There are
Venetian blinds to the windows, not made to draw up, but folding like
shutters, and divided into several small panels. Our two windows look
into a broad cheerful street, in which the snow is lying deep, and the
whole scene is enlivened, every now and then, by the sleighs and their
merry bells as they pass along.
_Nov. 29th._--Yesterday the morning was very brilliant. Being desirous
of seeing a Shaker village, and the nature of their service, we had
ordered a vehicle over night to be ready at nine o'clock, when a sleigh
made its appearance at the door, with skins of fur and every appliance
to keep us warm. These sleighs are most elegant machines, and this one
had a hood, though this is not a common appendage. It was drawn by a
pair of horses, the driver standing in front. The road was, at first, up
a steep hill, but the horses seemed as if they had no weight behind
them. On reaching the high land the view, looking back upon the river,
was very pretty. The whole country was deeply covered with snow, and in
many places, where it had drifted, it had the appearance of large waves,
of which the crests curled gracefully over, and looked as if they had
been frozen in the act of curling: some of these crests or waves were
four or five feet above the level of the road. We were about an hour
reaching the village, and were much disappointed to find the gate at the
entrance closed, and a painted board hung on it, to announce there would
be no meeting that day.
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