ft.

EXUBRIS
ROBERT GIBSON

fa ^

DIARY OP A JOURNEY

Through: Upper f Can au

AND SOME OF THE

NEW ENGLAND STATES.

**i8i9-

BY

OH N, GOLD IE. ^

M-

Toronto :

WM TYRRELL & CO.

1697.

I'^^^'M'S

^**-.

'-7^^

^^^^^^^

DIARY OF A JOURNEY

Through Upper Canada

AND SOME OF THE

NEW ENGLAND STATES.

1819

JOHN GOLDIE.

^^

Toronto :
WM. TYRRELI. & CO.

Jntrobuction.

' T is to be regretted that the strictly botanical journal which
Mr. Goldie kept during the journey described in this
diary was lost by fire. The present journal contains
observations both upon the general aspect of the country
through which he passed, and some few notes on the flora.

The following is a brief sketch of the life of Mr. Goldie,
the author of this diary.

Mr. John Goldie was born near the village of Kirkoswold,
Ayrshire, Scotland, on March 2 1st, 1793.

In early life, after receiving a thorough training in the
Science of Botany, and in practical gardening, he became
connected with the Botanic Gardens at Glasgow. Among his
fellow students was Mr. Douglass, after whom the ** Douglass
Pine " was named, and who travelled extensively in British
Columbia and Oregon, and was afterwards killed in the Sand-
wich Islands.

Mr. Goldie was married in 1815, to Margaret Dunlop
Smith, daughter of James Smith of Monkwood Grove, Ayrshire,
a prominent Botanist and Nurseryman. Shortly after his
marriage, the English Government having determined to send an
expedition to the coast of Africa to explore the Congo River,
Mr. Goldie, after passing a strict examination, was selected to
accompany the expedition as Botanist. At the last moment
he was superceded, to which circumstance he perhaps owed his
life, as the person selected (by political favour) to take his place
as well as a great many of the officers and crew died of the
coast fever, and the expedition was abandoned.

Introduction.

In June, 1817, at the instance of Mr. Wm. Hooker, after-
wards Sir. Wm., Mr. Goldie sailed from Leith for America.
He landed at Halifax, and remained for some time botanizing in
that neighborhood. From there he went to Quebec, carrying
with him all the roots and specimens he had so far obtained ;
these, together with the produce of two weeks research in the
neighborhood of Quebec, he put on board a vessel bound for
Greenock, but never heard of them afterwards. From Quebec
he proceed to Montreal, where he met Mr. Pursh, author of
the North American Flora. From Montreal he travelled on
foot to Albany, (N.Y.), and then proceeded by water to New
York. Here he stayed but a short time ; these months he now
employed in exploring the Eastern part of New Jersey, which he
considered a rich field for the botanist. This summers' specimens
he now shipped at New York for Scotland, and again was doom-
ed to disappointment, as he never afterwards obtained any intelli-
gence of them.

During the winter of 1818, he taught school at a small
place near the Mohawk River. In April he proceeded to
Montreal, where he expected to find Mr. Pursh, through whose
influence he had hoped to be able to go with the traders to the
North-West country. But Mr. Pursh had left, so this summer
to make ends meet he was obliged to fall back on the spade.
Two days in each week he devoted to botanizing. In the
autumn he shipped his collection of plants, and for the third
time misfortune overtook him, for the vessel in which they were
was totally wrecked in the St. Lawrence. The following winter
he did not do very much, but by the beginning of June, 1819, he
had saved a small amount of money, and having borrowed some
more from a friend, he commenced his journey which is recorded
in this Diary. As a result of this two years' work in America, he
introduced into Europe many new and rare plants, a list of which
is to be found in the Edinburgh Philosophical Journal, {K'^rW,
1822-V0I. vi. ) Amongst these was the fern Atpidium Goldianum,

Introduction.

which was so named by his friend Hooker. Mr. Goldie's orig-
inal description of this fern will be found at the end of this diary.

About this time, the Emperor of Russia established a
Botanical Garden at St. Petersburg, and Mr. Goldie was
employed to make a collection of plants for it. The curator of
of the Gardens at St. Petersburg being an old college friend, he
was enabled through him to introduce many rare plants into
England. During his residence in Russia, Mr. Goldie made
extensive botanical explorations. About the year 1830, he
visited Russia for a second time, and travelled in Siberia follow-
ing his favorite pursuit.

Having formed a favorable opinion of Canada as a place of
residence, on his visits in 1817 — 1S19, he brought his family
here in 1844, and settled near the village of Ayr, Ont., where
he continued to reside until his death in July, 1S86. Mr.
Goldie was thus in his 94th year when he died. During his
lifetime he corresponded with many prominent botanists, and
after he came to Canada, more particularly with his friend Sir
Wm. Hooker.

DIARY FOR THE YEAR 1819.

On June 4th, 1819, I commenced my long talked of journey
to examine the natural but more particularly the botanical pro-
ductions of Upper Canada and of the States, in the vicinity of
of the Lakes. In the course of my journey I shall give the
highest at which I happen to observe the thermometer. To-day
it thundered toward the South ; thermometer 76. This night I
stopped at St. Anne's, at the upper end of the Island of Mont-
real, and in the forenoon of the 5th, reached the Grand River
which is five or six hundred yards wide at this place, and proceed-
ing along the bank of the St. Lawrence, came to a small village
called Coteau de Lac. There is a fort here which was occupied
during the late American War, and which at present contains a
few soldiers. Weather fair ; thermometer 86.

6th. I left the road which goes alongside the river and took the
more inland one which passes through Glengarry. The land
along this road is pretty thickly settled, and all by French
people until you come within four or five miles ol the Upper
Province, in which place is a continued swampy wood. In the
afternoon 1 got through the woods and the Lower Province and
entered the County of Glengarry, of which the Highlanders boast
so much. It appears rather singular how much the land differs
on the boundries of the two provinces. From the Coteau de
Lac all along the small River de L'Isle the country is generally
level, and free from stones, but, as soon as you cross a small
rivulet, which on this side is the boundary of Glengarry, the
whole ground is covered with stones and is considerably uneven.
To-day the weather was very hot. In the evening, thunder to
the West. Thermometer 92, at sunset 78. Mosquitoes in
myriads.

8 DiARV — 1819.

7th. I passed through the West of Glengarry and came into
Cornwall which has the same appearance as Glengarry as to the
land, but there is a considerable difference in the people. The
inhabitants of Glengarry retain all the habits, customs, etc., of
the Highlanders of Scotland.

8th. I travelled all day along the St. Lawrence which has a
fine appearance, and is thickly interspersed with islands. The
soil along the river is sandy, but seems, when properly managed
to produce good crops. Grain of all sorts is a great deal
more advanced here than in any other place I have passed
through. This day I passed that bloody spot, which will long
be known in the annals of history, Chrystler's Farm, where a
handful of the British, overcame a large army of the Americans
and prevented them from making an attack upon Montreal.

9th. I arrived early in the afternoon at Prescott, which is a
small village, but contains some respectable buildings. A little
before one enters the village there is a small battery, formed by
enclosing a considerable extent of grove with the adjacent earth
collected into a ridge. In the inside there are contained
barracks for the soldiers, etc. Opposite Prescott on the south
side of the St. Lawrence, lies the town of Ogdensburg which is a
handsome looking village and of considerable extent. After
leaving Prescott, I travelled alongside the river as far as Brock-
ville, twelve miles from Prescott, where I remained for the night.
I was informed that within a very few years past Brockville con-
sisted of only two or three houses, but now there are at least a
dozen houses, which, either in quality or elegance may compare
with any in Upper Canada, besidesagreatmany others of inferior
quality. This morning was pleasant, but towards mid-day the
wind rose rather high, and from the dusty state of the roads
travelling became lather disagreeable. Weather, morning clear,
cloudy in the afternoon ; thermometer 77.

loth. I remained at Brockville examining the vegetable pro-
ductions in the vicinity. To-day when in the woods, a little distance

Diary — i8ig. 9

from the town, I saw the spot where the remains of a man were
found this spring, after the snow went off. He was supposed to
have been murdered in the fall. The place where he was found
was within thirty or fourty yards of a public road. He was laid
behind an old tree which had fallen, and considerable pains had
been taken to cover him over with branches, leaves, etc. Part
of his clothes still remain in the snow where he was lying.
Weather fair ; thermometer 69.

nth. In the morning I set out on my journey for Kingston.
The road follows the river for a few miles, and then goes more
inland, so that you do not see the St. Lawrence until you arrive
at Gananoque thirty-three miles from Brockville. The face of
the country now assumes a more uneven and barren aspect. Six
miles from Brockville you cross a creek with very steep banks,
and whose course appears as if it had been cut out of the solid
rock. For a long way afterwards a house is to be seen only in
three or four miles, the land being so rocky that it is incapable
of cultivation. Even in many places where settled I should
think that it is scarcely worth the labor that has been bestowed
upon it. As I approached Gananoque I found the country very
wild, and not a house in four or five miles. The forepart of this
day was very pleasant, but towards evening it threatened rain,
however it kept off with the exception of a small shower, until
after sunset, when just as I came to the door of the inn where I
slept, it rained for some time remarkably heavy, quite in the
American style. Thermometer 80.

1 2th. I left the village of Gananoque which contains only a few
buildings, and again entered the woods out of which I did not
get until my arrival at Kingston, a distance of twenty four miles,
the country all the way being nothing but rock, and very thinly
settled. Last night and to-day I have been exceedingly tor-
mented by mosquitoes and another small black fly which is still
worse. Wherever they pierce the skin the blood flows very
copiously, so that my face and neck were all besmeared

lo Diary — 1819.

with blood, and afterwards had the appearance of a person
infected with the smallpox. Weather to-day pleasant, fair ;
thermometer 82.

13th. I remained in Kingston. To-day very pleasant, fair ;
thermometer 70 ; frost at night.

14th. Having arranged my affairs, I left Kingston about ten
o'clock and proceeded by the front road for York, (now Toronto).
This road is at some distance from the Lake for about seven miles,
and afterwards lies close alongside the Lake. The shore of Ontario
is in most places low and quite rocky. In a few places it is of
considerable height and perpendicular. As far as the Bay of
Quinte, one scarcely sees any appearance of a lake of any extent,
but only a pretty large river, on account of its being so filled
with islands. Some of the islands are large, and have a few
settlers on them ; others are completely covered with wood,
and in a state of nature. I consider it a very pleasant situa-
tion all along the Lake, and it is thickly settled, but still the land
is very rocky, although now and then you may see a small spot
which appears to be very good. To-day I have met with a
number of interesting plants, some of which are new to me. I
lodged at night in Earnest Town, a small village with a few
respectable buildings, and an old unshapely church. It is
twenty five miles from Kingston. Weather very pleasant, and
was fair ; thermometer in the afternoon 84.

15th. Having travelled about seven miles I was stopped a
little while by rain but it soon cleared up and I crossed over to the
Bay of Quinte and went along the south side of it, until I came
to Mr. Fisher's where I remained for some time. Thermometer
72. I did not leave this until the twenty-first.

1 6th. Fair ; thermometer. 84.

