the covenant, which had been given to Elder Meacham by revelation. The poor deacon was shut out of union; i. e. excommunicated; and, in order to be restored, was obliged to confess on his knees, that he had done wrong. They had, however, so much of their wits left, as to form a new covenant, Meacham's revelation notwithstanding; and to compel every member of the brotherhood to engage, that he never would make any charge either against the deacons, or against any private brother.

Meacham was believed to be the Son of Man, spoken of by Ezekiel, and the destroyer of Gog and Magog. He died August 16, 1796; and prophesied, that before the then existing generation should pass away the world would acknowledge this Gospel; or, in other words, become Shakers.

Lucy Wright, alias Lucy Goodrich, succeeded Meacham. They style her Mother Lucy.

Next to her was Henry Clough. From this time they sent preachers abroad. Clough died in 1798, and was succeeded by Abiathar Babbot.

Elder Hocknell, one of the original four, died February 6, 1799. Anne, William, Whitaker, and Hocknell, were pronounced to be the four living creatures, mentioned by Ezekiel.

During the religious vagaries, which took place in Kentucky, in 1800, and several following years, Elders John Meacham, Benjamin S. Youngs, and Issachar Bates, were sent into the states of Kentucky and Ohio, to make converts. Their success seems to have been considerable.

One of their tenets has certainly a claim to respect. They hold, that a dirty, slovenly, careless, indolent person cannot be religious. Accordingly every member of the brotherhood, and every sister, must be continually employed in moderate labour.

I believe that they are more decent than they were in the earlier periods of their establishment. Mr. Brown observes, that several things, which took place, are omitted in his book for the sake of modesty: but he says they stopped every avenue of their houses, so that the world's people could not see them; and had one or two of the brethren out to watch. What passed within

will probably be imperfectly known until the final disclosure. Anne called some persons who opposed her, dogs, dumb dogs, and damned dogs. Several of the brotherhood professed to have gifts, to curse such as censured their conduct, and to tell others to go to hell. There are also gifts for trembling, shaking, whirling, jerking, jumping, stamping, rolling on the ground, running with one or both hands stretched out, barking, crowing, hissing, brushing and driving the devil out of their houses, groaning, crying, laughing, loud shouting, and clapping their hands. These ridiculous extravagances seem gradually to be passing away; and instead of them there has been adopted a regular scheme of industry, of acquiring wealth, and of improving in agricultural and mechanical business.

From the administration of Joseph Meacham the affairs of the brotherhood have been formed into a system. The love of domination appears to have taken a final possession of the elderhood; and absolute submission, of the brethren. The wish to rule begets of course the wish to make converts. The spirit of proselyting is now very evidently the controlling principle. Occasionally, they have been and will hereafter be joined by some shrewd individuals, who will find their passions more gratified than they can expect them to be in any other situation. By these their excesses will from time to time be pruned away; the inconveniences, which obstruct their prosperity, removed; and measures adopted in their stead, of a more promising nature. For all this they are furnished with the most convenient of all pretences. It is only for the principal Elder to say, that he has a gift i. e. a rev elation, for any change; and the thing is accomplished. As in other sects originally enthusiastic, policy will here take place of extravagance. The reserve, the distance, the mysticism, of the elders, the profound ignorance, habitual submission, and Asiatic veneration, of their votaries: and the strong propensity of individuals, scattered throughout the world, to relish what is strange and mysterious, merely because it is so; will in all probability prolong this delusion until it shall be terminated by the MillenniI am, Sir, yours, &c.

um.

LETTER III.

Journey from New-Lebanon to Minden-Valley of the Mohawk-Canajoharie Minden-Thoughts on Religious persecution-Palatines-German Flats-Utica -New-Hartford-Brothertown-Brothertown Indians-Observations on the differences of complexion in the human race.

Dear Sir,

WE dined at the spring; a medicinal water long celebrated in this country for numerous cures. It is situated on the Western declivity of the Taghkannuc Range, and pours a considerable brook down its side. The temperature of the water is 72° on Farenheit's scale. It contains, according to an analysis made by Doctor Seaman, one of the surgeons of the New-York hospital, Azotic Gas, and a small proportion of alkaline matter. It has been found efficacious in a variety of complaints; particularly in several cutaneous affections. It has also been beneficial to persons, afflicted with the Chronic Rheumatism. The resort to this spring has heretofore been great; but has been much lessened, in consequence of the superiour reputation of the waters of Balls

town.

