time, been receding;—that they were originally situated at the foot of
the rapids near Lewistown, a distance of seven miles from their present
position.[73] This idea is no doubt correct. Masses of rock must, from
time to time, have been shaken from the top and sides of the falls, by
the continual abrasion of the rapids. It is to be presumed, that the
falls will continue to move up towards Lake Erie; lessening the waters
of the upper lakes, and increasing those of the lower, in proportion as
the descent of the bed of the river above the present situation of the
falls may be greater, and the obstructions in it less. In the course of
many centuries, the falls will, probably, reach Lake Erie itself; in
which case the upper lakes may be partially drained, and Lake Ontario be
overflown. It has been asserted, that this lake fills once in seven
years. As to the time, this must be a whim; but there is reason to
believe that the lake occasionally fills, because its sources are
numerous and great, its discharge is not very ample, and high north-east
winds, which frequently prevail here, retard the {80} progress of the
water towards the river St. Lawrence.
I may here more particularly notice Lake Ontario. Its length is about
one hundred and seventy miles, and its breadth about sixty miles. It
contains a great many islands, nearly all of which are situated at the
easterly end of the lake. The principal islands are Amherst, Wolf, Gage,
and Howe. The land on the north-east coast of this lake is low, and in
some places marshy; near Lake Champlain, however, the country is
somewhat mountainous.
One of the islands in the river Niagara, of which I have spoken as
contributing to a division of the falls, is called Goat Island. It
belongs to Judge Porter, and contains about eighty acres.[74] Its soil
is excellent, and its timber valuable. From the main land to this island
a bridge has recently been built; and I understand, that a hotel is soon
to be erected on the island, for the accommodation of those who may
visit the falls.
The whole length of the river Niagara is about thirty-eight miles. Its
width is various. From Lewistown to the falls it is very narrow, its
banks high, and its bed consists of solid limestone. Above the falls the
river, in some places, is three miles wide, and contains several large
islands. Here its banks are low. At the ferry, about two miles from Lake
Erie, the river is only about one mile wide; and near the falls it again
contracts, and thereby so compresses the water as greatly to increase
its velocity. The average depth of the river is from twenty-five to
thirty feet. The rapidity of its current, from the ferry to within a
short distance of the falls, is about six miles an hour; but just above
the former its motion is much quicker. The navigation of the river,
above the falls, is very dangerous.
The principal of the islands just mentioned are {81} Navy, Grand, and
Buck-horn. The growth of timber upon them is principally hard wood, and
their soil is of a superior quality. Grand island is fifteen miles in
length.
From the falls of Niagara I proceeded to Buffalo. The distance from the
former place to Black Rock, is about twenty-two miles.[75] The way to it
is through a gloomy wood, between the trees of which one may
occasionally see the river. Here the aspect was dreary. The snow was
still very deep; the weather cold, windy and wild; the river presented a
green appearance, was partially covered with masses of ice, and
violently agitated by the spirit of an approaching storm. In this
situation I met three Indians. We were thinking of a shelter.—We passed
each other, only with a mute and sympathetic glance.
In the vicinity of the Lakes Ontario and Erie deeper snows fell, during
the last winter, than had ever been known there; and the severity of the
cold was without a parallel. Many people on the Lakes, and in the woods
were frozen to death. A hunter, who went into the wood for an afternoon,
was so frozen as to render necessary the amputation of his feet; and it
was not uncommon, in the upper part of the state of New-York, to see
men, in consequence of the frost, moving upon crutches.
It may be well for me here to mention some additional facts, in relation
to the country through which I have passed since leaving Vermont. The
face of it, from the Green Mountains to Niagara River, is rather level
than mountainous; there are, however, many high and steep hills. On both
sides of the Mohawk north and south, and from sixty to one hundred miles
west from Albany, there are a number of considerable hills. In the
vicinity of these, particularly near Scoharie, the soil is of an
inferior {82} quality. West of this to Lake Ontario is an extensive
level, interspersed with gradual and gentle swells. Some of the slopes
are extensive, and result in spacious flats, many of which are very
rich. This is particularly the case on the Genessee. The north-easterly
part of the State is hilly, and even mountainous; but some portions of
this section of the country, especially near Black River, is very
fertile. West of the Genessee, and more decidedly so in the vicinity of
Buffalo, the soil is not remarkably good; but on both sides of the
river, along Lake Ontario, the land is much better. In various other
parts of the state the soil is almost inexhaustibly rich; but, as is the
case in all extensive tracts of country, there are here some poor lands.