17th. Thunder to the North in the afternoon which continu-
ed most of the night with very vivid lightning. Thermometer
84.

Diary — 1819. 11

18th. Morning fair, thunder to the West through the
day ; thermometer 90.

iQlh. I intended to have set out but the wind was so high
that I could not get across the Bay. Fair ; thermometer 78.

20th. Being Sunday I remained here as I was in good
quarters. Fair ; thermometer 78.

2ist. After breakfast I commenced my journey for York,
(Toronto). After going about five miles alongside the Bay I
crossed it, and went for a number of miles through a pretty thickly
settled country. In the afternoon I came again upon the South
side of the Bay of Quinte which lies in a circular form, so that the
head of it comes almost in contact with the Lake. I got now
completely into the bush. The first house that I came to was
seven or eight miles distant from the last. Although the sun was
yet high, I thought it advisable to stop here for the night, being
informed that the next house was six miles distant. I am told
that it is the most public of any from Kingston to York. To-day
I have met with a number of plants which I have not before seen,
some of them very interesting. Crops appear good, but there is
a great want of rain in this part of the country. Day fair ;
thermometer 84. This night I heard for the first time the well
known Whip-Poor-Will.

22nd. The house where I lodged last night being closely
surrounded with woods, and full of chmks and crevices, admitted
the mosquitoes so plentifully that I could scarcely get any sleep,
which circumstance caused me to stir betimes this morning.
The weather was fair, but a little cold. At an hour after sunrise
the thermometer was 51. I did not see many houses this morning
until I travelled ten miles when I came again to the Bay of
Quinte, along which I walked, until at last I reached its head
which was eight miles further. Where the Bay terminates it is
only about a mile distant from the Lake. A canal could very
easily unite the two, if there was as much trade as would pay

12 Diary — 1819.

interest for expenses of cutting it. The land along the Bay
appears to have been settled for a considerable time. In some
places the soil is good, in others it is very indifferent. There
are a few good looking orchards here, and some lately planted,
but as none of the trees are grafted or budded they are of con-
siderably less value. Leaving the Carrying Place, which is the
name of this Isthmus, the road goes at some distance from the
the Lake through woods but thinly settled, and, which in many
places exhibit marks of being but very lately under cultivation.
From the Carrying Place till where I stopped for the night, I
observed nothing remarkable, except that I met with more
streams of pure water in the evening than I remember to have
seen in all the places I have visited in America. I was so
pleased to find good water that it was with some reluctance that
I passed any of them without drinking. The day was good,
although some showers went about to the South and West ;
thermometer 80.

23rd. I started pretty early and after travelling until about
mid-day I passed a town called Hamilton, situated close to Lake.
It contains but a few houses, some of which are very good. Before
I had gone two miles further, a thunderstorm arose which con-
tinued (or a considerable time, and obliged me to stop. There
had been no rain here for a considerable time before, and the
roads were become remarkably dry and dusty ; which with the
great heat came to be very severe upon the feet, so that, although
the rain made the road a little muddy, it was more pleasant
travelling. At some distance afterwards I crossed Smith's Creek,
where there are a few buildings. After leaving the creek you
get into a sandy barren wood, without any house for same miles.
I only travelled six miles further, by which time the sun was
setting. The country through which I passed to-day was much
the same as seen yesterday, some good and some very indifferent.
Rye seems to be the grain that grows best here. There appears
to be very little attention paid to the cultivation of potatoes In

Diary — T819, 13

this part of the country. In the course of a day's travel one will
not see an acre of them. The people in this locality have
been for some days past busy in hoeing their corn. This
day was fair except the shower mentioned before, and another a
little afterwards which passed to the South ; thermometer 72.

24th. I arose with the sun, and, after going two miles, I got
into what are called the nine-mile woods, A sliort time ago there
was not a house all this distance, but lately there have been three
or four log ones built. The cause of there being so few settlers
here is not, as in many instances, the barrenness of the soil,
which in these woods is very good, but the proprietors of this
place have got hold of nearly all the land and will neither clear it
themselves, nor sell it to those who would do so. As a law has been
passed obliging every person to keep the road in repair opposite
his property, it is probable that this will induce them to make
some better use of this and many other pieces of land, than they
have hitherto done. The morning being calm the mosquitoes
were extremely numerous and almost insufferable. After leaving
the wood there are a few miles cleared along the road, after
which you came into the five-mile woods, which are still un-
settled. These places are likely to retain their original appella-
■ tions however inappropriate they may be in a short period. I
travelled only a few miles further to-night, and lodged exactly
thirty miles from York. The land appears better here than
lower down, and if properly cultivated and manured would
produce luxuriant crops. For three days past I have seen nothing
interesting to the botanist, which circumstances is not calculated
to elevate tbe spirits and make one forget the fatigue of travell-
ing. This day was fair ; thermometer 80.

25th. As I did not intend to go into York, I travelled to-day
but slowly, sometimes in woods, and sometimes in cleared land.
Before mid-day I passed a creek which lay very low, so that the
road is very steep on each side. All the declivity on the east
side was completely covered with the ^^ Penstemon pnbescens"

14 Diary — 1819.

such a quantity of which I never expected to see in one place.
For a number of miles to-day I passed through barren sandy
pine woods which it is probable will never be cleared. In the
morning I met a number of Indians and squaws. One of the
men was very drunk. He told me that he was crazy with taking
too much bitters this morning. One of them had no clothing
upon him except a piece of cloth about a foot in length and
breadth which hung before him. I stopped for the night six
miles from York, there being no other inn upon this road nearer
to it. As I was only a short distance from the Lake, I went to
it, but found the shore at least two hundred feet high and very
abrupt, in some places almost perpendicular, so that it was with
considerable difficulty that I could approach the water. The
bank is almost entirely composed of sand, which approaches to
clay after a considerable depth. I expected to have found a
number of plants here, but was disappointed. Having bathed in
the Lake I returned to my lodging. This day was very pleasant,
there being a considerable breeze, which both kept one cool
and kept off these tormentors the mosquitoes. Thermometer
76.

26th. I went on for York. As soon as I left the tavern where I
lodged, I entered into what in this part of the country the people
call a Pine Plain, but what in some of the States would be
denominated a Pine Barren, which is a very appropriate name
for such kind of land. I found the vegetable productions here
in many places similar to what they are in New Jersey. The
woods continue until you come within less than thee miles of
York, where the land is generally cleared, although it does not
appear to be anything superior in quality. I came into York
about ten o'clock and intended to have remained at least one
day in it, but I was not long here until I changed my mind, and
left it for Lake Simcoe. When at Kingston I left the greater
part of my specimen paper together with all my other articles
which I did not immediately need, to be sent to York by the

Diary — 1819. 15

Steamboat which only sails between these two places three times
a month. It happened that they had been put on board a
schooner addressed to the care of a storekeeper, but he not
observing any mention of them in the Bill of Lading which he
received with some articles of his own, made no inquiry about
them, and they were not delivered. When I called at the store
and could find no account of my things, I did not feel easy, as I
had my book that I carried along with me quite full of specimens,
and my hat was as full of insects, so that I could do nothing
more until I had the present cargo disposed of. Of the appearance
of York I shall say nothing until a future period. I started in the
afternoon and travelled eight miles due North on the road to
Simcoe. This day was very hot, fair ; thermometer 86. I
forgot to mention above, that, just as I was inquiring for my
knapsack the schooner which brought it from Kingston returned
from Niagara, so I went on board and found it. If I had not
luckily been there just at this time it would have been carried
back to Kingston, which would have been an unfortunate
circumstance for me.

27th. It was about six in the morning when I started, and
in a short time it was so hot that travelling became very oppressive.
At nine a.m. the thermometer stood 84. The roads were now
again become remarkably dry and dusty, so that when any
wheeled carriage passed I was involved in a cloud of dust which
was extremely disagreeable. This is the best road that I have
seen in Upper Canada, and since I left York there have been
more waggons travelling this road than on all those that I have
seen since I left Montreal. Having gone on slowly I arrived in
the evening at what is called the Upper Landing Place, which is
about nine miles by water from Lake Simcoe. I stopped at the
farthest house upon this road and have bespoken a week's
lodging here, as I expect that it is a spot very interesting for the
botanist. Day fair ; thermometer 91.

i6 Diary — 1819.

28th. Day fair and extremely hot. At nine a.m. the ther-
mometer stood 90. About mid-day there was a thunderstorm
which however mostly passed to the Southward ; thermometer 93.

29th. Rain in the morning : in the afternoon it cleared up, but
towards evening became again cloudy ; thermometer 77. As the
house at which I stop is situated in the midst of woods and
marshes, the mosquitoes have been exceedingly troublesome
these two days past. It is almost impossible to sleep during the
night, for they are quite as plentiful and every way as michievous
as during the day,

30th. Rained very heavy all day ; thermometer 70.

July. 1st Rained for the greater part of the day ; ther-
mometer 64.

2nd. Rained during the forenoon, cloudy in the after-
noon ; thermometer 64.

3rd. Cloudy in the morning, but cleared up in the afternoon.
This evening a company of the 70th Regiment from Drummond
Island in Lake Huron, arrived here. They have been up the
country for two years, and have been exchanged for two
companies of the 68th. Thermometer 78.

4th. Was fair and pleasant. This evening I saw a comet to
the north-west, about an hour after sunset. Its tail could be seen
very distinctly and was of considerable length. Some superstitious
people here are firm in the belief that it prognosticates an immed-
iate war with the United States, as one appeared before the late
war. All around this part of the county you hear of wars and
rumours of war. For what purpose some people invent and publish
such stories, I cannot imagine, except it be to make their neigh-
bours believe that they are possessed of more foresight and a
greater share of sagacity than others. All such reports appear
to be totally destitute of any foundation. Thermometer 73.
This being the last day of my abode here, I shall mention a few
things more concerning this part of the country. Lake Sincoe

Diary — 1819. 17

is between thirty and forty miles long and of considerable
breadth, but I could not ascertain accurately how many miles.
On the South side there is what is called a river, which although
of no great breadth, has yet sufficient depth to allow schooners
to come to the Upper Landing Place which is nine miles from
the Lake and thirty-six from York. This river apparently is
stagnant and the water has more the appearance of flowing
from the Lake than into it. After crossing the Lake there is
nine miles of a portage and then there is water carriage all the
way to Lake Huron. It is very probable that at no very distant
period this will become the most frequented of all the routes to
the north-west. At the present time there are no houses nor
stores on the north side of Simcoe at the portage, which make
it very inconvenient and render the goods transported liable
to be injured by the weather. Since a Steamboat has commenc-
ed to sail on Lake Erie the cheapest and most expeditious mode
of sending down the furs from the interior is by that route,
although it is four hundred miles longer than by Simcoe. There,
is only one schooner upon the Lake, which is sufficient for all ,
the trade at present. Since I came here I have seen a number/
" of rare plants, and some of them are non-descripts. There is
a species of Asclepias with orange flowers very handsome, a
species of EuphoTbium with white flowers, a Raitunculus, to-
gether with some other plants not in flower that I had never
before seen. If a person could spend a season here he might
expect to find many plants not yet described.

