The city of Buffalo is beautifully situated on lake Erie, near its
outlet; and possesses the advantages of a lake and canal navigation.
It is built chiefly of brick, containing many elegant buildings, and
has ten or twelve thousand inhabitants. In the harbor lay many vessels,
steamboats and canal boats, and it exhibited all the show, stir and
bustle of a maritime city. From this place, you have a fine view of the
lake, Canada shore, and the surrounding country. I was, at this time,
only twenty-three miles from the celebrated Falls of Niagara, and I
could not pass so near without going to view them.
After spending a day in Buffalo, I took a steamboat down Niagara
river, to visit the falls. On the Canada side, you have a view of the
small village of Waterloo, near which, are the ruins of fort Erie,
the theatre of several severe battles during the late war. On the
American side, three miles below Buffalo, is Black Rock, a pleasant
village, having much romantic scenery around it. Niagara river, above
the falls, is of various breadths, from a mile and a half, to three or
four miles. After passing Grand island, I beheld the spray arising like
a cloud, from the falls; and could hear the roaring of the water. I
landed from the boat, about two miles above them on the American side,
and took a stage. Immediately on alighting at the hotel, I walked down
to the river, and beheld for the first time, the celebrated Falls of
Niagara. Such a vast body of water, falling into so deep a chasm, with
a noise like thunder, and with such power that it shakes the ground on
which you stand, strikes one with wonder and awe! One is inclined to
stand still, and gaze in silence. Other falls and deep chasms I had
seen; but this presented itself on such a gigantic scale, and so much
out of proportion to other objects of the kind, that it appeared to my
unpractised eye incomprehensible. Other and abler pens have given the
world many minute descriptions of these falls; and were it otherwise,
I have not the vanity to suppose any description I could give would
enable any one to form a full and just conception of them.
Nature has here laid out her work upon a large scale, and with a
master hand. A mighty river, the outpourings of the great lakes above,
tumbling rapidly along for a mile over its rocky bed, here leaps
quietly down one hundred and sixty feet into the awful chasm below.
Above the falls, the banks slope gently down to the water's edge; so
that you can stand on the brink of the precipice, and put your foot
into the water where it rolls over it--below, the bank immediately
rises, and forms a chasm three hundred feet in depth. Eight or ten rods
below the falls, is the passage down to the ferry; composed, most of
the way, of enclosed wooden steps; and the remainder, of steps made in
the rocky cliff. I went down these steps, crossed over in the boat,
tossed to and fro by the boiling, raging flood; and liberally sprinkled
with the spray of the falls. On the Canada side, the bank is not
perpendicular, so that a zigzag road has been made for passengers to
travel up and down it. On this side, is the Table Rock, near the falls;
and here you have the best view of them. At this spot a flight of steps
lead to the bottom; and from this point a person can go one hundred
and fifty-three feet under the sheet of water. Dresses and a guide are
furnished to those who have the curiosity to enter.
On my return to the American side, I walked over the bridge to Bath
island, and from that to Goat island. This last island contains perhaps
twelve acres, is covered with a fine growth of wood, has a walk near
the water, all around it, and benches and summer house to rest the
weary traveller. It divides the falls, and is probably twenty rods
wide on the cliff, over which the water pitches. At the foot of this
island, a circular enclosed stairway has been built by N. Biddle, Esq.
President of the U.S. Bank, by which a person can descend down the
cliff, between the two sheets of water. And here it was that Sam Patch
leaped one hundred and eighteen feet from a platform, made by ladders.
The trees on the island are covered with names; and the register at the
hotel not only contains names, but sentiments also. I spent an evening
very pleasantly in conning them over.
On the Canada side there are one large hotel and some few dwelling
houses; on the American side, are two large hotels, and a fine village,
called Manchester. After spending two days at the falls, I took a seat
in the stage for Buffalo.
New-York, I believe, possesses more of the sublime and beautiful, than
all the remainder of the United States. It has its mountains, lakes,
springs, rivers, water-falls, canals, railroads and edifices.--Other
States can shew some of these, in a greater or less degree; but as a
whole, New-York must bear the palm. Its resources are vast--it is a
nation of itself. But notwithstanding its attractive scenery and rich
lands, the "western fever" rages here as violent as on the sterile
hills of New-Hampshire. I found more families from New-York at the West
and moving thither, than from all the New-England States. They, too,
seek a better country; and some would undoubtedly be discontented if
they lived in paradise.
