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William Priest - Travels in the United States of America
that. - The manufactories in this country that have fallen under my observation are one of rifles at
Lancaster, another of musquets at Connecticut, and at German Town, in Pennsylvania, a peculiar sort of
winter stockings. An American has lately procured a patent from Congress, for cutting brads out of sheet
iron with an engine. The american iron is of an excellent quality, and possesses a great degree of
malleability, which perhaps suggested the first idea of this invention. The following extract from the
advertisement of the patentee will enable you, to form some judgment of this singular undertaking: "He
begs leave to observe their superiority to english-wrought brads consists in their being quite regular in
their shape, so much so, that ten thousand may be drove through the thinnest pine board, without using a
brad-awl, or splitting the board. They have the advantage also of being cut with the grain of the
iron; others are cut against it. He has already three engines at work, which can turn out two
hundred thousand per day."
Another patent has been granted for making the teeth of cotton and wool cards by an engine, which is
supposed to be a similar process.
There are also manufactories of cotton, sail cloth, gun-powder, glass, &c., but of no great consequence.
Their sawing-mills are numerous, and well constructed; this circumstance, and the great quantity of
timber, mast, spars, &c., with which this country abounds, enable them to build vessels considerably
under what you can afford in England, though the wages of a shipwright are now two dollars and a
quarter per day. Theirs ships, in point of model and sailing, if not superiour, are at least equal to the best
european-built vessels, and when constructed of live oak, and red cedar, are equally
durable. Vessels of this description are scarce. Live oak is rarely met with north of the Carolinas: that
used in the Boston ship-yards is brought from Georgia; a distance of more than a thousand miles,
Yours sincerely, &c.
* * * * *
Philadelphia, February 21st 1795.
DEAR SIR,
You know one motive for my coming to this country was, that I might have an unlimited range in my
two favourite amusements, shooting, and fishing, and in both I have had tolerable sport. But as few
except emigrants, follow the european method of shooting, I cannot purchase a pointer for any sum: pray
send me one by an early fall ship, and if possible smuggle me half a dozen pounds of Battel powder; for
since you have begun to cut one another's throats in Europe, I find it impossible to procure any but dutch,
and that unglazed, at the moderate price of two dollars a pound.
We have two kinds of partridges; one larger, and the other smaller, than those of Europe: the former
reside chiefly in the woods, and is in the southern states called a pheasant; but it is in fact neither one nor
the other: the latter is called a quail in the northern states. The flesh of these birds is perfectly rich, white,
and juicy, and though it has not a game flavour, is a very great delicacy. In other respects (except their
size, and that they occasionally perch on the branches of a tree,) they differ very little in their plumage,
call, manner of keeping in coveys, &c., from the partridge of England. They are amazingly prolific; I
have often found twelve or fourteen coveys in the course of a few hours shooting; this will appear
extraordinary, when you are informed there are no game laws in America, and that all ranks of citizens,
or even a negro, may destroy them in any manner he pleases. When the snow is on the ground, whole
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