5th. This morning was remarkably cold for this season of
the year. I could not get away before ten a.m. As the day was
good I took it easy and stopped twelve miles from York, Hav-
ing travelled this road before I need say nothing concerning it
now. Fair ; thermometer 80.

6lh. On the morning of the 6th I came into York, where I
remained all this day. . York is situated upon a Bay formed by a
narrow piece of land which stretches out from the eastern side

i8 Diary — 1819.

of the town, and almost incloses a small portion of the Lake, the
outlet being to the south-west. The harbour is not at all adapted
for shipping. The bullrushes grow some feet above water at
nearly one hundred yards distance from the land. There are
two piers of wood which project a great way into the water,
where the Steamboat and the Schooners load and unload. Upon
the neck of land nearly south of the City is a lighthouse which is
the only building there except a log house at its extremity. York
is very inferior in extent to Kingston, and also in my opinion in
its situation. It can only be said, strictly speaking, to possess one
street, for the cross ones scarcely yet deserve that name. Most
of the buildings are very good, but are all with the exception
of two or three of wood. There is only one Church in the City,
which is Episcopalian. As yet they have not a Presbyterian
Church, but when Presbyterians have service it must be in some
building appropriated to some other purpose. The street is
without pavement. When I was here I saw them mending it,
which was accomplished by first turning it completely up with
a plough as if to sow grain and afterwards throwing the earth
from the sides and heights upon the middle and into the hollows.
Although such streets would not do in Britain, yet here they are
even better than if they were paved. The ground is very dry
and sandy. The summer is generally dry and the number of
carriages that travel the streets is comparatively few. When
Winter commences it is of no importance of what material streets
are made. In that season frost and snow make all roads alike.
York is without any fortification, and the public buildings were
burned by the Americans in the late war. About three miles
above the town are the barracks for the soldiers, and the Gover-
nor's House. I saw the 70th regiment go on board the Steam-
boat Frontenac for Kingston. This is the only Steamboat
that sails between York and Kingston. She makes only three
trips a month, leaving Kingston upon the first, eleventh and
twenty-first of each month. After touching at York she sails to
Niagara and returns by the same route. This boat is a great

Diary — 1819. 19

deal larger than any other that I have ever seen. There are
also a few Schooners that trade between this and Kingston,
Niagara and the American side of the Lake, From York I
could have sailed to Niagara in a few hours and for a small sum,
but I preferred travelling by land, although the distance is ninety
miles, while by water it is only thirty. I was informed that the
fog which arises over the Falls car be observed here on a clear
and calm morning.

7th. In the morning there was a shower which detained me
from setting out as early as I had intended. There being a
Schooner here which was to sail to Niagara this afternoon, I
considered it better to send all my spare articles by her, which
would cost me only one shilling and three pence (1/3), than to
have a load to carry for one hundred miles. Within two miles
of York, to the West, there are a few very elegant buildings,
superior to most in Canada. Three miles Irom York you
come into a sandy pine barren which continues for tive miles
and in which there are one or two houses. I had not been long
here when 1 met with ample compensation for the fatigue of
travelling by land. This was as good a botanical spot as any
that I ever was in. I wish that there were more ot the pine
barrens even than what there are. Having so much employ-
ment this day I was unable to proceed far on my journey. I
believe I stopped fifteen miles from York. This day was calm
a;id very sultry, with occasional heavy clouds ; thermometer 90.

8th. I never passed a more disagreeable night in America
than the last one. Being sleepy I went to bed early, but I was not
long there, when I would have been extremely glad to have been
able to fall asleep. The mosquitoes were the chief cause of
disturbance, although not altogether the only one. Whenever I
have it in my power now to choose, I shall take particular care
to inspect the state of the tavern windows, so that whatever may
be inside I may be free from external intruders. The country
through which I passed to-day was generally well settled and of

20 Diary — 1819.

rather good quality, but all inclining to sand. This day I
crossed three considerable creeks which run very much below
the level of the adjacent land ; their banks are both high and
very steep, so that it must have been with a good deal of
difficulty that a road has been made across them. The road is
mostly composed of wood which forms a barrier to the earth
that is cut from the bank. After travelling about twenty-eight
miles I came alongside the West corner of Lake Ontario, where
the first object that I noticed was what appeared to me to be
a great body of smoke on the opposite side of the Lake ; but you
may guess my incredulous surprise and pleased astonishment
when I was informed that that was the spray of the Great Falls.
It appeared very distinctly and as if at no great distance ; and in
the calm mornings and evenings the sound of the Falls is distinctly
heard at this place which is thirty miles distant in a direct line. As
you proceed along the west end of Ontario you pass between it and
what is properly called Burlington Bay, but its common appell-
ation here is the Little Lake. It is seven miles across in the
widest place and lies close alongside the other Lake for five
miles. The road passes along the beach which lies between the
Lakes, and is from one hundred to two hundred yards wide.
The only connection between the Lake and the Bay is about
sixty yards wide, and through this the current was setting into
the Bay, when I passed here. I went two miles from the Lake
by which time the sun had sunk below the Western forests, and
I thought it best to halt for the night. Where I remained is
called Stoney Creek, and has three taverns within one hundred
yards. I was careful to survey them before entering and pitched
upon one which was dignified by the title of hotel. This day
was fair with occasional clouds ; thermometer 90.

9th. This day take it all in all I consider the hottest that I have
ever felt. The morning was very calm. The road lay in a low
situation with high land on one side and woods on both. From
seven a.m, until sunset the mercury stood alx>ve 80, with very

Diary — 1819. 21

little wind all day. I travelled this day twenty-eight miles and
came to the twelve-mile creek, being that distance from Niagara.
The road all along this way is very good, and the land I consider
as good as any I have seen since I left Montreal. In all the low
lands from Stoney Creek, where I remained last night, I have
observed numbers of the Plantanus Occidentalis being the first
that I have seen in their natural state. One of the greatest
hardships which I endured here and in many other places, was
the want of good water. There is not a drop to be got except
where the inhabitants have dug wells, which only comparatively
few have done, rather subjecting themselves to one of the greatest
inconveniences in life than be at the trouble of digging for a few
feet, when they might possess abundance of excellent water.
People here are beginning to cut their hay and secure it. I
see that here they have found no better method of building it in
ricks than in most parts of America, building the hay round a
long pole previously fastened in the ground. The top of the
pole remains some feet above the hay all winter, and, as there is
no thatch used, I do not think that a more effectual method
could be adopted to rot the hay completely. The corn seems to
grow remarkably well here ; it is far superior to what is found
lower down, the Lake. Day fair ; thermometer 94.

lOth. I only went as far as Niagara this day. This town is
situated at the junction of the River St. Lawrence with Lake
Ontario, in an agreeable situation. This town was formerly
called Newark, and was burnt by the Americans during the
late war, not one house being spared, so that all the present
town has been built since that period. It contains a number of
streets, but none of ihcm are yet filled up with houses ; how-
ever, I thnk it as at least half as large as York. On the north
side of the town and close to the Lake is a Fort named Mississ-
ago, and on the south side, on the bank of the St.
Lawrence is Fort George. There are also barracks in the
vicinity of the Town. At present there are about three hundred

2 2 Diary — 1819.

of the 68th Regiment stationed here. The only building worthy
of particular notice is the Jail, which stands about a quarter of a
mile out of the town. It is a large two-storey house of brick,
very handsome, and is considered to be the finest building in
Canada. At present it holds within its walls the celebrated
Gourley. A few of the Niagara newspapers that I have seen
are nearly filled with his writings and those of his opponents.
However, I believe that he generally remains last on the field,
which is commonly considered a proof of victory. One of his
papers which was of great length, I read, and, from the senti-
ments it contains, I cannot think that he is so dangerous a
character as the men in power would have people believe. He
is very free in giving his opinion concerning the character of the
Governors, and I suspect his greatest fault is speaking too many
truths, which are not thought to be seasonable or agreeable. He
asserts positively that the Duke of Richmond came to Canada
solely for the purpose of making money, and that Sir P. Maitland
made a runaway marriage with a daughter of the Duke's
in France, but that peace was made through the mediation
of the Duke of Wellington under whom Sir Peregrine was serving
at that time ; and that this connection elevated him greatly and
eventually made him Governor of Upper Canada. I was in-
formed that the width of the river here is three quarters of a
mile. On the opposite side, on a point of land that projects a
little way into the Lake stands Fort Niagara, belonging to the
Americans. If sufficiently manned it is said to be strong.
During the late war the British took it by surprise, but it was
given up at the conclusion of peace. This day was very hot in
the forenoon : it was fair, but in the afternoon there were showers
to the South and lightning in the evening ; thermometer 94.

Ilth. On the nth, after breakfast I departed on my way
to the Falls, which are distant from the town of Niagara
fourteen miles. All the way to Queenstown the road is close to
the river. The banks of the St. Lawrence here are very high and

Diary — 1819. 23

steep, but not rocky. This is as pleasant a walk as any that I
have had in America. I cannot say that the land is good ; it is
sand, but yet the crops look well, and every house here has an
orchard. Cherries are very abundant in this part of the country,
and there are also quite a number of peaches. To-day I have
seen, and eaten a greater number of cherries than I thmk I have
ever done before. The cherry trees are all planted close alongside
the road, and any person that passes may help himself from
them. Having come to Queenstown which is quite a small
village, I was anxious to get upon the field of battle, by which
its name has attained celebrity. Close to the upper end of the
town, the spot was pointed out to me where the brave General
Brock was killed. It is quite rear the road, and is marked
by a number of thorn bushes which form a rude circle. They
were not however planted on that account, but grew here long
before that time From Niagara to Queenstown the land
is quite level, but at the south end of the latier it rises
very suddenly in the form of a ridge at right angles to the
river. This ridge is called Queenstown Heights, and on
it the battle was fought that is called by the same name. A
similar ridge is seen on the opposite side of the river,
and it looks as if at some period the two had been
continuous. The bed of the river is very much contracted
when opposite the Heights, and the banks are steep and
rise to a great height above the water. A number of Americans
were driven over these heights into the river, when attempting
to seek safety in flight. Wnen I reached the top of the Heights
I sat down for some time to enjoy the prospect before me, on
the very spot where many a man had lost his life. I was here
at noon when the mercury stood 84. With mingled sensations
of pleasure and melancholy I viewed this and some other similar
scenes where many hundreds of my fellow-creatures had been
hurled into eternity. As the ground rises here so suddenly, I
expected that on reaching the top of the Heights I would have

24 Diary — 1819.

an extensive view on the opposite side at least as far as the Falls,
but I was astonished to find that instead of there being a
declivity it was all level to the South and West. There is no
perceptible rise in the land all the way to Lake Erie, I am
informed, so that it seems as if the Falls had been originally a
that place. The banks of the river now become rocky and fromt
one to two hundred feet in height. After travelling three miles
above this, I was inlormed that there was a whirlpool in the river
(which was now distant from the road one and one half miles),
well worth the attention of a stranger. Having abundance of
time I determined ' to take a view of the whirlpool, which some
people told me was as great a curiosity as the Falls. I found
this whirlpool to be caused by a very sudden bend in
. of the river. Immediately above this the river is very much
contracted, which causes it to flow with great rapidity ; so that
when its former direction is changed at a very acute angle,
instead of rounding the projection of the rock, the water runs
past the course that it afterwards assumes, and forms a capacious
basin, round which it is whirled.

