"Rockaway, July 9th.
My dear mamma, and so forth, you
No doubt expect as others do
From absent folks, a line or two
Of their affairs and circumstances,
Health, situation and Finances.
Of what adventures on the way,
And how contrive to spend the day.
Of these I'll give a trite detail
If Recollection does not fail.--
My dinner cook'd and eat in haste,
By one o'clock the ferry pass'd,
Behold me at Aunt Carpender's--
Must eat to dissipate her fears.
At two the wagon hastens on.
I sit as grand as Gilpin John,
In sole possession of the Vehicle
Except a lad the steeds to tickle.
At fam'd Jamaica we arrive
Somewhat about the hour of five.
The horses and myself half famished
Were now at Public house replenished.
Our course resum'd, the carriage roves
O'er smoother roads, thro' shady groves,
And o'er the Sun had dipp'd his head
Quite sciss-ing hot in 's wat'ry bed
That just before the close of day
We find ourselves at Rockaway.
We stop at Vanderbilt's, and there
Methinks I snuff a purer air.
Enquiries made of this and that,
And how and where, and who and
The time declar'd of my sojourning
And eke the day of my returning.
An early bed I sought, and there