At Detroit, I saw a man who said he had just made a purchase of a
tract of land near Pontiac, about thirty miles distant in a northwest
direction. He lived near Rochester, had a fine farm, raised from five
hundred to one thousand bushels of wheat a year; a ready market and the
average price one dollar a bushel; clear of debt, and growing rich; but
the lands were cheap at the West, so he sold his farm, and was moving
into the wilderness! The man was about sixty years of age: so if he has
good luck, by the time he gets a farm well cleared, a good house and
improvements, he will be too old to enjoy earthly possessions. But just
the same feeling is manifested in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. And even
in Illinois itself, some I found, seeking a better country farther west!
Persons travelling to Illinois, or farther west, can take passage
in a vessel or steamboat from Buffalo to Chicago. The distance by
water is one thousand miles; for they must go through lake Erie, St.
Clair, Huron and lake Michigan. The distance by land is not so far by
one half; but the water passage is the cheapest, attended with less
hardship, and much the best way to convey goods. There are two other
routes to Chicago. Take a steamboat at Buffalo for Monroe, in Michigan
Territory; and from thence, there is a good stage route, through
Tecumseh, Niles, Michigan city, and along the south end of the lake
Michigan to Chicago--or take a steamboat to Detroit; from thence the
stage to the mouth of St. Joseph, and cross the lake in a schooner to
Chicago. My object was to see something of Michigan; so I took passage
in a steamboat for Detroit.
On board this boat, there were probably two hundred passengers;
besides a number of horses and oxen, wagons, household furniture and
baggage.--Most of them were emigrants, chiefly destined to some part of
Michigan. The cabin passage is eight dollars--deck three dollars. Of
the whole number not more than ten took the cabin passage. We stopped
at Portland, Erie, Ashtabula, Fairport, Cleaveland and Sandusky, and
arrived at Detroit in two days--distance three hundred and five miles.
Cleaveland is the most important place on the south shore of lake
Erie. The Ohio canal here enters the lake, so that a person can go
down this canal into the Ohio river; and from thence take steamboat
conveyance to the western States. It is quite a large town; containing
five thousand inhabitants, and has three spacious houses for public
worship, a seamen's chapel, and two banks. There are three newspapers
published here, and it shows all the stir and bustle of business and
trade. This place has rapidly increased within a few years: and if it
continues to improve in the same ratio, it will soon take its station
alongside of Buffalo and Cincinnati. Its inhabitants are very spirited
and enterprising. They have contributed, as I am informed, fifteen
thousand dollars for the purpose of levelling down some of the high
bluffs between the village and harbor, and grading the streets.
The flood of emigration, constantly pouring onward, to the far West, is
immense. In the year 1833, about sixty thousand emigrants left Buffalo,
to go to the West by water; and in 1834, not less than eighty thousand
there embarked, besides those who took passage from other ports. No
calculation can be made, of the number that have passed along the south
shore of the lake by land; but, I was informed, a gentleman counted two
hundred and fifty wagons in one day!
The western world is all alive. The lakes, the streams, the prairies,
and forests, are all teeming with life, and exhibit all the noise and
bustle of human industry and enterprise. In 1825 there were but one
steamboat and a few small schooners on lake Erie; now there are thirty
steamboats, and one hundred and fifty schooners and two large brigs!
And the birds and beasts of the forest are continually alarmed at the
sight of human habitations and villages, so suddenly arising, within
their own exclusive haunts and pleasure grounds! Monroe, in Michigan,
is pleasantly situated on the river Raisin, opposite to Frenchtown,
and is six miles from its mouth. It is forty miles, by water, south of
Detroit, and is the county seat for Monroe county, has a court house,
jail, land office, three hotels, twenty-six stores, and probably two
thousand inhabitants. It is situated in a fertile district, and has
a number of mills and distilleries in its vicinity. A beautiful large
steamboat, called the Monroe, was built here, the past season, and made
its first trip down the lake while I was at Buffalo. As this town is
nearer on a direct line from Buffalo to the West than Detroit, it will
shortly become the great thoroughfare of travel to the western country.