The sight cannot be called sublime, yet it is well worth
attention. The water is almost smooth on the surface, but by its
whirling and contortions in every direction, with the foam on the
top, shows that it is greatly agitated below the surface. There
is a something of grandeur and dignity in its stillness which
much pleased me even more than if it had been in a greater
commotion. The banks here are very high ; near the top
they are perpendicular, but nearer the water they have a
slope, this part of them being covered with trees. The river
here is certainly narrow and must be remarkably deep, although
from the top of the bank I lound myself very much deceived by
the distance. I believe that there are few people but would
think at first sight that they could cast a stone to the opposite
side of the river. I almost thought I could, but upon trying I
was not able to throw one into the edge of the water, although

Diary — 1819. 25

it appeared to be almost quite under where I stood, A ladder
of twenty-eight steps is built down the face of the rock, by
which you can approach the water's edge. On the rocks here I
found two species of little ferns which I had not hitherto come
across. Returning again to the road I set out for the Falls
which were now distant only four miles. By this time I was
much disappointed in not hearing their sound, having thought
that before this I would have heard them roaring like the
loudest thunder. When I got within two miles of them, I could
hear them distinctly enough, but far from being loud. The
afternoon being well spent I did not think of visiting them to-
night, but remained at a tavern one mile distant from these
celebrated wonders of nature. This day was hot and lair ;
thermometer 90.

I2th. This morning it rained a little, so that I did not go
out until after breakfast to visit the Falls. On approaching them
I found the ground in their vicinity to exhibit a very difierent
appeaiance from what I had expected. Instead of high rocks
and precipices above the Falls, and valleys and glens below
them, all is perfectly level in appearance. Indeed you have
rather to descend as you approach them. At the distance of
■ two hundred yards there is nothing to be seen in the banks of
the river that would lead you to expect any such thing as Falls
at this place. Before getting to Table Rock, one must descend
a pretty steep bank, and being down you immediately
find yourself on Table Rock at the very edge of the falling
water. These water-falls have been generally considered one
of the grandest and most sublime sights in nature. I shall
not dispute it. They certainly are grand, but do not exceed or
even equal the conception of them that I had formed. For me
they possess none of that awful and terrific sublimity which I
have beheld in a stormy and tempestuous ocean. I was ex-
tremely disappointed with respect to the sound of the falling of
so great a body of water. After remaining some time above I

26 Diary — 1819.

went down below to the bottom of the falls, having read that
the sound there was far greater than above, but still had the
mortification of being disappointed. Two people might stand
at the edge of the falls and each hear the other when speaking
in an ordinary tone as well as if they were a mile distant from
them. There is no perceptible descent in the ground all the
way from Lake Erie to Queenstown, so that the height of the
falls is caused by the greater depth of the bed of the river below
than above them. The river above the falls is very broad and
runs from about south-east to north-west, but immediately below
them it takes a sudden bend to the north-east. Above the
descent the river is nearly as high as the adjacent country while
below, all the way to Queenstown, it is as much beneath the bank
as the height of the falls. The river is divided into two parts by
Goat Island, as is generall well-known, and the greater portion
of the water runs on the Canadian side. Goat Island is the
largest, being, I imagine, half-a-mile in length, but there are ten
more islands immediately adjoining it, eight on the American
side and two on the Canadian, which are not commonly men-
tioned at all, at least I have seen no account of them. For
nearly a mile above the falls the bed of the river descends a
number of feet, being veiy uneven with great breaks in the rocks
which form the bottom of the river and which cause the water to
be extremely rough and to have a very rapid current. The Fall
on the north side is nearly in the form of a semicircle ; the mid-
dle, from the greater quantity of water falling, wearing much
(aster than the sides. From its shape it is called the Horse-shoe
Fall. The Fall on the other side is indented in many places but
not nearly so much as the Horse-shoe one ; the quantity of water
passing over it being small in comparison with what goes over
the Horse-shoe. When standing on Table Rock, close to the
water, I did not feel in the least frightened except by the appear-
ance of its projecting so much over the bottom of the bank. A
great quantity of water falls in the middle part of this Fall where

Diary — 1819. 27

it assumes a very deep green color, but at both sides one sees
nothing but spray as white as snow. It is seldom that a person
can have a distinct view of the water at the bottton of the Falls,
for it is enveloped in fog from the spray which rises in clouds,
a portion of which falls immediately, while the rest is carried
into the atmosphere to join its kindred waters. After viewing
it for some time above I walked down along the side of the
river, for about one quarter of a mile, when I came to the ladder
by which you descend the bank and come to the falling water.
In some writers the descent here is represented as both terrifying
and even attended with some dangor. This is not the case now,
whatever it may have been before. There is an excellent ladder
of twenty-eight steps, fastened at the top to an arbor vitae, by
which to descend ; and lately Mr. Forsyth, who keeps the near-
est inn, has erected a covered stairway by which all who choose
may go down on paying one York shilling (6^ ster. ) When
down I walked back towards the Falls. It is rather difficult
walking here on account of the quantity of loose rocks lying
along the water's edge that have fallen from the bank. The
rocks on the bank are remarkably loose and are daily crumbling
away so that I did not feel myself quite secure when walking
below them, as a very small portion of them having fallen upon
me from so great a height would have been a termination to all
my labours. On coming near the Falls you are surprised to be-
hold how greatly the bank is excavated below, so that the top
projects over it a number of yards. This sight is sufficient to
make a person suspicious of standing on Table Rock when he
sees how thin a piece of stone it is that separates him from being
precipitated into the dreadful abyss below. I went close to the
edge of the falling water when, in an instant, I was completely
drenched by the spray. There is a considerable space between
the water and the rock so that a person may go a few feet behind
the Falls, but it is attended with considerable danger. The air
is in violent agitation behind the water and there is nothing but

28 Diary — 1819.

water and darkness. After all the enquiries that I made I could
not learn that any person had ever ^one far below the water,
and although it has been asserted that some people have passed
quite through to the other side, yet I do not believe it ; so con-
fident am I that it is altogether impossible to do this that I
would doubt my own sight were I to see it actually performed.
Here I saw three snakes almost in the very water, two of the
striped and one of what is called the milk kind. I was much
surprised to meet with such company in this place. When sat-
isfied with viewing the water I began to examine the vegetable
production of this interesting place and found a number of plants
which I had not hitherto observed, some of them, however, I
had not the pleasure of seeing in blossom. This day was for the
most part fair with a few slight showers ; thermometer 82".

13th. This day I again went to the Falls to satisfy my curi-
osity and endeavor to discover more plants in their vicinity.
When I was on the rocks below the Falls I saw a boat going
across the river and being anxious to visit Goat Island I went on
it. I had always considered this Island inaccessible to man,
but have been informed that some people have been in the habit
of visiting it for many years past. They sailed from the Ameri-
can side as far into the stream as the island is situated, at some
distance above it, and the waters being shallow they were en-
abled to reach the island and to return without any danger and
with little difificulty. At present, however, there is an excellent
bridge from the shore to it by which a waggon may pass over
with ease. The water runs here with great impetuosity, and is
very rough on account of passing over rocks and shelves, but it
is by no means deep. The bridge is supported by large beams
of wood fived together in the form of a parallelogram, and the
space in the middle is filled with large stones. There was a
former bridge a little higher up than where the present one
stands, but it was destroyed by the ice iast season. Between
the shore and Goat Island, there is another island to which the

I

Diary — 1S19. 29

bridge is carried, and then from this one to Goat Island. The
distance from land to the first island is about one hundred aud
thirty yards, and from this to Goat Island about ninety yards,
so that the whole length of the bridge is two hundred and twenty
yards. To cross this bridge every grown person pays twenty -
five cents (i}4 ster.), children are half price. There is a good
road around the island and a considerable portion of the upper
end of it is cleared and at present carries a good crop of corn.
Its circumference, I suppose, may be at least a mile, and the
island contains at present one log house. They cross the river
here quite close to the Falls ; the river has a considerable swell
but is not in any way dangerous. It surprised me to see the
water so smooth immediately after falling from so great a height.
For a short distance below the Horse-shoe Falls the surface of
the water has exactly the appearance of snow when partially
frozen, and some of it is carried about in all directions by the
wind. Further down it shows violent internal agitation, but is
nearly smooth on the surface like the water in the whirlpool
below. I imagine that the water's not being much more agitat-
ed is caused by the very great depth of the river. The people
who ferry here told me that it was above three hundred and
forty feet in depth. It is a singular circumstance how this solid
rock came to be cut to so great depth, all the surrounding coun-
try being level. From viewing the country here a person would
readily conclude that the Falls originally were at Queenstown,
but the time required for their receding so far by the wearing
of the rocks would be a great deal longer than what we believe
to be the duration of this earth in its present form. People who
live here inform me that in the space of thirty years past the
Horse-shoe Fall has assumed its present shape from being nearly
straight. Weather to day, fair ; thermometer 82.

I4lh. Cloudy ; thermometer 83.

15th. Cloudy, with slight rain ; thermometer 80.

30 Diary — 1819.

l6th. Cloudy, with thunder and heavy showers ; thermo-
meter 70. To-day I went to see a burning spring. The water
rises in the edge of the St. Lawrence and has a covering over it
like a pump. On the top there is a gun-barrel fixed, and on
applying fire to its mouth the gas instantly burns with a bluish
flame. It appears to be hydrogen gas which is by some means
freed from the water and burns on the application of fire.

17th. Cloudy forenoon, clear afternoon; thermometer 78.

l8th. This being the last day of my stay in this place I went
again to the Falls ; still, after all, I am not satisfied with them,
but I think the defect lies in the surrounding country and not in
the Falls themselves. I may observe here that when standing on
the bank of the river, looking down on the fallen water, when
the sun is nearly on one side of you a rainbow is to be seen be-
low, as if on the surface of the water, but at sunrise or sunset
you will see one, just as during a shower. The time that I have
remained here I have stopped at Lundy's Lane, a place well
known by name on account of the bloody battle tought there in
the late war. The scene of the battle is scarcely a mile distant
from the Falls, on a little eminence, close to the public road.
The Americans, although vastly superior in numbers, were
driven from the field, a circumstance which they are unwilling
to admit. I saw some of the houses here that are literally rid-
dled by the bullets shot during the action. This day was fair ;
thermometer 80.

19th. On the 19th, after having packed up and sent to
Kingston what specimens I had collected, I departed for Fort
Erie. Two miles above the Falls I passed through the village
of Chippewa, near which a battle was fought, where 1,500
British were driven from the field by 5,cxx) of the Americans
under General Brown. The Canadian militia suffered severely
in this engagement. The road lies alongside the river and the
country is thickly settled all along this way. There are a num-

Diary — 1819, 31

ber of islands between the Falls and Lake Erie, the iprincipal of
which are Navy Island and Grand Island, the latter being a
number of miles in length. The commissioners for settling the
boundary between Canada and the United States were encamp-
ed on the upper end of Grand Island when I passed it. I came
this night to the ferry opposite Black Rock and about a mile
below Fort Erie, where I remained for the night. This day was
fair ; thermometer 82.

