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Show 484 PORTSMOUTH. of this country, they loiter about the town, where they fall into the hands of abandoned countrymen of their own, squander the little property they have brought with them, and are then despised by the inhabitants. At present, however, there are many respectable and intelligent Germans here, who have already contributed to give the Americans a more favourable opinion of our people. Some of these estimable men have conceived the laudable plan of establishing a society for the protection and settlement of their countrymen, which will certainly prove highly useful. On the 19th of June I left this town on board the United States mail-boat, Guyandotte, and proceeded up the Ohio. The Lady Scott steamer set out at the same time with us, but our steamer soon left her far behind. As slavery is abolished in the state of Ohio, the crew of our vessel were nearly all white men. There are three such mail-boats, which have to forward the despatches of the government, but they perform this office only occasionally, because they receive only five dollars each time. The most rapid vessels are chosen for this service; they have the words, " United States Mail," painted on their paddle-box. About noon, on the 20th of June, we lay-to at Portsmouth, above the mouth of the Sciotto River, and I landed at this place, intending to proceed on the Ohio Canal. |