me also their church, which they do not generally do, Sundays excepted, as every body can attend their worship. My travelling plan did not allow me to pass a Sunday with them. The hall, which serves as their church, is about eighty feet long, and above fifty broad. On one side stand benches in form of an amphitheatre, for spectators and old members, to whom the dancing has become difficult. The floor consists of handsome cedar wood, which is well polished; the boards are attached to each other without nails. Service commences, as I was told, with a speech, which the congregation hear in a standing position, the sexes being again divided. Occasionally the spirit comes upon one or the other; they are so moved by the speech, that they begin to shake, and to make strange contortions. Then begin the prayers, which are sung, and during which, they dance. Every member has a spot about four feet square for jumping, and I was assured this service was done with such a zeal, that the vaulters sometimes fainted away.
We delayed too long with the Shakers to follow our plan of previously visiting Lebanon springs, and reach Albany the same day. We consequently gave up this design and returned to Albany; we were overtaken by the night, and a storm. It was so dark, that the driver could scarcely find the way; he therefore took a lantern against my advice. This was extinguished, and we were in a still worse situation. Two miles from Greenbush the driver left the road, went to the right towards a slope, and almost threw the stage entirely over; it fell on the right side, and my head and arm were injured, though but slightly. On my right side I was much more hurt, and one of my ribs was actually broken, as it was afterwards discovered. Mr. Tromp had his head and one of his hands injured. As we had no baggage, and were but two miles from Greenbush, we resolved to leave the stage where it was, and walked to Greenbush. At about eleven o’clock we reached the river. Not a soul was in the street; the lights were all extinguished, and the ferry boats were on the other side of the river. Our shouting was of no avail; the pain in my side also prevented me from calling. In about half an hour, however, the stage arrived, which the driver had raised with the help of some farmers; and he made such a terrible noise, that at last, after waiting an hour, the ferry boats came to take us to Albany. In riding through the city the jolting of the stage gave me much pain. On leaving the stage at twelve o’clock I could scarcely speak or walk on account of my side, which I had also injured two years previously, on my passage from Ostend to London, and since that time it had constantly retained a painful sensation.
The next morning I awoke with such dreadful pain in my right side, that I could scarcely move in bed. The obliging Sir Michael Clare gave me every assistance. He opened a vein in my arm, took sixteen ounces of blood, gave me a purgative, and ordered embrocations to the side, by which treatment the pain had so much abated in the afternoon, that I could move with more ease. I was, however, confined the whole day to my bed. The Van Rensselaer family showed me much attention. On the second day I could indeed leave the bed, but still not continue my journey. On the third day, September 16th, Sir Michael and Lady Clare left Albany for Boston, whence they were going to New York. My pains had not much abated, but I nevertheless resolved to proceed to New York, as I had read in the papers that the Pallas had arrived there, and as I wished to receive the attendance of Dr. Schilett. I was indeed obliged to relinquish my design of seeing Catskill Mountains, but thought of stopping at West Point to visit the military school.
At ten o’clock we embarked on board the steam-boat Richmond. The banks of the Hudson are very handsome, and here and there well cultivated. From Albany to New York it is one hundred and forty-four miles, and to West Point ninety-six. Hudson, a place twenty-seven and a half miles from Albany, which we reached at noon, seems to be very handsome and lively. We remarked in the harbour several sloops, and on shore some brick stores, five stories high. On the opposite side of the river lies Athens, between which and Hudson there seems to be much communication kept up by a team-boat. A very low island in the middle of the stream between the two places rendered this communication somewhat difficult at first, as vessels were obliged to make a great circuit. To avoid this inconvenience, a canal was cut through the island, through which the team-boat now passes