_27th._--After a long ride in the morning, accompanied Colonel B----ke and ladies to dinner at Mrs. W----gs. In the evening, a small party, with music. A sister of our hostess, Madame P----t, who is an accomplished musician, sang some duets with Count S---- in excellent taste; and we had Mrs. W----gs' harp in perfection. She is certainly the best lady harpist I ever heard; her taste and feeling are both good, her execution certain and brilliant, and her touch nearly as firm, if not quite so vigorous, as Bochsa's, whose pupil indeed she is; and infinite credit does she do her master.
Is it that music is more cultivated as a science in Philadelphia, or that I have chanced to light upon a more musical circle here than it has been my fortune to encounter elsewhere? Certain it is, I have not, in the other great cities, met any women whose musical education appears so exceedingly good, though a love for the art, I should say, is general throughout the country.
_28th._--At seven A.M. left Chestnut-street for Baltimore. Whilst steering through the waters of the Chesapeake, perceived a large steamer standing right for us, with a signal flying. Learned that this was the Columbus, bound for Norfolk, Virginia, for which place we had several passengers, who were now to be transhipped to the approaching vessel.
We were out in the open bay, with half a gale of wind blowing, and some sea on; it therefore became a matter of interest to observe how two large ships of this class would approach each other.
The way they managed this ticklish affair was really admirable: before we neared, I observed the Norfolk ship was laid head to wind, and just enough way kept on to steer her; our ship held on her course, gradually lessening her speed, until, as she approached the Columbus, it barely sufficed to lay and keep her alongside, when they fell together, gangway to gangway: warps were immediately passed, and made secure at both head and stern; and in a minute the huge vessels became as one.
Here was no want of help; the luggage and the passengers were ready at the proper station, so that in a handful of minutes the transfer was completed without bustle or alarm. Meantime the interest of this novel scene was greatly increased by the coming up of the inward-bound Norfolk-man, which flitted close by us amidst the roar occasioned by the escaping steam of the vessels lying-to, a noise that might have drowned the voice of Niagara.