Chapter 8

Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.We passed the night about six miles fromAlbany, in a countryman’s cottage. On the west side of the river we saw several houses, one after another, inhabited by the descendants of the firstDutchsettlers, who lived by cultivating their grounds. About half anEnglishmile beyond our lodgings, was the place where the tide stops in the riverHudson, there being only small and shallow streams above it. At that place they catch a good many sorts of fish in the river.The barns were generally built in theDutchway, as I have before described them77; for in the middle was the threshing-floor, above it a place for the hay and straw, and on each side stables for horses, cows, and other animals. The barn itself was very large. Sometimes the buildings in the court-yard consist only of a room, and a garret above it, together with a barn upon the above plan.Junethe 22d. This morning I followed one of our guides to the water-fall nearCohoes, in the riverMohawk, before it falls[276]into the riverHudson. This fall is about threeEnglishmiles from the place where I passed the night. The country till the fall is a plain, and only hilly about the fall itself. The wood is cleared in most places, and the ground cultivated, and interspersed with farm-houses.TheCohoes Fallis one of the greatest inNorth America. It is in the riverMohawk, before it unites with the riverHudson. Above and below the fall, the sides and the bottom of the river consist of hard rock. The river is three hundred yards broad here. At the fall there is a rock crossways in the river, running every where equally high, and crossing in a strait line with the side which forms the fall. It represents, as it were, a wall towards the lower side, which is not quite perpendicular, wanting about four yards. The height of this wall, over which the water rolls, appeared to me about twenty or twenty-four yards. I had marked this height in my pocket-book; and afterwards found it agreed pretty well with the account which that ingenious engineer, Mr.Lewis Evans, communicated to me atPhiladelphia. He said, that he had geometrically measured the breadth and height of the fall, and found it nine hundredEnglishfeet[277]broad, and seventy-five feet high. The representation of this fall, which is here joined, has been made by Mr.Evans. There was very little water in the river at present, and it only ran over the fall in a few places. In such places where the water had rolled down before, it had cut deep holes below into the rock, sometimes to the depth of two or three fathoms. The bed of the river, below the fall, was of rock, and quite dry, there being only a channel in the middle fourteen feet broad, and a fathom or somewhat more deep, through which the water passed which came over the fall. We saw a number of holes in the rock, below the fall, which bore a perfect resemblance to those inSwedenwhich we callGiants Pots, orMountain Kettles. They differed in size; there being large deep ones, and small shallow ones. We had clear uninterrupted sun-shine, not a cloud above the horizon, and no wind at all. However, close to this fall, where the water was in such a small quantity, there was a continual drizzling rain, occasioned by the vapours which rose from the water during its fall, and were carried about by the wind. Therefore, in coming within a musket-shot of the fall, against the wind, our cloaths were[278]wetted at once, as from a rain. The whirlpools, which were in the water below the fall, contained several kinds of fish; and they were caught by some people, who amused themselves with angling. The rocks hereabouts consist of the same black stone which forms the hills aboutAlbany. When exposed to the air, it is apt to shiver into horizontal flakes, as slate does.At noon we continued our journey toCanadain the canoe, which was pretty long, and made out of a white pine. Somewhat beyond the farm where we lay at night, the river became so shallow that the men could reach the ground every where with their oars; it being in some parts not above two feet, and sometimes but one foot deep. The shore and bed of the river consisted of sand and pebbles. The river was very rapid, and against us; so that our rowers found it hard work to get forward against the stream. The hills along the shore consisted merely of soil; and were very high and steep in some parts. The breadth of the river was generally near two musket-shot.Sturgeonsabound in the riverHudson. We saw them for several days together leap high up into the air, especially in the evening; our guides, and the people who lived hereabouts, asserted that they never see any[279]sturgeons in winter time, because these fish go into the sea late in autumn, but come up again in spring and stay in the river all the summer. They are said to prefer the shallowest places in the river, which agreed pretty well with our observations; for we never saw them leap out of the water but in shallows. Their food is said to be several kinds ofconfervæ, which grow in plenty in some places at the bottom of the river; for these weeds are found in their bellies when they are opened. TheDutchwho are settled here, and theIndians, fish for sturgeons, and every night of our voyage upon this river, we observed several boats with people who struck them with harpoons. The torches which they employed were made of that kind of pine, which they call the black pine here. The nights were exceedingly dark, though they were now shortest, and though we were in a country so much to the South ofSweden. The shores of the river lay covered with dead sturgeons, which had been wounded with the harpoon, but escaped, and died afterwards; they occasioned an insupportable stench during the excessive heat of the weather.As we went further up the river we saw anIndianwoman and her boy sitting in a[280]boat of bark, and anIndianwading through the river, with a great cap of bark on his head. Near them was an island on which there were a number ofIndiansat present, on account of the sturgeon fishery. We went to their huts to try if we could get one of them to accompany us toFort St. Frederic. On our arrival we found that all the men were gone into the woods a hunting this morning, and we were forced to engage their boys to go and look for them. They demanded bread for payment, and we gave them twenty little round loaves; for as they found that it was of great importance to us to speak with theIndians, they raised difficulties, and would not go till we gave them what they wanted. The island belonged to theDutch, who had turned it into corn-fields. But at present they had leased it to theIndians, who planted their maize and several kinds of melons on it. They built their huts orwigwamson this island, on a very simple plan. Four posts were put into the ground perpendicularly, over which they had placed poles, and made a roof of bark upon them. They had either no walls at all, or they consisted of branches with leaves, which were fixed to the poles. Their beds consisted of deer-skins which were spread on the ground. Their utensils were a couple of small kettles, and[281]two ladles, and a bucket or two of bark, made so close as to keep water. The sturgeons were cut into long slices, and hung up in the sunshine to dry, and to be ready against winter. TheIndianwomen were sitting at their work on the hill, upon deer-skins. They never make use of chairs, but sit on the ground: however, they do not sit cross-legged, as theTurksdo, but between their feet, which, though they be turned backwards, are not crossed, but bent outwards. The women wear no head-dress, and have black hair. They have a short blue petticoat, which reaches to their knees, and the brim of which is bordered with red or other ribbands. They wear their shifts over their petticoats. They have large ear-rings: and their hair is tied behind, and wrapped in ribbands. TheirWampum, or Pearls, and their money, which is made of shells, are tied round the neck, and hang down on the breast. This is their whole dress. They were now making several kinds of work of skins, to which they sowed the quills of theAmerican Porcupines, having dyed them black or red, or left them in their original colour.Towards evening, we went from hence to a farm close to the river, where we found only one man, looking after the maize and the fields; the inhabitants being not yet returned since the end of the war.[282]The little brooks here contain Crawfish, which are exactly the same with ours78, with this difference only, that they are somewhat less; however, theDutchinhabitants will not eat them.Junethe 23d. We waited a good while for theIndians, who had promised to come home, in order to shew us the way toFort St. Ann, and to assist us in making a boat of bark, to continue our voyage. About eight o’clock three of the men arrived. Their hair was black, and cut short; they wore rough pieces of woollen cloth, of a bright green colour, on their shoulders, a shirt which covers their thighs, and pieces of cloth, or skins, which they wrap round the legs and part of the thighs. They had neither hats, caps, nor breeches. Two of them had painted the upper part of their foreheads, and their cheeks, with vermilion. Round their neck was a ribband, from which hung a bag down to the breast, containing their knives. They promised to accompany us for thirty shillings; but soon after changed their minds, and went with anEnglishman, who gave them more. Thus we were obliged to make this journey quite alone. TheIndians, however, were honest enough to return us fifteen shillings, which we had paid them before-hand.