Note 65 — PETER KALM’s TRAVELS. (continued 3)

Some time after noon the wind arose from South-west, which being a fair wind, we weighed anchor, and continued our voyage. The place where we lay at anchor, was just the end of those steep and amazing high mountains: their height is very amazing; they consist of grey rock stone, and close to them, on the shore, lay a vast number of little stones. As soon as we had passed these mountains, the country became clearer of mountains, and higher. The river likewise encreased in breadth, so as to be near an English mile broad. After sailing for some time, we found no more mountains along the river; but on the eastern side goes a high chain of mountains to the north-east, whose sides are covered with woods, up to one half of their height. The summits however are quite barren; for I suppose that nothing would grow there, on account of the great degree of heat65, dryness, and the violence of the wind, to which that part is exposed. The eastern side of the river is much more cultivated than the western, where we seldom saw a house, the land being covered with woods, though it is in general very level. About fifty-six English miles from New York the country is not very high; yet it is every where covered with woods, except some new farms which were scattered here and there. The high mountains which we left in the afternoon, now appeared above the woods and the country. These mountains, which were called the Highlands, did not project more North than the other, in the place where we anchored. Their sides (not those towards the river) were seldom perpendicular, but sloping, so that one could climb up to the top, though not without difficulty.