Note 64 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 3)

These high and steep mountains continue for some English miles on the western shore; but on the eastern side the land is high, and sometimes diversified with hills and valleys, which are commonly covered with deciduous trees, amongst which there appears a farm now and then in a glade. The hills are covered with stones in some places. About twelve miles from New York we saw Sturgeons64 (Acipenser Sturio), leaping up out of the water, and on the whole passage we met with porpesses in the river. As we proceeded we found the eastern banks of the river very much cultivated; and a number of pretty farms surrounded with orchards and fine corn-fields, presented themselves to our view. About twenty-two miles from New York, the high mountains which I have before mentioned left us, and made as it were a high ridge here from east to west quite across the country. This altered the face of the country on the western shore of the river: from mountainous, it became interspersed with little vallies and round hillocks, which were scarce inhabited at all; but the eastern shore continued to afford us a delightful prospect. After sailing a little while in the night, we cast our anchor and lay here till the morning, especially as the tide was ebbing with great force.