Generally speaking, the state is of immense force in point of
agriculture; and the means of conveying it to market are ample. North
and South, the Hudson, possessing a deep stream and gentle current,
extends from New-York, the great maratime depo of the state, to the
mountains between Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence. From about the
centre of this river, north and south, the Mohawk reaches to within a
very short distance of Lake Ontario; and between Lake Champlain and Lake
Erie, east and west, there are a great many small lakes and rivers,
which tender their waters to the public spirit of the state. It is the
object of New-York to draw to herself the trade of Vermont and the
Canadas.
The western part of this state, was, during the revolution, inhabited by
the Six Nations of Indians, among whom were the Mohawks, a fierce and
powerful tribe. Most of these nations aided the British during this
great contest; and the state, in many places, suffered much from their
ravages.[76]
The land in this state is generally well timbered. The principal growth
is the several kinds of oak, {83} sugar and curled maple, walnut, beech,
black and white ash, birch, hickory, bass, sassafras, and several other
kinds. One cannot but regret the loss of so much excellent timber, as is
destroyed in our new settlements by clearing.
All the western waters are well stored with fish and fowl. Those of the
former in Lake Ontario are principally white fish, and black bass; and
in some of its tributary streams, there are salmon; but they are of an
inferior quality. In the west too, large quantities of sugar are made
from the sap of the maple; and in the woods are found bee hives
containing an almost incredible quantity of honey. A kind Providence has
also provided for our brethren of the west, innumerable salt springs,
which produce fine white salt. This article can, in some cases, be
bought at the works, at twenty cents a bushel.
The day after leaving Niagara Falls, I arrived at Black Rock, proceeded
on to Buffalo, and following a creek of this name, crossed a bay of Lake
Erie on the ice. I should have crossed the Niagara at Black Rock, for
the purpose of viewing Fort Erie, but the wind was so high that no boat
could have reached the opposite shore. This was a great disappointment
to me. My heart had prepared a laurel for the warrior’s tomb.—The graves
of Gibson and Wood tell us how to die for our country.[77] The private
soldier too, humble in station, yet lofty in spirit, deserves the
tribute of a tear.—I must say more in his behalf: comparatively
speaking, his sufferings have been unnoticed, his gallantry unrewarded,
his grave neglected. Who achieves our victories?—the private soldier.
What fills the breach in the ramparts of his country?—his dead body. In
eulogizing and rewarding the leaders of our armies, let us not forget
the more frequent sufferings, and the equal merits of the private
soldier.
{84} The battles of Chippewa, Niagara and Erie, are full of fame.
On my way to Buffalo, I passed Fort Schlosser,[78] and also a small
battery at Black Rock. Here the traveller is sensibly impressed by the
contrast, between the present solitary aspect of the adjacent country,
and the scenes which it presented, during those military operations
here, which furnish so bright a page in the records of American
prowess:—then, the splendour and roar of battle!—Now, the death-sleep of
the warrior, and the crimson shroud!
The distance from Black Rock to Buffalo is only two miles. The latter
place was destroyed by the enemy during the last war;[79] but since then
it has been rebuilt, and now contains many elegant houses. Buffalo is a
considerable place for business. Its situation is central, with respect
to the trade of the City of New-York, and that of the upper Lakes.
When I arrived at Buffalo, I had travelled twenty-four miles, without
meeting any habitation, excepting a very few scattering log huts. Some
of these were destitute of provisions; and at others of them a piece of
bread, and a drink of water cost me two York shillings. Not far from
this place, my dogs, knowing no law but that of nature, and having
forgotten my lecture to them upon theft, helped themselves to the first
repast presented, leaving their master to foot their bills. According to
the phraseology of our Grand Juries, they very modestly “took, stole,
and carried away” a piece of beef of the weight of three pounds, with an
intention to convert the same to their own use. Hue and cry was
immediately made, not by the Hundred, nor by the Posse Commitatus, but
by the power of the kitchen. Notwithstanding carelessness, on the part
of Mrs. Vixen, was the cause of this disastrous event; yet numerous
apologies were tendered to her, and {85} her lord, for the purpose of
appeasing their vindictive spirit: the thieves, at the same time, were
dividing the spoil behind some neighbouring snow-bank. The value of this
sacrifice to canine hunger, was of no consequence to the traveller; but
in this rare instance, money could not purchase pardon; and my dogs were
obliged to remain at some out-post until I renewed my march.