A new town has recently been laid out, on the north bank of the Maumee
river. It takes the name of the river; and is situated on a plat of
table land elevated forty feet above the stream, at the foot of the
falls, and ten miles from lake Erie. The river is deep and navigable
for all vessels sailing on the lake. The falls are about thirty feet,
and afford an immense water power--equal to that of Lowell. It has
now fifty dwelling houses, three stores, one tavern, a saw and grist
mill; and preparations are making to erect a large number of buildings
the ensuing season, among which are four taverns. Two doctors are
already settled here; and a limb of the law was on the track to join
them. A glance at the map will at once show its favorable location,
for a large and flourishing town. The Wabash and Erie canal, and the
Cincinnati, Dayton and Erie canal, will both terminate at this place.
It is situated in the disputed territory, claimed by both Ohio and
Michigan; but if it should prove to be healthy, it will soon take rank
with Cleaveland and Detroit. It is thirty miles south of Monroe; and
about the same distance west of Lower Sandusky. A large steamboat is
now building here, to run on the lake.
On the opposite side of the river, and about a mile above, is the
village of Perrysburg, of a hundred houses and twelve stores; but as
its site is low, and on the shoal side of the river, its location is
not therefore so favorable as that of Maumee. There are large tracts
of flat land, both to the east and west of this place, covered with a
heavy growth of timber.
Detroit is on the river, twenty-five miles above lake Erie, and seven
below lake St. Clair. The river is about a mile wide, and the current
sets down at the rate of from two to three miles an hour. It contains
about three thousand inhabitants; many of whom are French and some
negroes and Indians. Much business is done here; and it will probably
be one of the most important frontier towns; as it possesses a safe
harbor and steamboat navigation to Buffalo, Michilimackinac, Green
Bay, Chicago, &c. It is well laid out, and has some fine streets and
buildings. Its public buildings are a court house, jail, academy,
council house, two banks; a Presbyterian, Episcopalian, Methodist,
Baptist and Catholic churches; arsenal, magazine and commissary store
house.
The streets near the water are dirty, generally having mean buildings,
rather too many grog shops among them, and a good deal too much
noise and dissipation. The taverns are not generally under the best
regulations, although they were crowded to overflowing. I stopped at
the steamboat hotel, and I thought enough grog was sold at that bar to
satisfy any reasonable demand for the whole village.--When the bell
rang for dinner, I hardly knew what it meant. All in and about the
house jumped and run as if the house had been on fire; and I thought
that to have been the case. I followed the multitude, and found they
were only going into the hall to dinner. It was a rough and tumble game
at knife and fork--and whoever got seated first, and obtained the best
portion of dinner, was the best fellow. Those who came after, must take
care of themselves the best way they could; and were not always able to
obtain a very abundant supply.
At night, I was obliged to sleep in a small room, having three beds
in it, take a companion and a dirty bed. In travelling, I am always
disposed to make the best of every thing, and complain of nothing if
it can be avoided. And in starting on this journey, I was aware that I
might suffer some hardships and inconveniences; and I had determined
to bear with patience every thing that was bearable; but I had not
expected to be put to the test in the old settled town of Detroit. The
house is large enough, and servants enough, but there was a plentiful
lack of decent accommodations, in and about it.
The upper streets make a fine appearance, and are pleasant and
ornamented with some fine buildings.
Two steam ferry boats ply constantly between this, and a small village
called Sandwich, on the Canada side of the river. On a pleasant
afternoon, I crossed the river, and walked three or four miles on the
pleasant Canada shore. From this position, Detroit shows to advantage.
Detroit has suffered much by disease. Fevers, ague and cholera, swept
off its hundreds. But it is difficult to discover any other cause for
the great number of deaths, than the filthiness of the place, and the
dissipation and exposure of many of its inhabitants. It needs reform;
and I was informed that the subject had arrested the attention of its
best citizens, and they had commenced the work in good earnest.