20th. Before leaving Canada I went up in the morning to
see Fort Erie, which is situated where the St. Lawrence isssues
from Lake Erie. I imagined that it was still held by some
troops, but on coming to it I found it was a complete ruin.
The whole of the buildings and fortifications are destroyed and
appear to be as when they were blown up in the war. In my
opinion this has been and could be made one of the strongest
fortifications in Upper Canada. There is little doubt that if an-
other war should occur between the States and Britain the latter
would pay attention to the repairing of the Fort. I breakfasted
before I crossed the river. There is a strong current in the river
here which makes it difficult to cross. The river is about one-
half of a mile in width, and the boats have to set ofiFat least one-
quarter of a mile above where they are to land on the opposite
side. The charge is a quarter dollar for each person and half a
dollar for a horse. You land at Black fiock, which is a scatter-
ed village containing between forty and fifty houses. The only
house that is anyway conspicuous is that of General Porter ; it
is a very handsome two-storey building. I did not stop any
time here but went on to Buffalo, two miles from this. Buffalo
is a large town and contains a number of very elegant buildings.
The present town has been all built since the war, it having been
burned by the British in retaliation for the burning of Newark
(Niagara). I remained a few hours in Buffalo and having gone
into a bookseller's shop I was pleased to see an extensive col-
lection of books, and a number of them published in London as

32^ Diary — 1819.

late as 1818. When I arrived here I scarcely knew which way
I was going next. After examining a map I determined to pro-
ceed along the south side of Lake Erie to Erie, or perhaps
further, as I should determine when I would reach that place.
There is a large creek near Buffalo which must be crossed on
going up the lake. This is one inconvenience which a traveller
meets with in the States, that if a creek be large he may expect
to find no bridge, but should there be one then it has been
erected by private individuals who charge toll, so whether in
boats or on bridges, you still must pay. I travelled twelve miles
from Buffalo and for eight of them along the beach which is as
tiresome a road as I have ever travelled on, it being so very soft
that one sinks into the sand as if it were snow. This day was
fair but cloudy in the afternoon, which made it cooler. I did
not see the thermometer to day.

2 1 St. I had an opportunity of riding in a waggon for upwards
of twenty miles, and as the road lay close to the lake, and for
nearly half the way on the beach, I preferred riding to walking.
All along this part of the lake I consider the soil very indifferent,
a considerable portion of it being very sandy and some parts of
it approaching to clay. For eight miles on this side of Buffalo
there is a tract of land belonging to the Indians, a great number
of whom reside in this neighborhood and have some villages ;
afterwards the houses are pretty frequent along the road. The
rye and wheat harvest has begun in a few places. Indian corn
appears to grow better here than any other kind of grain, in
many places it is very fine. There seems to be a general defi-
ciency in the flax crop in this part of the country ; it is very short
owing to the want of sufficient moisture. This country is fre*
quently doomed to suffer severely from want of sufficient rain*
I am informed that this season has been very dry and that last
season not as much rain fell from the beginning of June until
October as would reach the depth of an inch into the ground,
which caused a great deficiency in the crops. This road is the

Diary — 1819. 33

worst for wheeled carriages of any that I have ever seen, being
so full of stumps and tree roots that it requires great attention to
prevent being overturned. Although I had liberty to ride all
the way yet in many places I chose to walk rather than suffer
the jolting of the wagon. Thirty miles from Buffalo I passed a
large creek at a place named Cattaraugus, where there is a tav-
ern and two or three houses. I went on through similar scenery
until sunset when I remained for the night at a tavern. This
day I found the beautiful Monarda Kalmiana, being the first
time I had seen this plant. It is very different in appearance
from the Monarda Didyma, with which it has been confounded.
I observed also a species of Allium with a bulbous root and a
stem about six inches high, but without any leaves, it was not
fully blown, but the flower is white. Day fair ; thermometer
83. I should have mentioned that in the evening I found a
piece of swampy ground covered with the Rhododendron Maxi-
mum, all in flower. I scarcely ever was more pleased with the
sight of a plant than to see this in its native soil.

22nd. I started a little after sunrise and continued my jour-
ney. Early in the forenoon I passed through a small village
named Fredonia. Since I left Cattaraugus the road has been
about a mile and a half distant from the lake ; the land is very
light. Almost all the wheat is ready for cutting. In a few in-
stances I have observed the people cutting the wheat with sickles
but it is generally done with the scythe, and what is called a
cradle. Orchards are plentiful here, and more than halt of the
trees are peach trees which seem to bear large quantities of fruit
but I suspect some of them are indiflerent in quality none of the
trees being grafted. Buckwheat sowing is nearly finished, and
in most places the wheat is above ground. As I come through
the woods to-day I was surprised to see immense quantities of
seedlings of that beautiful tree the Liriodendron Tulififera,
without being able to perceive an old one. Although this tree
is so distinct from all others, in the singular form of its leaves,

34 Diary — 1819.

yel I afterwards found that I had passed many of them without
knowing what they were. I had no conception that this ever
grew to such a size and in such a form. The common size of the
trunk at the bottom is from three to four feet in diameter and it
continues of nearly the same dimensions and remarkably straight
to the height of from forty to sixty feet without a single branch
or even a leaf. After it begins to branch, the head is but short
and looks as if stunted, so that it does not possess the beauty of
a young tree. In this part of the country the inhabitants call it
the Cucumber tree, from the similarity of its fruit to that of the
young cucumber. For nearly the space of two weeks I have
enjoyed one very great comfort : no mosquitoes have troubled
me. I know now how to appreciate such an exemption. Taverns
are generally to be met with along this road every mile or two.
I do not think that they can reap much advantage from such an
employment, more particularly since the steamboat has run from
Black Rock to Detroit, as most of the people going up or down
prefer the water to travelling by land. This day was fair with
appearance of thunder-showers to the South-east ; in the evening
the sky became overcast, and it looked as if it would soon rain ;
thermometer 88.

23rd. There was a heavy shower of rain last night, which
rendered travelling more agreeable in the morning, but by mid-
day you could not perceive that there had been any rain, and the
road was remarkably dusty and disagreable. The morning was
cloudy with a considerable breeze. Before noon I had entered
the State of Pennsylvania which borders on Lake Erie for a con-
siderable distance. I observed nothing in the country to-day
different from what I have seen for some days past. The most
of the inhabitants are busily employed in cutting their wheat
There is much talk here of war with Britain. I believe that
through all the States you will find the Irish to bear the mos
inveterate hatred to the British nation and government. This
afternoon there was much thunder which went all around here

Diary — 1819. 35

but in the evening there was a considerable shower, which caused
me to stop a short time, so that I did not reach Erie this night ;
thermometer 92.

24th. This morning I went to Erie, which is about two miles
from where I stopped last night. I remained here a little while
and took breakfast before I proceeded turther. This town
is situated upon the shore of the lake. In front of the town
there is a large l-ay, caused by a narrow peninsula, which goes
out from the mainland some miles to the westward, and runs
down opposite the town, at a distance of from one to two miles.
This would be an excellent place for shipping if it were not so
shallow. At the mouth of the Bay there is a sand-bank which
reaches nearly from the one side to the other, which prevents
large vessels from entering it. There is a blockhouse at the
extremity of the peninsula, and two war sloops are lying near it.
This town is not very extensive yet, but from its situation is likely
to increase rapidly, as it is the port for a large tract of country to
the southward. The steamboat which sails from Black Rock
once every week touches here, and at two or three more places
along the lake, and then proceeds to Detroit, where she returns
by the same route, She formerly came close to the town, but
having one time got aground at the mouth of the bay, she now
stops below. This boat made a voyage this spring as far as the
Fort of Michilimackinac, on the upper end of Lake Huron, which
is the only time that a steamboat has been in that part of the
world. I determined now to proceed by the Pittsburgh road in-
stead of going any further up the lake. There is an excellent
turnpike from here to Waterford, a town fourteen miles distant.
The land appears to be pretty good along this way but it is very
thinly settled owing to the proprietors having raised the price to
ten dollars per acre while as good can be purchased in the
neighbourhood for one dollar. They consider that the turnpike
enhances its value so much above that which is situated further
back in the country. This day was fair, with some showers ;
thermometer 84.

36 Diary— 1819.

25th. This being Sunday I remained at Waterford all day.
In the morning it was fair, but in the afternoon there was a great
deal of thunder. A little rain came this way two or three times ;
thermometer 92.

26th. Having observed some plants yesterday of which I
had no specimens, I had alloted this morning before setting out
for the purpose of collecting them, but this day proved so rainy
that I was obliged to remain here all day without getting any-
thing done. In coming this way from Erie the ground rises
greatly for nine miles and for the other five descends consider-
ably so that although Waterford is much lower than the surround-
ing country, yet I consider it higher than the level of the lake.
This town may contain about fifty houses, scarcely any two to-
gether, and none of them possessing much external elegance.
At a short distance from the town is a small lake called Le
Boeuf, which seems to be about one mile in circumference.
From this lake runs a small creek by which boats descend to
Pittsburgh. The most of travellers, and particularly families of
emigrants, purchase boats here and go by water. There are
people here who make boats of all kinds and always have a stock
on hand ready for travellers. If I had had a botanical compan-
ion I would have purchased a skiff and gone by water there be-
ing as good a chance of meeting with plants along the edge of
the creek as along the road. A boat sufficient to carry two or
three people can be purchased for six dollars. Although it did
not rain constantly this day yet the woods were so wet that j
could do nothing with specimens, so I amused myself with the
** Spectator " which at all times is a good and agreeable com-
panion. Thermomeler 73.

27th. This morning being dry, although cloudy and foggy,
I collected specimens and about nine o'clock I set out on my
journey. After leaving Waterford there is only a very indifferent
road, all the making that it has got being only the clearing of
trees from it. On account of the late rain it was very muddy.

Diary — 1819. 37

The greater part of the timber here is oak, and the soil is of a
gravelly clay which, however, generally produces good crops.
About mid-day I heard the thunder roaring lo the westward,
which after some time came this way. The rain continued for
about two hours during which I remained under cover of an old
shed along with some sheep. The sky having again cleared I
journeyed southward at a slow pace, the road which was bad be-
fore being now a great deal worse. As taverns are scarcer here
than in many places in America by the time I reached the first
one from Waterford it was near sunset so I remained there for
the night. The landlord informed me that " His Excellent
Kingship, Joseph Buonaparte," dined here one time in the
course of his journey through this state and there being a picture,
or rather a caricature, pasted on the wall representing his brother
Napoleon on horseback attempting to grasp the Russian Crown,
while he was attacked in front by the Russian bear and in the
rear by the British lion, Joseph bought this piece and tore it
up, displeased lo see his brother exhibited in such a disagreeable
situation. Thermometer 78.