[283]Our last night’s lodging was about tenEnglishmiles fromAlbany. During the last war, which was just now ended, the inhabitants had all retreated from thence toAlbany, because theFrench Indianshad taken or killed all the people they met with, set the houses on fire, and cut down the trees. Therefore, when the inhabitants returned, they found no houses, and were forced to ly under a few boards which were huddled together.The river was almost a musket-shot broad, and the ground on both sides cultivated. The hills near the river were steep, and the earth of a pale colour.TheAmericanElder (Sambucus occidentalis79) grows in incredible quantities along those hills, which appear quite white, from the abundance of flowers on the Elder.All this day along, we had one current after another, full of stones, which were great obstacles to our getting forward. The water in the river was very clear, and generally shallow, being only from two to four feet deep, running very violently against us in most places. The shore was covered with pebbles, and a grey sand. The hills consisted of earth, were high, and stood perpendicular towards the river, which was[284]near two musket-shot broad. Sometimes the land was cultivated, and sometimes it was covered with woods.The hills near the river abound with red and white clover. We found both these kinds plentiful in the woods. It is therefore difficult to determine whether they were brought over by theEuropeans, as some people think; or whether they were originally inAmerica, which theIndiansdeny.We found Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) growing plentifully in a sandy soil. In gardens it was one of the worst weeds.We found people returning every where to their habitations, which they had been forced to leave during the war.The farms were commonly built close to the river, on the hills. Each house has a little kitchen-garden, and a still lesser orchard. Some farms, however, had large gardens. The kitchen-gardens afford several kinds of gourds, water-melons, and kidney-beans. The orchards are full of apple-trees. This year the trees had few or no apples, on account of the frosty nights which had happened inMay, and the drought which had continued throughout this summer.[285]The houses hereabouts are generally built of beams of wood, and of unburnt bricks dried by the sun and the air. The beams are first erected, and upon them a gable with two walls, and the spars. The wall on the gable is made of boards. The roof is covered with shingles of fir. They make the walls of unburnt bricks, between the beams, to keep the rooms warmer; and that they might not easily be destroyed by rain and air, they are covered with boards on the outside. The cellar is below the house.The farms are either built close to the river-side, or on the high grounds; and around them are large fields with maize.We saw great numbers ofMusk-Rats(Castor Zibethicus Linn.) on the shores of the river, where they had many holes, some on a level with the surface of the water. These holes were large enough to admit a kitten. Before and in the entrance to the holes, lay a quantity of empty shells, the animals of which had been eaten by theMusk-Rats80. They are caught in traps placed along the water-side, and baited with some maize or apples.[286]TheSassafras-treesabound here, but never grow to any considerable height.Chestnut-treesappear now and then.TheCockspur Hawthorn(Cratægus Crus Galli Linn.) grows in the poorest soil, and has very long spines; which shews, that it may be very advantageously planted in hedges, especially in a poor soil.This night we lodged with a farmer, who had returned to his farm after the war was over. All his buildings, except the great barn, were burnt.Junethe 24th. The farm where we passed the night was the last in the province ofNew York, towardsCanada, which had been left standing, and which was now inhabited. Further on, we met still with inhabitants: but they had no houses, and lived in huts of boards; the houses being burnt during the war.As we continued our journey, we observed the country on both sides of the river to be generally flat, but sometimes hilly; and large trails of it are covered with woods of fir-trees. Now and then we found some parts turned into corn-fields and meadows; however, the greater part was covered with woods. Ever since we leftAlbany, almost half-way toSaratoga, the river runs very rapid; and it cost us a[287]deal of pains to get upwards. But afterwards it becomes very deep, for the space of several miles; and the water moves very slowly. The shores are very steep, though they are not very high. The river is two musket-shot broad. In the afternoon it changed its direction; for hitherto its direction was from North to South, but now it came from N. N. E. to S. S. W. and sometimes from N. E. to S. W.Anthills are very scarce inAmerica; and I do not remember seeing a single one before I came to theCohoes Fall. We observed a few in the woods to-day. The Ants were the same with our common red ones (Formica rufa Linn.) The Ant-hills consist chiefly of the slate-like mouldered stone which abounds here, there being nothing else for them.Chestnut-treesgrew scattered in the woods. We were told, that Mulberry-trees (Morus rubra Linn.) likewise grow wild here, but rather scarce; and this is the most northerly place where they grow inAmerica; at least, they have not been observed further to the north. We met with wild parsneps every day; but commonly in such places where the land was or had been cultivated. Hemp grows[288]spontaneously, and in great abundance, near old plantations.The woods abound withWoodlice, which were extremely troublesome to us.TheThuya occidentalis Linn.appeared along the shores of the river. I had not seen it there before.The trees which grow along the shores, and on the adjacent hills, within our sight to-day, are elms, birches, white firs, alders, dog-trees, lime-trees, red willows, and chestnut-trees. TheAmericanElder, (Sambucus Canadensis Linn.) and the wild vines, only appear in places where the ground has been somewhat cultivated, as if they were desirous of being the companions of men. The lime-trees and white walnut-trees are the most numerous. The horn-beams, with inflated cones, (Carpinus Ostrya Linn.) appeared now and then; but the water-beech and water-poplar never came within sight any more.We frequently saw ground-squirrels and black squirrels in the woods.At a little distance fromSaratoga, we met twoIndiansin their boats of bark, which could scarce contain more than one person.NearSaratogathe river becomes shallow[289]and rapid again. The ground is here turned into corn-fields and meadows, but on account of the war, it was not made use of.Saratogahas been a fort built of wood by theEnglish, to stop the attacks of theFrench Indiansupon theEnglishinhabitants in these parts, and to serve as a rampart toAlbany. It is situated on a hill, on the east-side of the riverHudson, and is built of thick posts driven in to the ground, close to each other, in the manner of palisades, forming a square, the length of whose sides was within the reach of a musket-shot. At each corner are the houses of the officers, and within the palisades are the barracks, all of timber. This fort has been kept in order and was garrisoned till the last war, when theEnglishthemselves in 1747 set fire to it, not being able to defend themselves in it against the attacks of theFrenchand theirIndians; for as soon as a party of them went out of the fort, some of these enemies lay concealed, and either took them all prisoners, or shot them.I shall only mention one, out of many artful tricks which were played here, and which both theEnglishandFrenchwho were present here at that time, told me repeatedly. A party ofFrench, with their[290]Indians, concealed themselves one night in a thicket near the fort. In the morning some of theirIndians, as they had previously resolved, went to have a nearer view of the fort. TheEnglishfired upon them, as soon as they saw them at a distance; theIndianspretended to be wounded, fell down, got up again, ran a little way, and dropped again. Above half the garrison rushed out to take them prisoners; but as soon as they were come up with them, theFrenchand the remainingIndianscame out of the bushes, betwixt the fortress and theEnglish, surrounded them, and took them prisoners. Those who remained in the fort had hardly time to shut the gates, nor could they fire upon the enemy, because they equally exposed their countrymen to danger, and they were vexed to see their enemies take and carry them off in their fight and under their cannon. SuchFrenchartifices as these made theEnglishweary of their ill-planned fort. We saw some of the palisades still in the ground. There was an island in the river, nearSaratoga, much better situated for a fortification. The country is flat on both sides of the river nearSaratoga, and its soil good. The wood round about was generally cut down. The shores of the river are high, steep, and consist of earth. We saw some[291]hills in the north, beyond the distant forests. The inhabitants areDutch, and bear an inveterate hatred to allEnglishmen.We lay over night in a little hut of boards erected by the people who were come to live here.Junethe 25th. Several saw-mills were built here before the war, which were very profitable to the inhabitants, on account of the abundance of wood which grows here.The boards were easily brought toAlbany, and from thence toNew York, in rafts every spring with the high water; but all the mills were burnt at present.This morning we proceeded up the river, but after we had advanced about anEnglishmile, we fell in with a water-fall, which cost us a deal of pains before we could get our canoe over it. The water was very deep just below the fall, owing to its hollowing the rock out by the fall. In every place where we met