Cincinnati, Ohio. July 15th /[18]77
Dearest Hyacinth1 We left Boston three days ago, on Thursday evening, Dr and Mrs Gray*2, Gen[eral] and Mrs Strachey*3 and self, first by rail to Providence, where we took berths in a gigantic steamer for New York, which we reached by 6 on the following morning. These steamers, which at a pinch can accommodate[sic] 1000 passengers. and steam 20 miles an hour in smooth water, are, both for construction and comfort, quite unlike anything we have at home. They are provided with gigantic paddles, 40ft. diam[eter], and have comparatively a small hull with decks in two tiers that project far over the sides, giving space for superposed immense central Saloons, with sleeping berths off them all round, besides galleries for walking outside. The cleanliness and comfort of them is quite delightful, and the people are, as throughout the United States, most civil and obliging to one another and to strangers. We had only two hours at New York for walking about, accompanied by a Dr Thurber*4, a Botanist and friend of Dr Gray's, and a very agreeable and intelligent man. We went partly in omnibus, partly in cars like the Glasgow ones. In the Bus the passengers are trusted to slip the fare into a box for the purpose, there being no attendant. I was not so much struck with the buildings of New York as I expected to be - Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and other large towns are rivalling it in public buildings, though

the use of white marble gives N[ew] Y[ork] a great advantage, as does the burning of anthracire coal, which is smokeless. Crossing the Hudson by a steam ferry, we took rail at Jersey town for Cincinnati, via Philadelphia. Throughout this immense journey one never loses sight of cultivation, and in no part would any one who did not know the trees recognize that this was out of England, except perhaps for the absence of gentlemen's seats, which abound within a few miles of the towns only; and these are very humdrum, with terraces, flower and fruit gardens, exactly as with us. After a while we got into the hilly country of the Alleghanies, and wound by the banks of the Susquehanna (have you read Gertrude of Wyoming?)*5 which are very lovely -- the scenery entirely reminding me of the tamer parts of Wales, rich wooded steep slopes, and glens alternating with meadows. At night we crossed the Chain of the Alleghanies by zigzags and descended the Western slopes into the bituminous coal region, passing huge furnaces for steel and iron railway plant &c. We are now on the feeders of the Mississippi, or rather of the Ohio branch of it. We reached this city at noon yesterday, in a pretty dirty state, owing to the dust of the coal district through which we passed at night in the last part of the journey. The railway accommodation is far superior to ours; the cars are like the S[outh] Continental, about 60ft. long, with transverse seats for two persons each, and a central passage. They are nearly 10ft. high inside, beautifully fitted and furnished, and the attendants, colored men who are most civil, dust the seats, bring you iced water

gratis, books for sale, fruit &c., &c., throughout the journey. All the ordinary public attendants in these parts of America are far more civil and better dressed and conducted than ours, and indeed, the air, look and condition of thorough respectability that prevails amongst the lower orders here is a most striking character of the population. The domestic servants are usually dark, half castes and so forth, rarely wholly black, more so in the South probably; they take a great pride in their waiting and their good manners. I was down to breakfast here very early this morning, and whilst waiting for my breakfast in the vast Coffee room, the waiters. some 50, I suppose, were mustered by the head ones, a portly black, and marched two and two down the centre of the room, when they branched off right and left and took their places at the tables. They like this sort of show, and looked so pleased at being noticed. Many make good men of business. At night in the Pulman cars, the attendants arranged each pair of seats as a bed, and let down from the roof on each side over this another frame fora bed, so that there are two tiers of beds all the way down, and a private washing and dressing cabin at each end of the car, one for gentlemen, the other for ladies. Thick curtains hang before each bed, and these are so broad that you have plenty of room to undress as much or as little as you like, on your bed, quite concealed, and turn in between snowy sheets and blankets. The trains go as swiftly as with us, and,

the cars being broader than the rails, there is far more motion than with us, when going fast. Twenty minutes is allowed at stations for breakfast, dinner or supper. This is arranged on tables for 12, before each person a dozen or so small messes, to take as much or as little of as you like of each or all: beefsteak, cutlets, fish, potatoes, peas, beans, fowl, mutton, tarts and so forth. Bread of all sorts abounds. Iced milk is often given in large tumblers. Iced water and ice cream are standards. On leaving you pay at the counter, 75 cents, about 3/-, the waiters get no gratuities. These are sometimes men or women, or both, and often stand behind the chair to flap the flies off with feather brushes, which also fan you. The heat has been uncomfortable but not exceptional, that we hear is to come on the 2nd part of our journey, which begins this evening at 7., when we leave for St Louis, on the Mississippi and shall stay 24 hours to see some Botanists, and then go on to Pueblo in S[outh] Colorado. Cincinnati is a dirty place, full of coal smoke, but the environs are beautiful, hilly, wooded, and clothed with an immense variety of beautiful trees. On arrival, which was announced by telegraph to the Cincinnati papers, we were waited on by three strangers, who provided carriages to shew us the wonders of the place, which are not much. They drove us to Mr Prebasco's*6, a wealthy man with a beautiful house, and grounds full of rare trees &c. from England. His house, which is quite like a first

class country gentleman's in England, is full of good pictures by English, French and Belgian Masters, Japanese, Chinese, French and English articles of vertu, and he has a splendid Library of rare books. He invited a large party of Cincinnati folks to meet us in the evening, very intelligent people. Today we are to be driven to another who has also a picture gallery and collection of Native trees. This evening we were invited to inspect a snag boat, used to uplift the trees that get stuck in the river bed, and wreck steamers; it is a most curious thing. Strachey is greatly taken with it, as he is with all the public works of this wonderful country. Now I must close, with much love to all. I am wearying for news from home, which I do not expect till we reach Pueblo, three days hence. Ever your affectionate husband|J.D.Hooker.