I was not deterred from the party to Lowell and accordingly after an early breakfast, we started, Abby with me in my Gig. We passed through the towns of Woburn, Billerica, Chelmsford and arrived at 279Lowell before twelve. Our party consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Brooks, Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Brooks, Abby, Miss Phillips1 and myself. Lowell is a curiosity from the circumstance that it is a new creation from what is called the American System, having risen within six years by the investment made by the rich Boston people in manufactures of printed calicoes and other cottons. The place is situated at the confluence of the Merrimack and Concord rivers. From the former, which here runs rapidly on a gradual decline, they derive their water power, not however directly but by means of a canal dug to the level of the bed of the river which diverges, and the water can be thus conducted at pleasure. It is carried round a semicircle of about a mile and a half and there falls again, into the Concord river, where it joins the Merrimack. They have thus a large extent of water power, which can also be increased at pleasure by cutting sluices at any time at right angles with the river thro’ this inclosed space. They have already four millions of dollars invested here, in the manufacture of printed cottons, of machinery for works of the kind, of jeans, and they propose shortly commencing one of carpets. In the afternoon we examined the principal works, through which Mr. Kirk Boott, the superintendant, was kind enough to lead us.2 We afterwards drank tea at his house and saw his wife, a lady-like woman. But the exertion of the day was very great and I was not a little fatigued so that I was glad to get home, and retire. My home tonight however was but a poor hotel.

The morning found us in an unfortunate storm of rain, which displayed every prospect of a continuance throughout the day. An unpleasant incident as it made us feel a prospect of a dull day. But on the whole, we had a merry party. The ladies had a fire and sat down to work and read with the assistance of the circulating library and the gentlemen passed the morning in the Billiard Room. Our party was rather noisy and on the whole made an exceedingly lively morning. After dinner we came to the determination of abandoning our quarters, at which I was much pleased, as I was certainly not in the humour for a lonely ride which must have been my lot, had they decided to wait for clear weather. Abby went down with me and was 280not at all wet owing to the direction in which we went. I seldom remember a more pleasant ride. On our return, found a report that my father had already started, which I would not believe, and a foolish Note from Harriet Welsh.1 Evening with Abby.