with rocks in the river, we found the water very deep, from two to four fathoms and upwards; because by finding a resistance it had worked a deeper channel into the ground. Above the fall, the river is very deep again, the water glides along silently, and increases suddenly near the shores. On both sides till you come to FortNicholson, the shore is covered with tall[292]trees. After rowing several miles, we passed another water-fall, which is longer and more dangerous than the preceding one.Giants-pots81, which I have described in the memoirs of the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences, are abundant near the fall of the rock which extends across the river. The rock was almost dry at present, the river containing very little water at this season of the year. Some of the giants-pots were round, but in general they were oblong. At the bottom of most of them lay either stones or grit, in abundance. Some were fifteen inches in diameter, but some were less. Their depth was likewise different, and some that I observed were above two foot deep. It is plain that they owed their origin to the whirling of the water round a pebble, which by that means was put in motion, together with the sand.We intended to have gone quite up to FortNicholsonin the canoe, which would have been a great convenience to us; but we found it impossible to get over the upper fall, the canoe being heavy, and scarce any water in the river, except in one place where it flowed over the rock, and where it was impossible to get up, on account of the[293]steepness, and the violence of the fall. We were accordingly obliged to leave our canoe here, and to carry our baggage through unfrequented woods to FortAnne, on the riverWoodcreekwhich is a space from forty-three to fiftyEnglishmiles, during which we were quite spent, through the excess of heat. Sometimes we had no other way of crossing deep rivers, than by cutting down tall trees, which stood on their banks, and throwing them across the water. All the land we passed over this afternoon was almost level, without hills and stones, and entirely covered with a tall and thick forest, in which we continually met with trees which were fallen down, because no one made the least use of the woods. We passed the next night in the midst of the forest, plagued with muskitoes, gnats, and wood-lice, and in fear of all kinds of snakes,Junethe 26th. Early this morning we continued our journey through the wood, along the riverHudson. There was an old path leading to FortNicholson, but it was so overgrown with grass, that we discovered it with great difficulty. In some places we found plenty ofraspberries, some of which were already ripe.FortNicholsonis the place on the eastern shore of the river Hudson, where a[294]wooden fortification formerly stood. We arrived here some time before noon, and rested a while. ColonelLydiusresided here till the beginning of the last war, chiefly with a view of carrying on a greater trade with theFrench Indians; but during the war, they burnt his house, and took his son prisoner. The fort was situated on a plain, but at present the place is all overgrown with a thicket. It was built in the year 1709, during the war which QueenAnnecarried on against theFrench, and it was named after the braveEnglishgeneralNicholson. It was not so much a fort, as a magazine to FortAnne. In the year 1711, when theEnglishnaval attempt uponCanadamiscarried, theEnglishthemselves set fire to this place. The soil hereabouts seems to be pretty fertile. The riverHudsonpassed close by here.Some time in the afternoon, we continued our journey. We had hitherto followed the eastern shore of the riverHudson, and gone almost due North; but now we left it, and went E. N. E. or N. E. across the woods, in order to come to the upper end of the riverWoodcreek, which flows to Fort St.Frederic, where we might go in a boat from the former place. The ground we passed over this[295]afternoon was generally flat, and somewhat low. Now and then we met with rivulets, which were generally dried up during this season. Sometimes we saw a little hill, but neither mountains nor stones, and the country was every where covered with tall and thick forests. The trees stood close, and afforded a fine shade; but the pleasure which we enjoyed from it was lessened by the incredible quantity of gnats which fill the woods. We found several plants here, but they were far from each other, (as in our woods where the cattle have destroyed them,) though no cattle ever came here. The ground was every where thick covered with leaves of the last autumn. In some places we found the ground over-grown with great quantities of moss. The soil was generally very good, consisting of a deep mould, in which the plants thrive very well. Therefore it seems that it would answer very well if it were cultivated: however, flowing waters were very scarce hereabouts; and if the woods were cleared, how great would be the effects of the parching heat of the sun, which might then act with its full force!We lodged this night near a brook, in order to be sufficiently supplied with water,[296]which was not every where at hand during this season. The muskitoes, punchins or gnats, and the woodlice, were very troublesome. Our fear of snakes, and of theIndiansrendered this night’s rest very precarious and unsecure.Punchins, as theDutchcall them, are the little gnats (Culex pulicaris Linn.) which abound here. They are very minute, and their wings grey, with black spots. They are ten times worse than the larger ones, (Culex pipiens Linn.) or muskitoes; for their size renders them next to imperceptible; they are every where careless of their lives, suck their fill of blood, and cause a burning pain.We heard several great trees fall of themselves in the night, though it was so calm, that not a leaf stirred. They made a dreadful cracking.Junethe 27th. We continued our journey in the morning. We found the country like that which we passed over yesterday, except meeting with a few hills. Early this morning we plainly heard a fall in the riverHudson.In every part of the forest we found trees thrown down either by storms, or age; but none were cut down, there being no inhabitants; and though the wood is[297]very fine, yet nobody makes use of it. We found it very difficult to get over such trees, because they had stopped up almost all the passages, and close to them was the chief residence of rattle-snakes, during the intenseness of the heat.About two o’clock this afternoon we arrived at FortAnne. It lies upon the riverWoodcreek, which is here at its origin no bigger than a little brook. We stayed here all this day, and next, in order to make a new boat of bark, because there was no possibility to go down the river to Fort St.Frederic, without it. We arrived in time, for one of our guides fell ill this morning, and could not have gone any further with his burthen. If he had been worse, we should have been obliged to stop on his account, which would have put us under great difficulties, as our provisions would soon have been exhausted, and from the desart place where we were, we could not have arrived at any inhabited place in less than three or four days. Happily we reached the wish’d-for place, and the sick man had time to rest and recover.About FortAnnewe found a number of mice, of the common kind. They were probably the offspring of those which were brought to the fort in the soldier’s provisions,[298]at the time when it was kept in a state of defence.We met with some apple and plumb-trees, which were certainly planted when the fort was in a good condition,Junethe 28th. TheAmerican Elm, (Ulmus Americana Linn.) grows in abundance, in the forests hereabouts. There are two kinds of it. One was called theWhite Elm, on account of the inside of the tree being white. It was more plentiful than the other species, which was called theRed Elm, because the colour of the wood was reddish. Of the bark of the former the boats made use of here are commonly made, it being tougher than the bark of any other tree. With the bark of hiccory, which is employed as bast, they sow the elm-bark together, and with the bark of the red elm they join the ends of the boat so close as to keep the water out. They beat the bark between two stones; or for want of them, between two pieces of wood.The making of the boat took up half yesterday, and all this day. To make such a boat, they pick out a thick tall elm, with a smooth bark, and with as few branches as possible. This tree is cut down, and great care is taken to prevent the bark from being hurt by falling against other trees,[299]or against the ground. With this view some people do not fell the trees, but climb to the top of them, split the bark, and strip it off, which was the method our carpenter took. The bark is split on one side, in a strait line along the tree, as long as the boat is intended to be; at the same time, the bark is carefully cut from the stem a little way on both sides of the slit, that it may more easily separate; the bark is then peeled off very carefully, and particular care is taken not to make any holes into it; this is easy when the sap is in the trees, and at other seasons the tree is heated by the fire, for that purpose. The bark thus stript off is spread on the ground, in a smooth place, turning the inside downwards, and the rough outside upwards, and to stretch it better, some logs of wood or stones are carefully put on it, which press it down. Then the sides of the bark are gently bent upwards, in order to form the sides of the boat; some sticks are then fixed into the ground, at the distance of three or four feet from each other, in the curve line, in which the sides of the boat are intended to be, supporting the bark