A family copy inscribed on the verso of the preface: “The illustrations were done by my great uncle Charles Henry Knowles born 26th October 1851. He was one of the two young men mentioned on Page 6 who accompanied Robert Ackrill to the United States in 1877. Robert Ackrill’s grandson, Robert Ackrill Breare was my godfather. Nanette I. Robson.”
More a stroll than a scamper, Ackrill visited several cities on the east coast, namely: Washington DC, Philadelphia, New York, up the Hudson River, then to Long Island and Boston, before crossing the border into Canada, where he visited Niagara Falls, Toronto, Kingston, and Montreal. In addition to the narrative and his impression of each place visited, Ackrill offers his opinions on matters such as hotels (divided between European and American plans); drinking (“The Americans are as a rule, ‘great *drinkers’*; but the reverse of ‘great drunkards’.”); the best way to see New York; Wall Street (“Almost every man … tells by his eager abstracted countenance and hurried manner the intensity of the mad race for wealth”); and many other customs. His opinions were fairly common for the time and those on the African-American population do him no favours.
The text is a lightly edited series of letters which Ackrill wrote to friends while in America and some of which were published in the Harrogate Herald, which he edited. The first regular edition appeared without illustrations. Two of the watercolours (Addison Junction and Mr. Horsey’s Residence) are repeated in the plates. It’s possible this extra-illustrated copy is a one-off, thought perhaps several were done for family members, each with its own suite of watercolours.
The eighteen watercolours, tipped in at the appropriate places in the text, depict: Malin Head; Fort Richmond, NY Harbour; At Willisbro Junction; Street View from St James Hotel, Washington; Capitol Building; Mount Vernon, Ohio; Munroville; Old Suspension Bridge - Niagara River; Nun’s Island - St. Lawrence River (now part of Montreal); Addison Junction - Lake Champlain; Plattsburgh; Summer House - Cruger’s Island (Hudson River); On the Hudson River; Old Dutch Church Sleepy Hollow; Lynn Harbour; Egg Rock Lynn; Residency of Mr. Horsey, Oyster Bay Long Island; and Fleet’s Wood, Long Island.
The first edition is uncommon with OCLC locating twelve copies, none of which appear to be this special issue.
