Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. T wo Excursions, of two months each, supplied the matter contained in the following pages. My fel low-traveller and myself, desirous of skimming over as large a surface as this limited time would allow, resolved to be always on the wing, or on our legs and the better to enable us to effect this, we also resolved not to seek for any letters of introduction, . Which might have gained us a few dinners, and lost as many days. Our movements were guided by the spur of the moment, without preparation or pre meditated design. To observe and to enjoy the diversified scenery of mountain, forest, lake, and river – to view the arts and industry of man – to glance at the various shades of human existence, these were the main objects of our excursions, of which, from my daily notes, I have attempted to draw a faint, but, I trust, a faithful outline.