intended for the sides; the sides of the bark are then bent in the form which the boat is to have, and according to that the sticks are either put nearer[300]or further off. The ribs of the boat are made of thick branches of hiccory, they being tough and pliable. They are cut into several flat pieces, about an inch thick, and bent into the form which the ribs require, according to their places in the broader or narrower part of the boat. Being thus bent, they are put across the boat, upon the back, or its bottom, pretty close, about a span, or ten inches from each other. The upper edge on each side of the boat is made of two thin poles, of the length of the boat, which are put close together, on the side of the boat, being flat, where they are to be joined. The edge of the bark is put between these two poles, and sewed up with threads of bast, of the mouse-wood, or other tough bark, or with roots. But before it is thus sewed up, the ends of the ribs are likewise put between the two poles on each side, taking care to keep them at some distance from each other. After that is done, the poles are sewed together, and being bent properly, both their ends join at each end of the boat, where they are tied together with ropes. To prevent the widening of the boat at the top, three or four transverse bands are put across it, from one edge to the other, at the distance of thirty or forty inches from[301]each other. These bands are commonly made of hiccory, on account of its toughness and flexibility, and have a good length. Their extremities are put through the bark on both sides, just below the poles, which make the edges; they are bent up above those poles, and twisted round the middle part of the bands, where they are carefully tied by ropes. As the bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be put so close together as to keep the water out, the crevices are stopped up with the crushed or pounded bark of the red elm, which in that state looks like oakum. Some pieces of bark are put upon the ribs in the boat, without which the foot would easily pierce the thin and weak bark below, which forms the bottom of the boat, for the better security of which, some thin boards are commonly laid at the bottom, which may be trod upon with more safety. The side of the bark which has been upon the wood, thus becomes the outside of the boat, because it is smooth and slippy, and cuts the water with less difficulty than the other. The building of these boats is not always quick; for sometimes it happens that after peeling the bark off an elm, and carefully examining it, it is found pierced with holes and splits, or it is too thin to[302]venture one’s life in. In such a case another elm must be looked out; and it sometimes happens that several elms must be stripped of their bark, before one is found fit for a boat. That which we made was big enough to bear four persons, with our baggage, which weighed somewhat more than a man.All possible precautions must be taken in rowing on the rivers and lakes of these parts with a boat of bark. For as the rivers, and even the lakes, contain numbers of broken trees, which are commonly hidden under the water, the boat may easily run against a sharp branch, which would tear half the boat away, if one rowed on very fast, exposing the people in it to great danger, where the water is very deep, especially if such a branch held the boat.To get into such a dangerous vessel, must be done with great care, and for the greater safety, without shoes. For with the shoes on, and still more with a sudden leap into the boat, the heels may easily pierce through the bottom of the boat, which might sometimes be attended with very disagreeable circumstances, especially when the boat is so near a rock, and close to that a sudden depth of water; and such places are common in the lakes and rivers here.[303]I never saw the muskitoes (Culex pipiens) more plentiful in any part ofAmericathan they are here. They were so eager for our blood, that we could not rest all the night, though we had surrounded ourselves with fire.Wood-lice (Acarus Americanus Linn.) abound here, and are more plentiful than on any part of the journey. Scarcely any one of us sat down but a whole army of them crept upon his clothes. They caused us as much inconvenience as the gnats, during the last night, and the short time we stayed here. Their bite is very disagreeable, and they would prove very dangerous, if any one of them should creep into a man’s ear, from whence it is difficult to extract them. There are examples of people whose ears were swelled to the size of the fist, on account of one of these insects creeping into them, and biting them. More is said about them in the description which I have given to the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences82.TheWhipperiwillorWhip-poor-Willcried all night on every side. TheFirefliesflew in numbers through the woods at night.[304]FortAnnederives its name from QueenAnne; for in her time it served as a fortification against theFrench. It lies on the Western side of the riverWoodcreek, which is here as inconsiderable as a brook, of a fathom’s breadth, and may be waded through in any part, during this season. The fort is built in the same manner as the fortsSaratogaandNicholson, that is to say, of palisades, within which the soldiers were quartered, and at the corners of which were the lodgings of the officers. The whole consisted of wood, because it was erected only with a view to resist irregular troops. It is built on a little rising ground which runs obliquely to the riverWoodcreek. The country round about it is partly flat, partly hilly, and partly marshy, but it consists merely of earth, and no stones are to be met with, though ever so carefully sought for. GeneralNicholsonbuilt this fort in the year 1709; but at the conclusion of the war, then carrying on against theFrench, it shared the same fate withSaratogaand FortNicholson, being burnt by theEnglishin 1711. This happened with the following circumstance: In 1711 theEnglishresolved to attackCanada, by land and by sea, at the same time. A powerfulEnglishfleet sailed up the river[305]St. Lawrenceto besiegeQuebec, and GeneralNicholson, who was the greatest promoter of this expedition, headed a numerous army to this place by land, to attackMontreal, at the same time from hence; but a great part of theEnglishfleet was shipwrecked in the riverSt.Lawrence, and obliged to return toNew England. The news of this misfortune was immediately communicated to GeneralNicholson, who was advised to retreat. CaptainButlerwho commanded FortMohawk, during my stay inAmerica, told me that he had been at FortAnnein 1711, and that GeneralNicholsonwas about to leave it, and go down the riverWoodcreek, in boats ready for that purpose, when he received the accounts of the disaster which befel the fleet. He was so enraged, that he endeavoured to tear his wig, but it being too strong for him, he flung it to the ground, and trampled on it, crying outRoguery, treachery. He then set fire to the fort, and returned. We saw the remains of the burnt palisades in the ground; and I asked my guides, Why theEnglishhad been at so great an expence in erecting the fort, and why they afterwards burnt it without any previous consideration? They replied, that it was done to get money from the government once[306]more, for the rebuilding of the fort, which money coming into some people’s hands, they would appropriate a great part of it to themselves, and erect again a wretched, inconsiderable fort. They further told me, that some of the richest people inAlbanyhad promoted their poor relations to the places for supplying the army with bread, &c. with a view to patch up their broken fortunes; and that they had acquired such fortunes as rendered them equal to the richest inhabitants ofAlbany.The heat was excessive to-day, especially in the afternoon, when it was quite calm. We were on the very spot where FortAnneformerly stood; it was a little place free from trees, but surrounded with them on every side, where the sun had full liberty to heat the air. After noon it grew as warm as in a hot bath83, and I never felt a[307]greater heat. I found a difficulty of breathing, and it seemed to me as if my lungs could not draw in a sufficient quantity of air. I was more eased when I went down into the vallies, and especially along theWoodcreek. I tried to fan the air to me with my hat, but it only encreased the difficulty of breathing, and I received the greatest relief when I went to the water, and in a shady place frequently sprinkled some water in the air. My companions were all very much weakened, but they did not find such difficulty in breathing, as I had done; however towards evening the air became somewhat cooler.Junethe 29th. Having compleated our boat, after a great deal of trouble, we continued our journey this morning. Our provisions, which were much diminished, obliged us to make great haste; for by[308]being obliged to carry every thing on our backs, through the woods to FortAnne, we could not take a great quantity of provisions with us, having several other very necessary things with us; and we did always eat very heartily. As there was very little water in the river, and several trees were fallen across it, which frequently stopped the boat, I left the men in the boat, and went along the shore withYungstroem. The ground on both sides of the river was so low, that it must be under water in spring and autumn. The shores were covered with several sorts of trees, which stood at moderate distances from each other, and a great deal of grass grew between them. The trees afforded a fine shade, very necessary and agreeable in this hot season; but the pleasure it gave was considerably lessened