New-Lebanon is in the township of Canaan. This town contained, in the year 1790, 6,692 inhabitants; in 1800, 5,195; and, in 1810, 4,941. It has been divided.

After dinner we rode to Schodac. The next morning we proceeded to Albany; and after dinner Mr. D—and myself proceeded to Schenectady; where we lodged with the Rev. Dr. Edwards, lately elected President of Union College.

On Monday September 22d, having been rejoined by our companions, we left Schenectady; and, crosing the Mohawk, proceeded up that river. When we had rode about four miles, we were stopped by rain, although we had set out with a fresh NorthWest wind; a proverbial sign throughout almost all New-England of fair weather. A small, dark cloud hung over a mountain, rising six or seven miles South-West of the inn, and elevated about six hundred feet above the Mohawk. This cloud, after

preserving for some time a settled form, began to spread with rapidity; and soon overcast the greatest part of the hemisphere. Within half an hour it began to rain; and drove us to a shelter.

The evening, before we arrived at this house, (Schwartz's ;) a waggoner, attempting to get off from his waggon, put his hand on the back of one of his horses, to support himself, while he was alighting. Both horses started; the man fell; and the waggon, passing directly over his head, killed him outright. The name of the man was Fisk. He lived on the borders of Cayuga lake. We saw his unhappy son, who had borne him company, and whose countenance wore the appearance of as deep and unfeigned sorrow, as I ever beheld.

We were detained at Schwartz's until after two; when we rode to Tripe's Hill in Johnstown; sixteen miles in the whole twenty. Here we lodged at Putnam's, a Dutchman, descended probably from one of those unfortunate people, who fled from England to Holland, in order to escape persecution.

The road from Schenectady, after we left the beautiful farm of Scotia, passed over a hard pine-plain; and presented nothing agreeable. The plain is uninhabited, the soil lean, and the road indifferent.

From Schwartz's it lay partly on the intervals, which border the Mohawk, and partly on the oak lands, which border the intervals. We found it generally tolerable, but made unpleasant by a number of small bridges, in such bad repair, as frequently to alarm the traveller for his safety.

Tuesday, Sept. 23, we rode to Canajoharie before dinner; sixteen miles and to Hudson's in Minden, in the afternoon; thirteen more: Here we lodged. The following day we dined at the German Flats; and lodged in Utica; twenty-nine miles.

After we descended from Tripes Hill the road passed over the intervals of the Mohawk, principally, to Canajoharie. Here it crossed the river; and after occupying the same ground five miles farther, left the river, and passed over the hills of Minden. A little before we arrived at Hudson's it returned to the river again; and thence kept along its borders most of the way to Uti

ca. On the intervals it is good in dry weather; but in wet is muddy, and extremely disagreeable. On the hills it was indifferent, but perhaps as good, as could be expected in a country so recently settled.

The valley of the Mohawk is rarely more than a mile and a half in breadth, and generally not more than a mile. It is bounded by two long ranges of hills, or rather brows which border it with little variety and, less beauty. These are almost covered, and crowned, by trees, neither thrifty nor handsome. Beyond these limits the eye is rarely permitted to wander; and soon becomes wearied by such a constant succession of the same objects. To compensate the traveller, the river is for a great extent in full view; a sprightly noble stream; sixty rods in breadth at Schenectady, and gradually lessening to about twelve or sixteen at Utica. Its waters are always delightful; and are often ornamented with elegant islands. The intervals on both sides are rich, and handsome. At the time of our journey particularly, the numerous meadows, after having been scorched by drought, had been clothed by successive rains with a fresh verdure, peculiarly vivid. The settlements along this river are almost universally scattered plantations: almost all the inhabitants being farmers, of Dutch extraction. In most of the older settlements the houses are, generally good, comfortable Dutch houses. The cultivation is moderately good also; and is pursued in exactly the same manner, in which it was begun by their ancestors, and confined almost entirely to wheat, peas, and grass; the latter of which how. ever, is always an inferiour object of attention. The circumstances of the inhabitants appear to be easy, and their life quiet and unenterprising.

Between Schenectady and Utica, (eighty miles,) we saw only three Churches, and only four places, which could with any propriety be called villages; one at Caghnawaga, containing fifteen or twenty houses, with a small Church; a scattered settlement around the Church in Canajoharie; a third, more compact, at the German Flats; and a fourth on the opposite side of the Mohawk at Herkimer. We passed, also, a few miserably-looking