Dec. 27. Ther. 23°. Journey to Philadelphia.–We sailed from New York at 12 o'clock noon, for Amboy, on the New Jersey shore. The usual channel by which the steam-boats make this passage, lies between the western shore of Staten Islands and New Jersey, but it is already encumbered with ice. We therefore took the outer channel, stretching farther into New York bay, and running along the eastern shore of the island. We passed quantities of floating ice, and the air was sharp, but pleasant. The sun shone brilliantly, and imparted an agreeable warmth, in any situation screened from the wind. We arrived at Amboy at half-past two; and entered a railway car, which carried us directly across the State of New Jersey, and placed us at half-past six P. M. on the left bank of the Delaware exactly opposite to Philadelphia. It was now clear moonlight, and very cold.

We found the river completely frozen over, and the sides encumbered with large masses of ice, which the rising tides had pitched up against the shore. This was the first day on which the navigation had been completely interrupted, and no arrangements had yet been made for transporting passengers to the city. We wandered, in the moonlight, backwards and forwards along the margin of the river, admiring the city reposing in solemn majesty on the opposite shore, and sending forth gleams of light from its innumerable gas-lamps, till 8 o'clock, when we were summoned to follow a guide one mile higher up the stream.