by the numbers of gnats which we met with. The soil was extremely rich.As we came lower down the river, the dykes, which the beavers had made in it, produced new difficulties. These laborious animals had carried together all sorts of boughs and branches, and placed them across the river, putting mud and clay in betwixt them, to stop the water. They had bit off the ends of the branches as[309]neatly as if they had been chopped off with a hatchet. The grass about these places was trod down by them, and in the neighbourhood of the dykes we sometimes met with paths in the grass, where the beavers probably carried trees along. We found a row of dykes before us, which stopped us a considerable while, as we could not get forwards with the boat, till we had cut through them.As soon as the river was more open, we got into the boat again, and continued our journey in it. The breadth of the river, however, did not exceed eight or nine yards, and frequently it was not above three or four yards broad, and generally so shallow, that our boat got on with difficulty. Sometimes it acquired such a sudden depth, that we could not reach the ground with sticks of seven feet length. The stream was very rapid in some places, and very slow in others. The shores were low at first, but afterwards remarkably high and steep, and now and then a rock projected into the water, which always caused a great depth in such places. The rocks consisted here of a grey quartz, mixed with a grey limestone, lying in strata. The water in the river was very clear and transparent, and we saw several little[310]paths leading to it from the woods, said to be made by beavers, and other animals, which resorted here to drink. After going a little more than threeEnglishmiles, we came to a place, where a fire was yet burning, and then we little thought that we had narrowly escaped death last night, as we heard this evening. Now and then we met with several trees lying across the river, and some dykes of beavers, which were troublesome to us.Towards night we met with aFrenchserjeant, and sixFrenchsoldiers, who were sent by the commander of FortSt. Frederic, to accompany threeEnglishmentoSaratoga, and to defend them in case of necessity, against sixFrench Indians, who were gone to be revenged on theEnglish, for killing the brother of one of them in the last war. The peace was already concluded at that time, but as it had not yet been proclaimed inCanada, theIndiansthought they could take this step; therefore they silently got away, contrary to the order of the Governor ofMontreal, and went towards theEnglishplantations. We here had occasion to admire the care of Providence for us, in escaping these barbarians. We found the grass trod down all day along, but had no thoughts of danger,[311]as we believed that every thing was quiet and peaceable. We were afterwards informed, that theseIndianshad trod the grass down, and passed the last night in the place where we found the burning brands in the morning. The usual road which they were to take, was by FortAnne, but to shorten their journey they had gone an unfrequented road. If they had gone on towards FortAnne, they would have met us without doubt, and looking upon us all asEnglishmen, for whose blood they were gone out, they could easily have surprised and shot us all, and by that means have been rid of the trouble of going any further to satisfy their cruelty. We were greatly struck when theFrenchmentold us how near death we had been to-day. We passed the night here, and though theFrenchrepeatedly advised and desired me not to venture any further with my company, but to follow them to the firstEnglishsettlement, and then back to FortSt. Frederic, yet I resolved, with the protection of the Almighty, to continue my journey the next day.We saw immense numbers of those wild pigeons flying in the woods, which sometimes come in incredible flocks to the southernEnglishcolonies, most of theinhabitants[312]not knowing where they come from. They have their nests in the trees here; and almost all the night make a great noise and cooing in the trees, where they roost. TheFrenchmenshot a great number of them, and gave us some, in which we found a great quantity of the seeds of the elm, which evidently demonstrated the care of Providence in supplying them with food; for inMaythe seeds of the red maple, which abounds here, are ripe, and drop from the trees, and are eaten by the pigeons during that time: afterwards, the seeds of the elm ripen, which then become their food, till other seeds ripen for them. Their flesh is the most palatable of any bird’s flesh I ever tasted.Almost every night, we heard some trees crack and fall, whilst we lay here in the wood, though the air was so calm that not a leaf stirred. The reason of this breaking I am totally unacquainted with. Perhaps the dew loosens the roots of trees at night; or, perhaps there are too many branches on one side of the tree. It may be, that the above-mentioned wild pigeons settle in such quantities on one tree as to weigh it down; or perhaps the tree begins to bend more and more to one side, from its center of gravity, making the weight always greater[313]for the roots to support, till it comes to the point, when it can no longer be kept upright, which may as well happen in the midst of a calm night as at any other time. When the wind blows hard, it is reckoned very dangerous to sleep or walk in the woods, on account of the many trees which fall in them; and even when it is very calm, there is some danger in passing under very great and old trees. I was told, in several parts ofAmerica, that the storms or hurricanes sometimes only pass over a small part of the woods, and tear down the trees in it; and I have had opportunities of confirming the truth of this observation, by finding places in the forests, where almost all the trees were thrown down, and lay all in one direction.Tea is differently esteemed by different people; and I think we would be as well, and our purses much better, if we were both without tea and coffee. However, I must be impartial, and mention in praise of tea, that if it be useful, it must certainly be so in summer, on such journeys as mine, through a desart country, where one cannot carry wine or other liquors, and where the water is generally unfit for use, as being full of insects. In such cases, it is very relishing when boiled, and tea is drunk with it;[314]and I cannot sufficiently describe the fine taste it has in such circumstances. It relieves a weary traveller more than can be imagined, as I have myself experienced, together with a great many others who have travelled through the desart forests ofAmerica; on such journeys, tea is found to be almost as necessary as victuals84.Junethe 30th. This morning we left our boat to theFrenchmen, who made use of it to carry their provisions; for we could not make any further use of it, on account, of the number of trees which theFrenchhad thrown across the river during the last war, to prevent the attacks of theEnglishuponCanada. TheFrenchmengave us leave to make use of one of their boats, which they had left behind them, about six miles from the place where we passed the last night. Thus we continued our journey on foot, along the river; and found the country flat, with some little vales here and there. It was every where covered with tall trees, of the deciduous kind; among which the beech, the elm, theAmericanlime-tree, and the sugar-maple, were the[315]most numerous. The trees stand at some distance from each other; and the soil in which they grow is extremely rich.After we had walked about aSwedishmile, or sixEnglishmiles, we came to the place where the sixFrenchmenhad left their bark boats, of which we took one, and rowed down the river, which was now between nineteen and twenty yards broad. The. ground on both sides was very smooth, and not very high. Sometimes we found a hill consisting of grey quartz, mixed with small fine grains of grey spar. We likewise observed black stripes in it; but they were small, that I could not determine whether they were of glimmer, or of another kind of stone. The hills were frequently divided into strata, lying one above another, of the thickness of five inches. The strata went from north to south; and were not quite horizontal, but dipping to the north. As we went further on, we saw high and steep hills on the river-side, partly covered with trees; but in other parts, the banks consist of a swampy turf ground, which gave way when it was walked upon, and had some similarity to the sides of our marshes, which my countrymen are now about to drain. In those parts where the ground was low and flat, we did not see any[316]stones either on the ground, or on the softer shore; and both sides of the river when they were not hilly, were covered with tall elms,Americanlime-trees, sugar-maples, beeches, hiccory-trees, some water-beeches, and white walnut-trees.On our left we saw an old fortification of stones laid above one another; but nobody could tell me whether theIndiansor theEuropeanshad built it.We had rowed very fast all the afternoon, in order to get forward; and we thought that we were upon the true road, but found ourselves greatly mistaken: for towards night we observed, that the reeds in the river bent towards us, which was a mark that the river likewise flowed towards us; whereas, if we had been on the true river, it should have gone with us. We likewise observed, from the trees which lay across the river, that nobody had lately passed that way, though we should have seen the steps of theFrenchmenin the grass along the shore, when they brought their boat over these trees. At last, we plainly saw that the river flowed against us, by several pieces of wood which floated slowly towards us; and we were convinced, that we had gone twelveEnglishmiles, and upwards, upon a wrong river, which obliged us to return, and to row till[317]very late at night. We sometimes thought, through fear, that theIndians, who were gone to murder someEnglish, would unavoidably meet with us. Though we rowed very fast, yet we were not able to-day to get half-way back to the place where we first left the true river.The most odoriferous effluvia sometimes came from the banks of the river, towards night, but we could not determine what flowers diffused them. However, we supposed they chiefly arose from theAsclepias Syriaca, and theApocynum androsæmifolium.TheMusk-Ratscould likewise be smelled at night. They had many holes in the shores, even with the surface of the water.We passed the night in an island, where we could not sleep on account of the gnats. We did not venture to make a fire, for fear theIndiansshould find us out, and kill us. We heard several of their dogs barking in the woods, at a great distance from us, which added to our uneasiness.[318]

Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.We passed the night about six miles fromAlbany, in a countryman’s cottage. On the west side of the river we saw several houses, one after another, inhabited by the descendants of the firstDutchsettlers, who lived by cultivating their grounds. About half anEnglishmile beyond our lodgings, was the place where the tide stops in the riverHudson, there being only small and shallow streams above it. At that place they catch a good many sorts of fish in the river.The barns were generally built in theDutchway, as I have before described them77; for in the middle was the threshing-floor, above it a place for the hay and straw, and on each side stables for horses, cows, and other animals. The barn itself was very large. Sometimes the buildings in the court-yard consist only of a room, and a garret above it, together with a barn upon the above plan.Junethe 22d. This morning I followed one of our guides to the water-fall nearCohoes, in the riverMohawk, before it falls[276]into the riverHudson. This fall is about threeEnglishmiles from the place where I passed the night. The country till the fall is a plain, and only hilly about the fall itself. The wood is cleared in most places, and the ground cultivated, and interspersed with farm-houses.TheCohoes Fallis one of the greatest inNorth America. It is in the riverMohawk, before it unites with the riverHudson. Above and below the fall, the sides and the bottom of the river consist of hard rock. The river is three hundred yards broad here. At the fall there is a rock crossways in the river, running every where equally high, and crossing in a strait line with the side which forms the fall. It represents, as it were, a wall towards the lower side, which is not quite perpendicular, wanting about four yards. The height of this wall, over which the water rolls, appeared to me about twenty or twenty-four yards. I had marked this height in my pocket-book; and afterwards found it agreed pretty well with the account which that ingenious engineer, Mr.Lewis Evans, communicated to me atPhiladelphia. He said, that he had geometrically measured the breadth and height of the fall, and found it nine hundredEnglishfeet[277]broad, and seventy-five feet high. The representation of this fall, which is here joined, has been made by Mr.Evans. There was very little water in the river at present, and it only ran over the fall in a few places. In such places where the water had rolled down before, it had cut deep holes below into the rock, sometimes to the depth of two or three fathoms. The bed of the river, below the fall, was of rock, and quite dry, there being only a channel in the middle fourteen feet broad, and a fathom or somewhat more deep, through which the water passed which came over the fall. We saw a number of holes in the rock, below the fall, which bore a perfect resemblance to those inSwedenwhich we callGiants Pots, orMountain Kettles. They differed in size; there being large deep ones, and small shallow ones. We had clear uninterrupted sun-shine, not a cloud above the horizon, and no wind at all. However, close to this fall, where the water was in such a small quantity, there was a continual drizzling rain, occasioned by the vapours which rose from the water during its fall, and were carried about by the wind. Therefore, in coming within a musket-shot of the fall, against the wind, our cloaths were[278]wetted at once, as from a rain. The whirlpools, which were in the water below the fall, contained several kinds of fish; and they were caught by some people, who amused themselves with angling. The rocks hereabouts consist of the same black stone which forms the hills aboutAlbany. When exposed to the air, it is apt to shiver into horizontal flakes, as slate does.At noon we continued our journey toCanadain the canoe, which was pretty long, and made out of a white pine. Somewhat beyond the farm where we lay at night, the river became so shallow that the men could reach the ground every where with their oars; it being in some parts not above two feet, and sometimes but one foot deep. The shore and bed of the river consisted of sand and pebbles. The river was very rapid, and against us; so that our rowers found it hard work to get forward against the stream. The hills along the shore consisted merely of soil; and were very high and steep in some parts. The breadth of the river was generally near two musket-shot.Sturgeonsabound in the riverHudson. We saw them for several days together leap high up into the air, especially in the evening; our guides, and the people who lived hereabouts, asserted that they never see any[279]sturgeons in winter time, because these fish go into the sea late in autumn, but come up again in spring and stay in the river all the summer. They are said to prefer the shallowest places in the river, which agreed pretty well with our observations; for we never saw them leap out of the water but in shallows. Their food is said to be several kinds ofconfervæ, which grow in plenty in some places at the bottom of the river; for these weeds are found in their bellies when they are opened. TheDutchwho are settled here, and theIndians, fish for sturgeons, and every night of our voyage upon this river, we observed several boats with people who struck them with harpoons. The torches which they employed were made of that kind of pine, which they call the black pine here. The nights were exceedingly dark, though they were now shortest, and though we were in a country so much to the South ofSweden. The shores of the river lay covered with dead sturgeons, which had been wounded with the harpoon, but escaped, and died afterwards; they occasioned an insupportable stench during the excessive heat of the weather.As we went further up the river we saw anIndianwoman and her boy sitting in a[280]boat of bark, and anIndianwading through the river, with a great cap of bark on his head. Near them was an island on which there were a number ofIndiansat present, on account of the sturgeon fishery. We went to their huts to try if we could get one of them to accompany us toFort St. Frederic. On our arrival we found that all the men were gone into the woods a hunting this morning, and we were forced to engage their boys to go and look for them. They demanded bread for payment, and we gave them twenty little round loaves; for as they found that it was of great importance to us to speak with theIndians, they raised difficulties, and would not go till we gave them what they wanted. The island belonged to theDutch, who had turned it into corn-fields. But at present they had leased it to theIndians, who planted their maize and several kinds of melons on it. They built their huts orwigwamson this island, on a very simple plan. Four posts were put into the ground perpendicularly, over which they had placed poles, and made a roof of bark upon them. They had either no walls at all, or they consisted of branches with leaves, which were fixed to the poles. Their beds consisted of deer-skins which were spread on the ground. Their utensils were a couple of small kettles, and[281]two ladles, and a bucket or two of bark, made so close as to keep water. The sturgeons were cut into long slices, and hung up in the sunshine to dry, and to be ready against winter. TheIndianwomen were sitting at their work on the hill, upon deer-skins. They never make use of chairs, but sit on the ground: however, they do not sit cross-legged, as theTurksdo, but between their feet, which, though they be turned backwards, are not crossed, but bent outwards. The women wear no head-dress, and have black hair. They have a short blue petticoat, which reaches to their knees, and the brim of which is bordered with red or other ribbands. They wear their shifts over their petticoats. They have large ear-rings: and their hair is tied behind, and wrapped in ribbands. TheirWampum, or Pearls, and their money, which is made of shells, are tied round the neck, and hang down on the breast. This is their whole dress. They were now making several kinds of work of skins, to which they sowed the quills of theAmerican Porcupines, having dyed them black or red, or left them in their original colour.Towards evening, we went from hence to a farm close to the river, where we found only one man, looking after the maize and the fields; the inhabitants being not yet returned since the end of the war.