28th. This morning I crossed the French Creek, which is
the same that I mentioned as coming from Lake Le Boeuf.
Some places here are thickly settled while others are not so. For
a considerable distance the road lies near to the creek and there
are some excellent meadow lands in many places on each side of
it. In the afternoon I reached the town of Meadrille, a consid-
erable village situated in a pleasant locality. It has a printing
office and publishes a weekly newspaper. I may here observe
that on account of not using stamped paper a weekly paper is
sold at the very reasonable rate of two dollars per annum. Im-
mediately after leaving Meadville I had again to cross the creek;
at this place there is a covered bridge, an object with which I
should always be extremely glad to have nothing to do. I be-
lieve it is Irom early habit that I have acquired so great antipathy
to toll bridges. I would feel more satisfied in giving six cents

38 Diary— 1819.

at a ferry than three at a bridge. I only got seven miles from
town to-night. The most of the way there are no houses. There
are plenty of wild turkeys in this place ; the man with whom I
stopped told me that he had shot one to-day. Deer, bear and
wolves are not uncommon. I have been enquiring almost every
day about rattlesnakes but I find there is no likelihood 'of my
meeting with any, a circumstance that gives me much disap-
pointment. They are very uncommon now in this part of the
state ; a few may be seen in the course of the season but no con-
siderable number. Almost every person with whom I have dis-
coursed about them pretends to be able to cure their bite. The
remedies are all plants of various kinds ; however, I do not place
much confidence in their abilities. This day was fair ; ther-
mometer 88.

29th. A great part of this day I travelled through woods,
with few houses. The land in general is low-lying and of a
swampy nature. I think that by a little labor it could be ren-
dered fit for the purposes of agriculture. The road through the
woods is very indifferent on account of too much rain and the
little attention paid to keeping it in repair. A turnpike has been
commenced between Waterford and Pittsburg, so that when it is
finished there will be little travel on this road. I was only able
to reach the town of Mercer this evening. This town is in one
of the finest situations of any that I have seen in this part of the
country, being on a considerable eminence and possessing a
larger view of the surrounding country than the most of Ameri-
can towns. The town is but small, with no buildings of notice.
There is a printing office here which publishes a weekly paper.
This morning there was a fog but the sun soon dispelled it.
Day fair ; thermometer 84.

30th. Soon after leaving Mercer I found the country very
different from any that I had yet passed through. I now got
amongst oaks which were generally only a few feet high so that
the country looked as if it had once been cleared and only par-

Diary — 1819. 39

tially grown again ; however, I believe that it is yet in its natural
state. The soil is nothing but gravel and scarcely worth culti-
vating. To the northward this state is for the most part fairly
level, but here it begins to be remarkably uneven. In the course
of a day's journey you will not find one mile of the road level,
but continually up one hill and down another. These hills, or
rather eminences, are of no great height or extent but extremely
numerous, and generally of a conical form. There is no art dis-
played in the plan of the road which is carried straight forward
however steep it may be, which renders it extremely severe on
horses with loaded waggons. The people here are few in num-
ber but what there are of them are generally Irish or of Irish
extraction, flaming Republicans. There is a general outcry of
" bad times," no money to be seen, banks failing, and all things
at a standstill. The banking system is carried to a ruinous
extent in this and all the other States. I have seen a list of
forty-nine chartered banks in the State of Pennsylvania alone,
and for the other States in proportion. Almost every village
has Or has had a bank, and even private individuals have had
banks and passed their bills to a large amount which in a short
time are of no value. I have made it a rule at no time to take
any of their paper for what you receive in one town very pro-
bably will be refused in the next. I did not make much above
twenty miles to-day. The weather is beginning to be so hot now
that it is extremely fatiguing to walk and carry as heavy a load
as I have. To-day fair ; thermometer. 94.

31st. I started at sunrise and set out for Harmony, nine
miles distant. For one mile there were some houses, but after-
wards it was all woods for eight miles. The woods are much
more pleasant to travel through than they generally are, being
thin with few bushes of underwood, and the road excellent. I
have found this kind of land and these woods to be very
productive of a great variety of plants. I saw nothing worthy
of notice until I came neai Harmony, where I almost thought

40 Diary — 1819.

that I had been transported to some part of the North of Scot-
land, on account of the appearance of a collection of huts, which
had the walls of them been of stone, certainly would have
resembled the cottages of the Highlanders. There were a num-
ber of them near the road, on both sides, and perhaps in not one
out of six might you be able to see any indication of life about
them. They were all covered with thatch and certainly were
the most ugly, dirty and wretched looking set of houses or
hovels that I ever saw, or expect to see in America. Upon
inquiry I found that they were built by a colony of Germans
twenty-five years ago, but some years since they totally aban-
doned this part of the country and moved to some other place.
About half a mile further I came to the town of Harmony which
was built and inhabited by the same colony. Originally it
seems to have been built in the same style as described above,
but at present there are about a dozen brick houses in the town,
but all extremely inelegant, having high steep roofs. On a little
hill near the town there has been expended a great deal of labour
to cut it in on one side in the form of stairs, and on these vines
were planted. However, since the Germans left the place the
vines have been destroyed by cattle. I think it probable that
vines would do well here. A small muddy creek passes this
place over which there was a bridge but it had fallen lately, so
that you have to pass over on a kind of raft of old boards awk-
wardly put together. I went eleven miles beyond this to-night
when I was stopped by rain. This day was extremely hot ; I
never before perspired so much in one day as I did in this. All
my clothes were as if they had been in a river. After breafast I
eat no more to-day, but drank so much that in the evening I felt
rather sick. About 5 p.m. there was a good deal of thunder
and a small shower, and after sunset there was a very severe
thunder storm which continued some hours. The thermometer
for the greater part of the day stood above 90 ; the highest that
I observed was 96.

Diary — 1819. 41

August 1st. This day being Sunday I stopped here all day,
and indeed I had little inclination for travelling or exertion of
any kind. The forenoon was fair ; in the afternoon there was a
thunder storm : thermometer 88.

2nd. After breakfast I set out for Pittsburgh, which is
fourteen miles from here, and arrived there in the afternoon.
The country here is the most uneven of any that I ever saw, and
yet there are no hills of any consequence. The soil is very
barren in many places. The oats may be worth cutting with the
scythe but not with the hook. It is the general practice here to
finish the wheat and rye harvest before cutting the hay, so that
the latter in many places is not yet cut. I did not obtain a view
of Pittsburgh until I was very near it on account of its low-lying
situation. Before entering the town you have to cross the
Alleghany River which is about four hundred yards wide. There
is a very fine bridge being built across the river here, consisting
of five very large arches supported by stone piers, the upper
part being of wood. Pittsburgh is situated on an angle formed
by the junction of the Alleghany and Monongahela rivers which
afterwards assume the name of Ohio. The town is large and
has a number of good brick houses in it, but it has a black and
gloomy aspect, on account of the great number of furnaces
about the place which burn only pit coal. There is a vast
quantity of coal all around this region which can be mined at
very little cost, and this causes it to be used in preference to
wood. On the south side of the Monongahela there is a ridge
of hills three hundred feet high, which rise very abruptly from
the river and can be ascended in only a few places : they are
named the Coal Hills. This town is the capital of this western
country, from which the West are supplied with manufactures.
Almost all the emigrants of the West pass through here and
descend the Ohio in boats. In the summer season there is not
much water trade here on account of the lowness of the river.
At present I saw only a few small boats lying here and a steam-

42 Diary — 1819.

boat on the stocks. The first places that I always visit when in
a town are the booksellers shops. Here I found an excellent
and extensive collection of books on almost all the sciences and
even some on Botany, a subject on which I scarcely expected to
find any. They have the London and Edinburgh Reviews and
all the late popular publications in Britain. As soon as they
come to America they are reprinted in a less expensive form so
that you can purchase books for almost one-third of their Lon-
don price. The town contains ten or eleven thousand inhabi-
tants, natives of all nations. In former times when the French
possessed Canada they had a fort here at the confluence of the
two rivers, which was named Fort du Queene and served as a
connecting post between their northern and southern colonies.
General Braddock was sent to take it by the British in 1755, ^^^
by his foolish bravery and want of caution he was surprised by
the French and In Hans near here and lost the most of his army,
and he himself was mortally wounded. The field where he was
shot is nine miles from Pittsburgh and is still esteemed on
account of its being one of the first scenes where General Wash-
ington distinguished himself. This town, or rather where the
town is, was for some time called Fort Pitt, from which it has
obtained its present name. This day was fair and hot ; thermo-
meter 94.

3rd. I now consider that I ought to commence my return
journey, it being necessary for me to be in Montreal by the
middle of September. I remained in town till near noon, when
I crossed the Alleghany and returned by the road by which I
came to town. My present determination is to go by Franklin,
then along the Alleghany till I reach York State, whence I will
proceed to Sackett's Harbour where I can get a steamboat for
Kingston. This morning was very foggy : it afterwards cleared
and was very hot. About 2 p.m. I was stopped by a very heavy
thunder storm which continued for about four hours vrith little
intermission. I came to where I had remained on Sunday, at

Diary — 1819. 43

which place the Franklin road leaves the one to Harmony, etc.
Thermometer 94.

4tb. This morning was dull and foggy. I packed all my
articles and prepared to move homewards. I did not get away
until after noon, and travelled twelve miles. This road is not
so public as the one on which I had been formerly travelling.
The houses are very few in number and the land very sterile.
This is a very poor country to all appearances, one good point
about it however is that it is a healthy country, chiefly owing to
its want of stagnant waters. This seems to be the peculiar land
of thunder. This afternoon there was much thunder to the east,
but it went round at some distance from this. Thermometer 86.

5th. I again got into the woods, finding occasionally a house
after some miles walking. The road is tolerably good for foot
travellers but does not seem to be much trodden. I am informed
that early in the summer a number of people pass up this way
after having been down at Pittsburgh with rafts. I make it my
business at every house to inquires about rattlesnakes, but I
never can see any, although they are occasionally killed all along
the way during summer and both people and cattle are some-
times bitten by them ; few however of either die. The inhabi-
tants all have infallible cures, and all different ones. In the
evening I reached a very respectable tavern where I remained
this night. About sunset it began to lighten and the sky con-
tinued for a considerable time in a blaze without the least inter-
mission. The storm came this way, but the rain was not so
heavy as might have been expected from the thunder and light-
ening. This day was fair ; thermometer 88.

6th. When I awoke this morning it was still thundering, so
that it was rather late liefore I set off through the bush. During
the forenoon there were a few houses to be seen at some distance
from one another. This is still a poor barren looking country
scarcely able to support any inhabitants. In the afternoon I
travelled through an uninhabited wood for about eight miles.