On Buffalo creek, which I have already mentioned and which is connected
with Lake Erie, there is an Indian village inhabited by the Senecas.
This tribe have a numerous settlement on the Genessee river, and several
others in the north-westerly part of Pennsylvania; but their numbers are
rapidly decreasing, and they are probably the most worthless tribe in
North America.[80]
In leaving Buffalo, I crossed, as before stated, a Bay of Lake Erie on
the ice. The distance across this Bay is about eight miles. For four and
twenty hours previous to my reaching the Lake, appearances indicated a
violent storm. It commenced as I passed through Buffalo, and continued
until after I had crossed the Lake. Such a snow storm I had never
witnessed;—indeed such a snow storm can scarcely be imagined. There was,
for hours, a constant whirl of snow, without the least cessation. At
noon it was night; the way could not be seen:—there was danger of
perishing.
My arrival on the other side of the Bay excited much curiosity.
Lake Erie was, at this time, fast bound in ice. The whole country,
excepting the evergreens, presented the aspect of perpetual congelation.
The freezing of Lake Erie probably arises, in part, from its being
shallow. Its greatest depth does not exceed fifty fathoms.
This Lake derives its name from the Eries, a tribe {86} of Indians once
dwelling upon its borders.[81] The scenery of its banks is rather
picturesque. The traveller sees many points of land extending into the
Lake; much level country; and a few considerable hills. This Lake is
about three hundred miles in length, and seven hundred in circumference.
Following the course of it, on the American side, the distance is full
four hundred miles. The growth of timber here is, generally, similar to
that east of Buffalo; but the soil is of greater fertility, and of
easier cultivation. It contains too, considerable limestone; and much
animal and vegetable substance. On the American side of the Lake there
is an abundance of game.
The islands of the Lake are numerous. Some of them are Grose Isle, Isle
Bois Blanc, St. George’s, Ship, Sandusky, Turtle, Put-in-Bay, and the
Three Sisters.
In some of these islands there are subterraneous passages, which abound
with petrifactions. In that called Put-in-Bay there is a considerable
cave, which I shall by and by describe.
On the 26th of February I had commenced the long and solitary way,
bounded on my right by Lake Erie, presenting an ocean of ice, and on my
left by a vast wilderness. In looking back I remembered toils and
privations, which had put my resolution to the test; and in
contemplating the prospect before me, the swamps of the Sandusky and
Miami forcibly presented themselves. Along the American side of the
Lake, especially the lower part of it, there are many townships; some of
them, however, are very inconsiderable, some are known only on paper,
and between the former are large districts of country in a wilderness
state. Some of the settlements are visited in the summer season by small
vessels on the Lake.
{87} In travelling from Buffalo to Detroit, I marched upon the Lake
about fifty miles. Sometimes I travelled near its margin, and sometimes
at the distance of thirty or forty miles from it. These numerous courses
were taken, to enable me to see various parts of the country, and also
for the purpose of obtaining game.
The New-York line, west of Buffalo, is about forty miles from this
place. The principal creeks within this line, and which are connected
with Lake Erie are Eighteen Mile, Catheraugus and Silver Creek. Near to
the mouth of the Catheraugus is another settlement of Seneca Indians.
The State of Pennsylvania is bounded by this Lake for the distance of
about fifty miles. The land here is very good. Presque Isle, situated
about twenty miles from the New-York line, is a considerable village,
and will become a place of importance.[82]
Until about the first of March the weather was uninterruptedly severe;
and although the country is generally infested with bears and wolves,
and furnishes almost every kind of game, I had not, previous to this
period, seen anything, relative to this particular, worthy of remark.