[282]The little brooks here contain Crawfish, which are exactly the same with ours78, with this difference only, that they are somewhat less; however, theDutchinhabitants will not eat them.Junethe 23d. We waited a good while for theIndians, who had promised to come home, in order to shew us the way toFort St. Ann, and to assist us in making a boat of bark, to continue our voyage. About eight o’clock three of the men arrived. Their hair was black, and cut short; they wore rough pieces of woollen cloth, of a bright green colour, on their shoulders, a shirt which covers their thighs, and pieces of cloth, or skins, which they wrap round the legs and part of the thighs. They had neither hats, caps, nor breeches. Two of them had painted the upper part of their foreheads, and their cheeks, with vermilion. Round their neck was a ribband, from which hung a bag down to the breast, containing their knives. They promised to accompany us for thirty shillings; but soon after changed their minds, and went with anEnglishman, who gave them more. Thus we were obliged to make this journey quite alone. TheIndians, however, were honest enough to return us fifteen shillings, which we had paid them before-hand.[283]Our last night’s lodging was about tenEnglishmiles fromAlbany. During the last war, which was just now ended, the inhabitants had all retreated from thence toAlbany, because theFrench Indianshad taken or killed all the people they met with, set the houses on fire, and cut down the trees. Therefore, when the inhabitants returned, they found no houses, and were forced to ly under a few boards which were huddled together.The river was almost a musket-shot broad, and the ground on both sides cultivated. The hills near the river were steep, and the earth of a pale colour.TheAmericanElder (Sambucus occidentalis79) grows in incredible quantities along those hills, which appear quite white, from the abundance of flowers on the Elder.All this day along, we had one current after another, full of stones, which were great obstacles to our getting forward. The water in the river was very clear, and generally shallow, being only from two to four feet deep, running very violently against us in most places. The shore was covered with pebbles, and a grey sand. The hills consisted of earth, were high, and stood perpendicular towards the river, which was[284]near two musket-shot broad. Sometimes the land was cultivated, and sometimes it was covered with woods.The hills near the river abound with red and white clover. We found both these kinds plentiful in the woods. It is therefore difficult to determine whether they were brought over by theEuropeans, as some people think; or whether they were originally inAmerica, which theIndiansdeny.We found Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) growing plentifully in a sandy soil. In gardens it was one of the worst weeds.We found people returning every where to their habitations, which they had been forced to leave during the war.The farms were commonly built close to the river, on the hills. Each house has a little kitchen-garden, and a still lesser orchard. Some farms, however, had large gardens. The kitchen-gardens afford several kinds of gourds, water-melons, and kidney-beans. The orchards are full of apple-trees. This year the trees had few or no apples, on account of the frosty nights which had happened inMay, and the drought which had continued throughout this summer.[285]The houses hereabouts are generally built of beams of wood, and of unburnt bricks dried by the sun and the air. The beams are first erected, and upon them a gable with two walls, and the spars. The wall on the gable is made of boards. The roof is covered with shingles of fir. They make the walls of unburnt bricks, between the beams, to keep the rooms warmer; and that they might not easily be destroyed by rain and air, they are covered with boards on the outside. The cellar is below the house.The farms are either built close to the river-side, or on the high grounds; and around them are large fields with maize.We saw great numbers ofMusk-Rats(Castor Zibethicus Linn.) on the shores of the river, where they had many holes, some on a level with the surface of the water. These holes were large enough to admit a kitten. Before and in the entrance to the holes, lay a quantity of empty shells, the animals of which had been eaten by theMusk-Rats80. They are caught in traps placed along the water-side, and baited with some maize or apples.[286]TheSassafras-treesabound here, but never grow to any considerable height.Chestnut-treesappear now and then.TheCockspur Hawthorn(Cratægus Crus Galli Linn.) grows in the poorest soil, and has very long spines; which shews, that it may be very advantageously planted in hedges, especially in a poor soil.This night we lodged with a farmer, who had returned to his farm after the war was over. All his buildings, except the great barn, were burnt.Junethe 24th. The farm where we passed the night was the last in the province ofNew York, towardsCanada, which had been left standing, and which was now inhabited. Further on, we met still with inhabitants: but they had no houses, and lived in huts of boards; the houses being burnt during the war.As we continued our journey, we observed the country on both sides of the river to be generally flat, but sometimes hilly; and large trails of it are covered with woods of fir-trees. Now and then we found some parts turned into corn-fields and meadows; however, the greater part was covered with woods. Ever since we leftAlbany, almost half-way toSaratoga, the river runs very rapid; and it cost us a[287]deal of pains to get upwards. But afterwards it becomes very deep, for the space of several miles; and the water moves very slowly. The shores are very steep, though they are not very high. The river is two musket-shot broad. In the afternoon it changed its direction; for hitherto its direction was from North to South, but now it came from N. N. E. to S. S. W. and sometimes from N. E. to S. W.Anthills are very scarce inAmerica; and I do not remember seeing a single one before I came to theCohoes Fall. We observed a few in the woods to-day. The Ants were the same with our common red ones (Formica rufa Linn.) The Ant-hills consist chiefly of the slate-like mouldered stone which abounds here, there being nothing else for them.Chestnut-treesgrew scattered in the woods. We were told, that Mulberry-trees (Morus rubra Linn.) likewise grow wild here, but rather scarce; and this is the most northerly place where they grow inAmerica; at least, they have not been observed further to the north. We met with wild parsneps every day; but commonly in such places where the land was or had been cultivated. Hemp grows[288]spontaneously, and in great abundance, near old plantations.The woods abound withWoodlice, which were extremely troublesome to us.TheThuya occidentalis Linn.appeared along the shores of the river. I had not seen it there before.The trees which grow along the shores, and on the adjacent hills, within our sight to-day, are elms, birches, white firs, alders, dog-trees, lime-trees, red willows, and chestnut-trees. TheAmericanElder, (Sambucus Canadensis Linn.) and the wild vines, only appear in places where the ground has been somewhat cultivated, as if they were desirous of being the companions of men. The lime-trees and white walnut-trees are the most numerous. The horn-beams, with inflated cones, (Carpinus Ostrya Linn.) appeared now and then; but the water-beech and water-poplar never came within sight any more.We frequently saw ground-squirrels and black squirrels in the woods.At a little distance fromSaratoga, we met twoIndiansin their boats of bark, which could scarce contain more than one person.NearSaratogathe river becomes shallow[289]and rapid again. The ground is here turned into corn-fields and meadows, but on account of the war, it was not made use of.Saratogahas been a fort built of wood by theEnglish, to stop the attacks of theFrench Indiansupon theEnglishinhabitants in these parts, and to serve as a rampart toAlbany. It is situated on a hill, on the east-side of the riverHudson, and is built of thick posts driven in to the ground, close to each other, in the manner of palisades, forming a square, the length of whose sides was within the reach of a musket-shot. At each corner are the houses of the officers, and within the palisades are the barracks, all of timber. This fort has been kept in order and was garrisoned till the last war, when theEnglishthemselves in 1747 set fire to it, not being able to defend themselves in it against the attacks of theFrenchand theirIndians; for as soon as a party of them went out of the fort, some of these enemies lay concealed, and either took them all prisoners, or shot them.I shall only mention one, out of many artful tricks which were played here, and which both theEnglishandFrenchwho were present here at that time, told me repeatedly. A party ofFrench, with their[290]Indians, concealed themselves one night in a thicket near the fort. In the morning some of theirIndians, as they had previously resolved, went to have a nearer view of the fort. TheEnglishfired upon them, as soon as they saw them at a distance; theIndianspretended to be wounded, fell down, got up again, ran a little way, and dropped again. Above half the garrison rushed out to take them prisoners; but as soon as they were come up with them, theFrenchand the remainingIndianscame out of the bushes, betwixt the fortress and theEnglish, surrounded them, and took them prisoners. Those who remained in the fort had hardly time to shut the gates, nor could they fire upon the enemy, because they equally exposed their countrymen to danger, and they were vexed to see their enemies take and carry them off in their fight and under their cannon. SuchFrenchartifices as these made theEnglishweary of their ill-planned fort. We saw some of the palisades still in the ground. There was an island in the river, nearSaratoga, much better