31 August 1871

We reached New York last night. It took a long time after sighting the land to get in, for everything was obscured for some time by a deluge of rain, and we were obliged to remain with the ship at a stand-still. It cleared however, and we entered the beautiful waters of the Hudson. The American River Steamers are so strange in appearance that we can hardly describe them as they should be for they page 6 appear large and numerous enough to convey one-half of New York across the Waters at once, - and it seems just as if the inhabitants of New York were changing sides with those of New Jersey City, or Brooklyn, each of which are on the opposite shore of the river, or estuary.