All nature, fast bound in the icy arms of winter, was mute. I looked
towards the Lake, but it spake not. I asked a reason of the trees, but
even their branches did not whisper to me.—The traveller was the only
living thing. Upon the bosom of the Lake he could see, that in the very
frolic of its waves, a sudden and bitter chill had fixed in
disappointment the smile of its delight.—Thus man, in the unsuspecting
season of happiness, feels the deadly pressure of unrelenting sorrow.
Leaving the Pennsylvania line, I entered the celebrated Connecticut
Reserve, called New Connecticut.
{88} The original charter of Old Connecticut embraced a large section of
that part of the North-West Territory, which lies south of Lake Erie. In
1786 this state ceded to the general government all her territory west
of Pennsylvania, excepting the tract now constituting New Connecticut.
This tract is bounded North by Lake Erie, South and West by Ohio, and
East by Pennsylvania. It is 120 miles long and 72 broad; making about
4,000,000 of acres. The country here is level, with occasional swells;
and the soil is a rich loam and clay mixed with sand. It contains no
small stones; but ledges and quarries are numerous. It abounds in
various kinds of hard wood; but pine is seldom seen here. With
emigrants, this tract of land is in high repute.
The principal rivers in New Connecticut is the Grand, and Cayahoga.[83]
The latter enters Lake Erie about forty miles east of the river Huron.
On its banks is situated a village, inhabited by the Cayuga Indians. The
river is navigable for boats; and its mouth is wide and deep enough to
receive considerable vessels from the Lake. The mouth of Grand River is
about seventy yards wide; but there are obstructions to its navigation,
particularly at its mouth.
Early in March I experienced a long storm of rain. My garments, after a
while, became wet; which circumstance rendered my situation
uncomfortable. I travelled, during the whole of the storm, in the belief
that continual motion was necessary to preserve my health. No one can
take cold in the worst of weather, during an active arterial
circulation. It is in a sudden check of this impetus, that severe colds
are experienced, and diseases contracted.
Having passed several small rivers, besides the Grand and Cayahoga, I
arrived, on the 4th of March, at Rocky River. The weather was still
rather {89} moderate, and thinking it would be dangerous to cross this
stream upon the ice, I passed along its southerly side and went upon the
Lake. This course was fortunate, inasmuch as it placed me in a very
interesting situation. It was late in the afternoon when I reached the
Lake; and it was my intention to travel upon it until the evening, and
then pass into the woods. Soon after leaving the river, however, I found
the banks of the Lake very high and steep. I pushed on. This tremendous
ridge of perpendicular rock proved to be several miles in length. I was
not aware, that it was the celebrated scene of storms, shipwrecks, and
savage offerings. Night approached. The prospects around me were
sublime. I was upon a glare of ice. Upon one side was a congealed ocean,
apparently unlimited, and on the other a gloomy bank fifty feet in
height, entirely perpendicular, and pending from which were huge
icicles.—I speak within bounds: they were twenty feet in length, and as
large as a hogshead. The severity of the weather had been unparalleled.
It had rained,—it had frozen. The night was dark. To ascend the banks
was impossible:—they seemed to be the everlasting battlements of nature!
The weather was still moderating; the ice of the Lake cracking in every
direction, and producing a noise like distant thunder. The solitude of
my situation was profound. I was in the midst of a world, and it
appeared to have been made but for one man. I walked with caution,
hoping yet to meet a ravine in the banks. At length I heard, at a little
distance, a sullen stream pouring its scanty waters into the hollow
Lake. I paused,—was bewildered,—was lost. The stars presented a gloomy
aspect, and shed an ineffectual light. My situation was truly
enviable!—There is a charm in desolation; and in the season of danger,
the human {90} soul triumphs in the conviction of its own
indestructibility.
After being apprised of the existence of the stream, I, with much
caution, moved upon my hands and knees towards the shore, presuming that
there was a valley through which the stream entered the Lake, and by
which I might reach the summit of the bank. I soon affected this object,
and entered the wood. I did not, however, sleep much: my imagination had
become active, and I passed most of the night in weaving the web of
fancy.
The adventure of the preceding evening was calculated to call forth much
_enthusiasm_. This, I know, is a term which alarms the ear of dullness;
but the indulgence of this native quality of the heart is not
inconsistent with the due influence of the understanding. What is it but
an admiration of those principles of mind, and those views of nature,
which may be traced to that Being in whom is the perfection of every
great and good attribute? Upon a vicious, or mean object it never looks
but with the eye of compassion and sorrow. I may be permitted to enlarge
a little upon this subject.
