Shirreff, Patrick
"A tour through North America" by Patrick Shirreff is a travel narrative and agricultural emigration guide written in the early 19th century. Focused on the prospects for British farmers abroad, it blends first-hand travel observations with practical evaluations of soils, crops, labor, prices, and settlement conditions in the Canadas and the United States, with frequent comparisons to British practice. It is aimed especially at would‑be emigrants seeking clear, experience-based advice.At the start of this travelogue, Shirreff dedicates the work to a fellow East Lothian farmer and explains he traveled not on commission but to judge North America for a younger brother considering emigration; he outlines his method (trust what he sees, measure by nature’s tests), notes possible bias toward Illinois, explains local currencies, and divides the work into a tour followed by an evaluative guide. He then recounts the trip from Scotland to Liverpool, selects the packet Napoleon, remarks on Sabbath travel and poor farming he observes, and visits Liverpool’s cemetery. The Atlantic passage brings prolonged seasickness, a birth at sea, a diligent American captain, and a clear, beautiful approach to New York, followed by a smooth customs experience and hotel life. Early New York chapters mix theatre-going (including a pointed public response to indecorum), a tightly controlled Long Island racecourse, a dawn glimpse of dairy routines, and concise notes on local rotations, wages, and tools. A…
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