44 DrARY — 1819.

Formerly some people had lived here, as I saw a few houses now
in a stale of dilapidation and some orchards along the road.
The woods here are generally of oak, very thin and the trees not
large, with abundance of suckers and herbaceous plants, so that
you have the extent of your horizon considerably larger than it
commonly is. I think that fire at some period, not very distant,
has overrun the woods here which causes them to be so open and
destitute of trees. Having gone along some miles I began to
descend considerably. At this place I passed great masses of
sandstone detached from the rocks. The country here is one
continuous rock which is all sandstone. In decending this
declivity I passed a spot of remarkably red earth, where a little
boy and girl were spreading it as if to dry, and which, upon
inquiry, they said was for making paint with. In a short lime
I reached Sandy Creek, at which place there is a tavern. The
common drink all through this part of the country is whiskey,
a liquor which is very different however from Scotch whiskey. I
was now four and one half miles distant from the town of
Franklin where I wished to be to-night, so I marched on and
arrived just in time to escape a heavy thunder storm which had
commenced some hours ago to the westward. The lightening
was terrific, being mostly of that destructive kind called zig-zag,
which is a most appropriate name for it. Day fair ; thermo-
meter 86.

7th. Franklin is a town containing a few houses scattered
over a piece of flat meadow-land, at the junction of French
Creek with the Alleghany. It will never be a place of much
importance from the nature of the surrounding country. I now
expected to get completely into a wilderness for more than one
hundred miles. Having crossed French Creek I commenced my
peregrinations. For the space of two miles I found some houses
but afterwards I travelled seven or eight miles before I saw
another. The road here is nothing but a footpath through the
woods and in some places scarcely perceptible. The ground is

Diary — 1819. 45

very rocky and the woods are of the same kind as those I
travelled through yesterday. It is very uncomfortable walking
on this footpath which is hollowed out leaving stones and tree
roots projecting on either side, which at almost every step one
strikes with his feet ; a circumstance which happened to me very
often, as I had to look so much around me that I had little
leisure to attend to my feet. Having at length arrived at a
house I found that I was at Oil Creek, so named from the oil
which rises on its surface in many places. It is thick and of a
dark brown color, having a strong disagreeable smell. It rises
so copiously that a barrel o( it may be collected in a short time.
Some soldiers marching to Detroit were the first discoverers of
this substance here. The weather had been wet, and from being
much exposed to its influences most of the men had been seized
with rheumatism, particularly in their joints. In the course of
their journey they happened to encamp beside this creek and
seeing the oil they determined to try its effects in their disorder.
Having rubbed the parts affected sufficiently with it the cure was
performed in a short time. Since that time the oil has been
collected and sold in many parts of the States. I again went
into the woods and found a house three miles from this. The
next house I came to was nine miles distant, from which it was
three more to a tavern, which I arrived at just before another
thunder storm had reached there. The storm was a pretty
severe one. I am now so accustomed to the storms that I expect
one every evening, however fair the day may prove to be.
This morning was very foggy ; afterwards the day was fair and
very hot. The heat was very severe upon me having so heavy a
load upon my back and a book in each hand, which encumbered
me so much that I had difficulty in keeping my eyes and mouth
clear of perspiration. Thermometer 90.

8th. To-day I had intended to have looked over and dried
all my specimens, and after that to go ten miles which was the
distance to the next tavern. Having taken breakfast, and the

46 Diary — 1819.

sky being so cloudy that I could not dry my specimens, I went
on, expecting that the afternoon would be more clear. After a
few miles I came into low moist pine woods, which continued
until I came to the Alleghany about eight miles from where I
started. The river here is of considerable size with a number of
small islands scattered in it. The land is very high on each
side, there being a house only where there is any alluvial soil.
When I was standing at the side of the river here I saw three
deer swim across to an island. They were not more than three
hundred yards distant from me and did not show the slightest
timidity, although I was so near them. I had not gone far when
it began to rain a little. When I came to the tavern I saw that
it was useless to think of drying specimens, so I proceeded to
the next tavern five miles from this one, but before I reached it
I was completely wet. I had some difficulty in preventing my
plants from receiving any injury. The road was now remarkably
muddy and fatiguing, so I abode here for the night. Day, gen-
erally cloudy ; thermometer 76.

9th. This morning looked still cloudy and looking as if it
would rain. I set off for Warren. The road lies close along-
side the river the next part of the way. For the first six miles
there are few houses, but for six miles on this side of Warren
the river side is fairly well settled. I arrived at the town of
Warren in the afternoon, but could not go further to-day, as the
next house along my road is fourteen miles distant. This town
is a county town, although I do not think there are twenty
houses in it. Its situation upon the Alleghany is pleasant. The
few people that live here seem to frequent the tavern oftener
than is consistent with proper economy and industry. Being
soon to leave the State of Pennsylvania, I may say a few things
about the treatment that I have met with while in it. I have
found the most of the inhabitants where I have been, to be Irish
who are in general civil people, but bear a great hatred to the
British Government. Travelling in this place is much more

Diary — 1819. 47

reasonable than in Canada. The common charges are for a meal
of vituals 2/ and 2/26 York, for bed /6, and iheir spirituous
drink is whiskey, which is /6 per gill. The taverns in the States
are very different from any idea that could be formed of them
from having seen only the Scotch inns. In a tavern here there
are not seperate rooms for different persons, but all remain in
what they call their bar-room, one corner of which is elevated
and contains the liquors. There is no distinction nor difference
among people in a tavern, not even between the President and
the poorest person. You can have liquors by the glass or half
gill all over America, which is by far the best way. Many times
in Scotland I have found it extremely difficult to procure lodgings
even where there were plenty of taverns, but such is not the
case in this country. When you can find a tavern you find
lodgings if you wish. When a person comes to a tavern here
he never asks if he can have lodging, but takes that for a thing
about which there is no doubt. I have found the beds generally
very good and all feather ones. In upper Canada ihey are ex-
ceedingly infested with bugs, but here the bugs are not nearly so
numerous. Last night I slept none on account of fleas, insects
which I have not before met with this summer. In this, along
with many other places in both the States and Canada, the in-
habitants are subjected to some great inconveniences. There
are three things in particular which would operate strongly
against my settling in this country. They are the long distance
from a church and school, and from a surgeon, besides the fact
that a person has a very confined circle of people with whom he
can associate. These wants I consider as a balance to many in-
conveniences that must be endured in many other places. This
day when walking along the river side I passed a few Indians
who were busily employed in partly roasting and partly smoking
venison. They had the deer cut into small pieces and a number
of them stuck upon a rod which was then placed near a fire.
This day fair ; thermometer 80.

48 Diary — 1819.

loth. Being now about to commence to go a sixty mile
journey through a forest I did not enter the woods until I had
taken some breakfast. When I was about to set off, luckily
there came a man who was taking the same route, thus I had
company all the way. After leaving Warren we crossed the
Conewango Creek and travelled by a foot path through the
woods for fourteen miles when we reached a house where a tavern
was kept. The rest of the woods were of the open sort and the
ground very high and rocky, unfit ever to be cultivated. When
we arrived at the tavern we concluded to remain here this night,
it being fourteen miles to the next white man's house. This
morning was very foggy ; day fair ; thermometer 87.

nth. Our party having now amounted to three we started
before sunrise and took the woods. This day we travelled pretty
near the river. We passed many Indian houses but the people
did not appear to be numerous. I believe that a number were
out hunting. In some places they have respectable houses and
farms. After travelling twelve miles we went into an Indian's
and by words and signs made the squaw give us bread and milk
for breakfast. She did not understand much English and could
speak none. Continuing our journey we went through a village
having a church and school for the Indians. About 4 p.m. we
reached a farm house thirty miles from where we started in the
morning and remained there this night. It was with difficulty
that we could procure any supper and when we got it there was
not a sufficiency to satisfy our appetites. Day fair ; ther-
mometer 88.

1 2th. We arose at daybreak and continued our journey.
The road was much the same as that travelled on yesterday, and
for the greater part of the way to Olean very muddy. Having
travelled fourteen miles we came to a house newly built in the
woods, where we had breakfast, after which we proceeded to
Olean Point, or Hamilton, a small village situated on the Alle-
ghany where navigation begins. Most of the people who are

Diary — 1819. 49

going down the Ohio proceed Irom here by water. This town
has a printing office and publishes a newspaper. This is the
most extortionate place that I have been in in the States. The
land is very worthless and is not much cultivated. After stop-
ping a short time here I took the road for Geneva. This is a
public road although it is very indifferent. I came within seven
miles of Olean to-night. The houses are pretty thick along the
road but they are much of the same style as those that I have
seen since I left Waterford, being miserable looking log huts.
I left Warren I expected to find many rare plants along the
Alleghany, but found not one that I had not formerly seen. At
Olean my two companions left me as they travelled faster than I
was able or even wished to do. 1 generally prefer to travel
alone when I have no one with me that is interested in the same
pursuits that I am. This day was fair ; thermometer 90.

13th. There having been rain last night the road this morn-
ing was very muddy and disagreeable. However in a short time
it became better. For the space of five miles after I started I
passed through a wood, without any houses but all the day after-
wards there were plenty of them along the road. The land is
all stones or gravel and very uneven, so that there is but a small
proportion of it that can be cultivated. The predominating
wood is pine, with a few of the harder woods interspersed.
This night I reached the village of Angelica, thirty-two miles
from Olean. It is like the most of the American villages but
small and incompact. This day was fair ; thermometer 86.

14th. There is a turnpike from Angelica to Bath, a distance
of forty miles. It is generally pretty good but very steep in
many places, owing to the great inequality of the ground, and
its being carried forward without any regard to the formation of
the country. For a considerable distance this morning I passed
very few houses, but towards noon they became more plentiful.
Along this road there is still much wheat to cut, and although
this was an excellent day (or that purpose yet no person was to

5© Diary — 1819.

be seen in the fields. I was informed that the greater part of
the inhabitants in this place was of a sect which they call Sab-
batarians. I am ignorant of how far their tenets and general
principles agree with those of the Jews, but in the observation of
Saturday as their Sabbath they are both alike. This being
Saturday there was no outdoor work done. In the afternoon
I came lo a small village or rather the rudiments of one, called
Canister, where I remained for the night. I only travelled
twenty miles to-da> but it was remarkably fatiguing on account
of the great heat. This morning was foggy and there were
heavy thunder-looking clouds to be seen at intervals throughout
the day ; thermometer 88.

15th. This day, whether it should be good or bad, I had
alloted for rest. However, it proved a very wet morning, so
that at any rate I would have been obliged to stop. Last night
I met the surgeon of this place and I spent this day at his house
where I was very kindly entertained both by him and his wife.
This day continued cloudy with some heavy showers ; ther-
mometer 78.

1 6th. There was a great deal of rain last night and this
morning, but aftei sunrise it appeared to be clearing. Having
had breakfast I commenced my journey. The road to-day was
remarkably uneven, so that if it was more difificult to walk on
it was also more clean, the road being almost dry as soon as it
ceased to rain. This is an excellent country in which to make
roads, as they require no stones or gravel put on them, but only
need to be cut into a proper form. About noon there was a
very heavy shower accompanied with some thunder. I was not
far distant from a house when it commenced but before I could
reach it I was completely wet. After it faired I went on but
had not gone far when I had to stop a second time. During the
afternoon it appeared alternately to fair and to rain, with oc-
casional thunder. I was again overtaken by a shower and was
as wet as before. I was determined that I would not pass a

Diary — 1819. 51

tavern, and I had scarcely reached one when it began to rain
and continued raining a considerable part of the night. About
one-half of the house in which I lodged allowed the rain to pass
through it very copiously, so that although I got a good fire, I
had difficulty in keeping myself from being welter than when I
came in. I had determined to reach Bath tu-night, but was
stopped three and one-half miles from it. Although the road
here is a turnpike yet it is as much overgrown with grass and
weeds as if it were a meadow, and in many places it is fit for
mowing, which indicates that travellers are not numerous here.
This morning was very hot ; the thermometer about 8 a.m. was
84, but in the afternoon it was cooler.