Enthusiasm is the reverse of mental and moral insensibility. In the home
of the heart it trims the lamp of intellect, and pants after true
greatness. In mind it perceives perennial existence, and in matter only
the temporary and humble dwelling place of its discipline. Immortality
is the holy land of its aspirations, and disinterestedness the altar of
its sacrifices. In self controul it displays its power, and the
obedience of the passions is the trophy of its victories. All Nature is
the temple of its worship, and in the inspiration of its hopes it finds
the source of its humility. During the convulsions of the physical
world, it sits in the composure of faith, and in the awe of admiration.
In religion it dwells with {91} humble rapture upon the Star of
Bethlehem, and gratefully acknowledges the spirit of grace. In
philanthropy it sees in every man a brother, and loves to do him good.
In patriotism it views, in the tombs of ancestors, the sanctity of home;
and in the protection of innocence, it courts a bloody sacrifice. In
love too, its happiness is productive of piety, and the tenderness of
its sentiments is equalled only by the purity of its motives.
The day after leaving the Lake the weather was cold and windy. After
travelling some miles in a south-westerly direction, I entered a
beautiful and solitary wood. It had more the appearance of an improved
forest than of a wilderness. In this wood I sat down to make some
remarks in my journal. I generally stopped two or three times a day for
this purpose;—sometimes sitting on a stump, sometimes under a tree, and
sometimes by the side of huge masses of ice near the shores of the Lake.
A record of passing scenes and events should immediately be made by the
traveller. By delay, their impressions upon his mind become less
legible, and then _art_ must supply, in some measure, the place of
nature.
The rain storm, and the moderate weather of which I have spoken, covered
many places in this part of the country with water to the depth of
several feet. Here low grounds and prairies made their appearance, and
wading over them, through snow, and water, and ice, was both laborious
and painful.
The weather having again become cold, the surface of the snow congealed
to a hard crust, so that my moccasons and socks became completely worn
through, and my feet much swollen. I deemed it advisable, as the remains
of my moccasons and socks were no security to my feet, and at the same
{92} time retarded my progress, to throw them aside and travel
barefooted. From this mode of travelling I found no serious
inconvenience. At length, however, my feet swelled to an alarming size;
but believing that rest alone would remove the evil, and not being
willing to afford myself much, I concluded to abandon them to that
possible remedy, which is incident to the crisis of disease and the
influence of habit. I now travelled with even more industry than before;
and in the course of a few days the swelling was entirely reduced: this
experiment, however, was not very pleasant; especially, after a few
hours rest.
I am confident that people, who are exposed to want both of food and
clothing, and also to pain, suffer much less than is imagined; and
particularly so if their minds are engaged in any interesting
undertaking. Man may, by habit, render almost any situation tolerable;
and I agree with Seneca, that if our sufferings are not very great we
can bear them with firmness; and if they are very great we shall soon be
relieved from them by death. During at least one half of the time
employed in performing my tour from New-Hampshire to Detroit, I was
afflicted by the tooth-ache; but notwithstanding this circumstance, and
also the toils and privations which I experienced, I do not remember a
moment, during this period, in which I did not possess a balance of
pleasure. The solitude which surrounded me, the novelty of my situation,
and the interesting prospects which frequently presented themselves,
often rendered me very happy.
In the course of a day or two after adopting my new mode of travelling,
I was so fortunate as to meet with several Indians, and of them I
purchased a pair of deerskin shoes. Indian women often accompany the men
in their hunting expeditions; and {93} one may frequently see them in
the woods employed in dressing Deer and Elk skins, and in making shoes
of them. They use the sinews of animals and the fibres of the inner bark
of trees instead of thread.
The weather was still rather severe, and the water beneath the surface
of the snow and ice exceedingly cold; my health, however, continued
good; and the only difficulty with which I had to contend was a want of
provisions. Sometimes I could not seasonably find game; sometimes could
not meet with even an Indian cabin; and sometimes even here scarcity and
want existed.
In this part of the country, although generally level, I met with
several very steep hills.