the lady Shakers.  They all live in single blessedness, and devoted to a life of celibacy.  They are called Shakers from their peculiar form of adoration, which consists of a dance, performed by the men and women of all ages, advancing and retiring in a preposterous sort of trot.  All the possessions and revenues of the settlement are thrown into a common stock, which is managed by the elders.  They are capital farmers, and good breeders of cattle; honest and just in their transactions; and are the only class of people, either gentle or simple, that can resist thievish tendencies in horse-dealing.  We returned to Lansingburgh, where packers of beef live, or rather butchers, where they kill and cut bullocks up by steam, as many as 20,000 in the season.  At Cincinnati in the West they kill 3000 pigs a-day, or 1,000,000 a-year, in the same way.  Back to Troy to dinner, and took railway to Saratoga Springs.  This is a beautiful place, and the water is most beautiful.  From every part of the states they flock here for three months in the Summer.  Population of residents, 2500.  New York drapers open stores here.  I tasted the Congress spring, Colombian, the Putnam, and one other, all of which tasted very much like German Seltzer water, but very purgative.  The United States Inn was our quarters, kept by Mr. Murvin and Judge Murvin.  They dine in the season 1000 and 1100 a-day, and lodge regularly between 600 and 700.  I cannot speak too highly of this house.  Mr. Murvin accompanied us next morning by stage to White Hall, along with Mr. Blanchard, the proprietor of all the stages on this line—­a fine fellow.  We went along the Champlain Canal, which connects the Hudson River and Lake Champlain, past Glen’s Falls.  We passed through the region of Burgoyne’s operations, near the place of his surrender; Fort Miller, and Fort Edward, where Miss M’Crea was murdered; and the tree to which General Putnam was bound in 1757.  This fifty miles was the most frightful travelling I ever had.  Great black bears prowl here.  Trees and planks were frequently laid across the road to fill up holes; and frequently there would be openings in bridges that a horse could have gone slap into.  After many, as I supposed, hairbreadth escapes, going two or three feet into holes, &c., we arrived at White Hall—­at the junction of the canal and lake navigation—­a place of business before the revolution.  Major Skeen lived here.  We took the steam-boat Saranac, Capt.  Lathorp, who politely gave my companion and I a state-cabin.  This lake, for beauty of scenery and historical incident, is one of the most interesting in America.  It is close to Lake George, which lake, I regret to say, the boats were taken off for the winter.  Lake Champlain was discovered by Samuel Champlain in 1609, and extends to St. John’s, Canada, 120 miles.  We passed Ticonderoga, which was an important military post during the colonial wars.  General Abercrombie was defeated here, with the loss of 1941 men, in 1758.  Burgoyne was