17th. I was delayed by rain from setting out before seven
this morning. I travelled to Bath where I breakfasted. This
is a considerable sized village containing some neat wooden
houses. There is a man here who is about to commence great
manufactories of cloth and oil. I read an advertisement of his
in the papers, in which he invites the people to assist him and
endeavour to expel the British manufactories from their country.
This town has a weekly newspaper which seems to be in favour
of Governor Clinton's administration. There is another here
about to commence, which is to be anti-Clintonian. After
leaving Bath I passed through rocky ground covered with small
shrubby oaks. At six miles distant I came to a lake of about
twenty miles in length, and apparently of one in breadth, named
Crooked Lake. At a little distance from it on both sides the
country is more thickly settled than any that I have seen for a
long time past. In the atternoon I passed the north end of a
small body of water which is named Little Lake, and is thickly
settled all around. I made twenty miles from Bath and rested
for the night. This night a man lately come from Albany lodged
here, who informed me that there are great apprehensions of a
war with Spain, on account of her not ratifying the treaty for
the cession of the Floridas to the United States. Great Britain

52 Diary — 1819.

is generally considered to be the instigator of Spain to resist the
demands of America. The yellow fever is said to be very pre-
valent in New York at this time. This day has been cloudy,
inclining oftentimes to fog ; thermometer 76.

1 8th. This morning was extremely foggy, so that I was in-
volved in darkness for some time after commencing my journey.
The road and country continued much the same as for some
distance \yestward. By noon I reached the lower end of Crook-
ed Lake where there are a number of mills and a considerable
sized village, named Penn Yan. I observed nothing about it
worthy of particular notice. A newspaper is published here. I
proceeded ihtough a thickly inhabited country, the crops every-
where promising great abundance of the necessaries of life.
About sunset I got in sight of Seneca Lake and the town of
Geneva, where I halted for the night, having travelled to-day
twenty-six miles. This day was fair ; thermometer 81.

19th. Geneva is situated at the north end of Lake Seneca.
The ground rises considerably from the water's edge which
makes an agreeable outlook from the town. This is by far the
handsomest town that I have yet met with in the States and is
pretty large. A great number of the houses are built of wood,
which have a very neat and elegant appearance when properly
painted. Seneca Lake is between 38 and 40 miles in length, but
its breadth is only a few miles. The soil around this is greatly
superior to any that I have seen for some time and is well im-
proved. Last evening I overtook a man travelling in my direc-
tion so we agreed to keep one another company, This morning
we started before sunrise and continued our journey eastward.
The road here is a turnpike and is very good. Having gone
seven miles we came to the village of Waterloo, which although
not compactly built contains some of the best houses that I have
seen in America. A number of them are of brick. About three
miles further we passed the village of Seneca Falls. Thirteen
miles from Geneva we came to Cayuga Lake across which there

Diary — 1819. 53

is a wooden bridge a little more than a mile long. This lake is
nearly the same size and shape as Lake Seneca. Six cents are
charged for each foot passenger crossing here. In the afternoon
we came to Auburn a large and handsome village which will be
rendered important on account of the new State prison in course
of erection here. It was considered necessary to have another
one in addition to the one already in the city of New York.
There is a great part of this building finished and as much to do
as will take three years to 6nish. At present there are about
200 prisoners in it and it is to have apartments for two thousand.
If the laws are not made more severe I believe that this State
will soon require more prisons. Crimes seem to be very frequent
here. This town possesses many fine brick buildings and I con-
sider the Presbyterian Church, which is of wood, the handsomest
building of its kind that I have seen. The land from Geneva to
Auburn is more of a sandy than a gravelly nature and it seems
superior in quality to any that I have seen in this State. Crops
everywhere are abundant, but there is a general outcry about
the scarcity of cash. All the trading that is carried on is wholly
by barter. A person here having a little silver or gold could
find great bargains. Wheat can be bought at half a dollar a
bushel for ready money, and other things in proportion. I saw
a man who had great difficulty in selling excellent lamb at five
cents per pound. To-day we travelled about twenty-seven miles
The sky was cloudless and it was exceedingly hot ; thermome-
ter 91.

20th. This morning we set out very early in order to take
it easier during the heat of the day. We were now approaching
the celebrated salt springs of Onondaga, where more salt is made
than at any other place in America. A few miles from the
springs the ground becomes covered with small oaks, and has a
sterile appearance. In the afternoon we reached the salt-works
which are four miles distant from the village of Onondaga. Here
I was again left to myself having determined to remain a day or

54 Diary — 1819.

two at this place. This day was fair and hot. The heat has
been increasing very much for a few days ; thermometer 92.

2 1st. As I remain here to-day, I may give a few sketches of
t!iis place; There is a small village here named Salina which is
only a short distance to the south of Lake Onondaga. The land
around the village is %ery low and swampy. Between the build-
ings and the lake is a flat piece of ground partially covered with
water which is all salt and which is called the springs. I could
not observe the water rise in any particular spot, but for the
space of two or three acres it looked like a spot that had been
covered with water during winter but now nearly dry and cov-
ered with all manner of rubbish and filth, sending forth a most
diagreeahle odour. The furnaces for drying the salt are in and
around this spot. There is communication by water between
this and Ontario by which salt is carried to Canada and the
Western States. I have never been in a more disagreeable and
unhealthy place than this. At this time a number of people were
sick with fever and ague, a disease which is always to be found
here. If it were not for the salt works I believe this never would
be a village. Salt forms the only circulating medium about this
part of the country, instead of money of which there is scarcely
any. When a person brings anything to be sold the first ques-
tion is, " how much salt will he take?" Every day numbers of
waggons arrive from dififerent parts of the country to purchase
salt in exchange for flour, butcher's meat, etc. The price of salt
is remarkably low, being only i/York per bushel. A barrel of
salt, containing five bushels, can at this time be purchased for
5/ York (2/9^^ ster.) and as much for the duty. The most of
the States are supplied with salt from this place. Within a mile
of Salina there pass three branches of the Great Western Canal
which is to join the waters of Lake Erie to the Ilud.'-on River
near Albany. The distance is about three hundred miles. None
of the canal here is nearly finished, and from its great length
and the nature of the country through which it is to pass, it is an

Diary— iSi9- 55

arduous undertaking and will require the labour of years. This
day was fair and hot ; thermometer 92.

22 nd. This morning was cloudy and there fell a few drops
of rain. I did not wish to travel to-day, but before noon I
found that I could enjoy no satisfaction in the house where I
lodged on account of the number of idlers who frequented it.
It must give uneasiness lo any person who has any regard for
religion to witness the general inattention to even the external
duties of the Sabbath, both in the Stales and in Canada. In-
stead of preserving a tolerably decent behaviour on that day, it
is commonly spent in drinking, shooting, fishing, or some such
amusement, and that even by many who consider themselves co
have good moral characters. Any person newly arrived in this
country could not recognize a Sabbath at all. No doubt there
are many people who behave otherwise, but they certainly are
in the minority. Being completely disgusted with this place I
cleared out (to use a Yankee phrase) and went on seven miles
when I stopped at a tavern that was not so well supplied with
people. Before I reached it there was some rain, and it
showered occasionally during the afternoon. Thermometer So.

23rd. There was a remarkable alteration in the weather
this morning. Instead of a suffocating heat it was disagreeably
cool. I set out on the way to Sackett's Harbour. This road,
I believe, was chiefly made during the war to facilitate the trans-
portation of military and naval stores to the harbour. For many
miles it goes through swampy woods, and is formed of logs
placed longitudinally across the road. This is the universal
practice in this country in forming or mending the road in moist
land. Twelve miles from Salina I crossed by a ferry the Oneida
river at a little distance to the west from where it issues from
the lake of the same name. Very great quantities of eels are
caught in this lake and river. The greater part of the day I was
surrounded by woods, the houses being few in number. The
land here does not seem to be worth much. I have seen farms

56 Diary — 1819.

to-day that I would not take in a present, they are so barren.
Crops are greatly deficient here from want of rain ; the ground
is as if it had been burnt. Potatoes will be very .scarce this
winter ; they are expected to be near a dollar per bushel. This
day was so cold that even when travelling I could not keep
myself comfortable. It was rather cloudy with a high wind ;
thermometer 70.

24th. This morning was clear, calm, and very cold. A
sunrise the thermometer was 45. I pursued my journey and
having gone seven miles I came to Salmon River where there
are a number of houses. As I came from this I met a great
number of waggons loaded with men and women going to a
Methodist camp-meeting near Salmon river. These meetings
are common in this countJy and are held for a number of days,
generally in the woods. As tiie man with whom I travelled for
two days from Geneva, lived near my road, I intended to stop a
night at his house which I reached in the afternoon. Having
been pretty well treated I went to bed, but as it happened I did
not enjoy much repose. Some time about midnight there came
a number of men with lights, who ordered us all to clear out
or they were going to pull down the house ; and they were as
good as their word, for they actually did so. They took out all
the furniture and in a short time there was not one log left upon
another. The demolishers were the neighbours, and for certain
reasons which I did not exactly know they were determined to
have this family out of the neighbourhood, and this was the
method adopted to effect it. Thus I was obliged to take my
knapsack and march. I was not so fortunate as to find a shed
where I could remain till the morning. I lay down by the road
side for a short time, but I soon became very cold and wet with
dew, so I took the road once more and soon came to a place
where trees were burning, where I remained and smoked my
pipe until daybreak, and then went on for Sackett's Harbour.
This day was fair ; thermometer 76.

ASPIDUM GOIIJIAM WI.

rir. Qoldie's Original Description.

Sori subrotnndi sparsi. hidnsium unbilicatum vel uno
latere dehiscens.

Aspidium Goldianiini ; frondibus ovato-oblongis glabris
pinnati.s, pinnis lanceolato-acuminatis pinnalifidis, laciniis oblon-
gis spinuloso-serratis, stipite paleacco.

Hah. Near Montreal.

From one and a half to two feet in height. Allied to
Aspiditim Cristalum more than to any other species in the
genus ; but abundantly distinguishable by the greater breadth of
the frond, which gives quite a different outline, and by the form
of the pinnae, which are never broader at the base, but are, on
the contrary narrower than several of the segments just above
them. These segments, too, are longer and narrower, slightly
falcate, and those of the lowermost pinnae are never lobed, but
simply serrated at the margin. The serratures are likewise
terminated by more decided, though short, spinules. The
fritctijicalious are central near the midrib, and this circumstance
prevents the species frimi bearing, as it would otherwise do, no
inconsiderable affinity to A. inarginate.

Specimens of this plant, cultivated in the Botanic Garden
at Glasgow, from roots which I brought from Canada, retain all
the characters which I have above described.

I