situated for a fortification. The country is flat on both sides of the river nearSaratoga, and its soil good. The wood round about was generally cut down. The shores of the river are high, steep, and consist of earth. We saw some[291]hills in the north, beyond the distant forests. The inhabitants areDutch, and bear an inveterate hatred to allEnglishmen.We lay over night in a little hut of boards erected by the people who were come to live here.Junethe 25th. Several saw-mills were built here before the war, which were very profitable to the inhabitants, on account of the abundance of wood which grows here.The boards were easily brought toAlbany, and from thence toNew York, in rafts every spring with the high water; but all the mills were burnt at present.This morning we proceeded up the river, but after we had advanced about anEnglishmile, we fell in with a water-fall, which cost us a deal of pains before we could get our canoe over it. The water was very deep just below the fall, owing to its hollowing the rock out by the fall. In every place where we met with rocks in the river, we found the water very deep, from two to four fathoms and upwards; because by finding a resistance it had worked a deeper channel into the ground. Above the fall, the river is very deep again, the water glides along silently, and increases suddenly near the shores. On both sides till you come to FortNicholson, the shore is covered with tall[292]trees. After rowing several miles, we passed another water-fall, which is longer and more dangerous than the preceding one.Giants-pots81, which I have described in the memoirs of the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences, are abundant near the fall of the rock which extends across the river. The rock was almost dry at present, the river containing very little water at this season of the year. Some of the giants-pots were round, but in general they were oblong. At the bottom of most of them lay either stones or grit, in abundance. Some were fifteen inches in diameter, but some were less. Their depth was likewise different, and some that I observed were above two foot deep. It is plain that they owed their origin to the whirling of the water round a pebble, which by that means was put in motion, together with the sand.We intended to have gone quite up to FortNicholsonin the canoe, which would have been a great convenience to us; but we found it impossible to get over the upper fall, the canoe being heavy, and scarce any water in the river, except in one place where it flowed over the rock, and where it was impossible to get up, on account of the[293]steepness, and the violence of the fall. We were accordingly obliged to leave our canoe here, and to carry our baggage through unfrequented woods to FortAnne, on the riverWoodcreekwhich is a space from forty-three to fiftyEnglishmiles, during which we were quite spent, through the excess of heat. Sometimes we had no other way of crossing deep rivers, than by cutting down tall trees, which stood on their banks, and throwing them across the water. All the land we passed over this afternoon was almost level, without hills and stones, and entirely covered with a tall and thick forest, in which we continually met with trees which were fallen down, because no one made the least use of the woods. We passed the next night in the midst of the forest, plagued with muskitoes, gnats, and wood-lice, and in fear of all kinds of snakes,Junethe 26th. Early this morning we continued our journey through the wood, along the riverHudson. There was an old path leading to FortNicholson, but it was so overgrown with grass, that we discovered it with great difficulty. In some places we found plenty ofraspberries, some of which were already ripe.FortNicholsonis the place on the eastern shore of the river Hudson, where a[294]wooden fortification formerly stood. We arrived here some time before noon, and rested a while. ColonelLydiusresided here till the beginning of the last war, chiefly with a view of carrying on a greater trade with theFrench Indians; but during the war, they burnt his house, and took his son prisoner. The fort was situated on a plain, but at present the place is all overgrown with a thicket. It was built in the year 1709, during the war which QueenAnnecarried on against theFrench, and it was named after the braveEnglishgeneralNicholson. It was not so much a fort, as a magazine to FortAnne. In the year 1711, when theEnglishnaval attempt uponCanadamiscarried, theEnglishthemselves set fire to this place. The soil hereabouts seems to be pretty fertile. The riverHudsonpassed close by here.Some time in the afternoon, we continued our journey. We had hitherto followed the eastern shore of the riverHudson, and gone almost due North; but now we left it, and went E. N. E. or N. E. across the woods, in order to come to the upper end of the riverWoodcreek, which flows to Fort St.Frederic, where we might go in a boat from the former place. The ground we passed over this[295]afternoon was generally flat, and somewhat low. Now and then we met with rivulets, which were generally dried up during this season. Sometimes we saw a little hill, but neither mountains nor stones, and the country was every where covered with tall and thick forests. The trees stood close, and afforded a fine shade; but the pleasure which we enjoyed from it was lessened by the incredible quantity of gnats which fill the woods. We found several plants here, but they were far from each other, (as in our woods where the cattle have destroyed them,) though no cattle ever came here. The ground was every where thick covered with leaves of the last autumn. In some places we found the ground over-grown with great quantities of moss. The soil was generally very good, consisting of a deep mould, in which the plants thrive very well. Therefore it seems that it would answer very well if it were cultivated: however, flowing waters were very scarce hereabouts; and if the woods were cleared, how great would be the effects of the parching heat of the sun, which might then act with its full force!We lodged this night near a brook, in order to be sufficiently supplied with water,[296]which was not every where at hand during this season. The muskitoes, punchins or gnats, and the woodlice, were very troublesome. Our fear of snakes, and of theIndiansrendered this night’s rest very precarious and unsecure.Punchins, as theDutchcall them, are the little gnats (Culex pulicaris Linn.) which abound here. They are very minute, and their wings grey, with black spots. They are ten times worse than the larger ones, (Culex pipiens Linn.) or muskitoes; for their size renders them next to imperceptible; they are every where careless of their lives, suck their fill of blood, and cause a burning pain.We heard several great trees fall of themselves in the night, though it was so calm, that not a leaf stirred. They made a dreadful cracking.Junethe 27th. We continued our journey in the morning. We found the country like that which we passed over yesterday, except meeting with a few hills. Early this morning we plainly heard a fall in the riverHudson.In every part of the forest we found trees thrown down either by storms, or age; but none were cut down, there being no inhabitants; and though the wood is[297]very fine, yet nobody makes use of it. We found it very difficult to get over such trees, because they had stopped up almost all the passages, and close to them was the chief residence of rattle-snakes, during the intenseness of the heat.About two o’clock this afternoon we arrived at FortAnne. It lies upon the riverWoodcreek, which is here at its origin no bigger than a little brook. We stayed here all this day, and next, in order to make a new boat of bark, because there was no possibility to go down the river to Fort St.Frederic, without it. We arrived in time, for one of our guides fell ill this morning, and could not have gone any further with his burthen. If he had been worse, we should have been obliged to stop on his account, which would have put us under great difficulties, as our provisions would soon have been exhausted, and from the desart place where we were, we could not have arrived at any inhabited place in less than three or four days. Happily we reached the wish’d-for place, and the sick man had time to rest and recover.About FortAnnewe found a number of mice, of the common kind. They were probably the offspring of those which were brought to the fort in the soldier’s provisions,[298]at the time when it was kept in a state of defence.We met with some apple and plumb-trees, which were certainly planted when the fort was in a good condition,Junethe 28th. TheAmerican Elm, (Ulmus Americana Linn.) grows in abundance, in the forests hereabouts. There are two kinds of it. One was called theWhite Elm, on account of the inside of the tree being white. It was more plentiful than the other species, which was called theRed Elm, because the colour of the wood was reddish. Of the bark of the former the boats made use of here are commonly made, it being tougher than the bark of any other tree. With the bark of hiccory, which is employed as bast, they sow the elm-bark together, and with the bark of the red elm they join the ends of the boat so close as to keep the water out. They beat the bark between two stones; or for want of them, between two pieces of wood.The making of the boat took up half yesterday, and all this day. To make such a boat, they pick out a thick tall elm, with a smooth bark, and with as few branches as possible. This tree is cut down, and great care is taken to prevent the bark from being hurt by falling against other trees,[299]or against the ground. With this view some people do not fell the trees, but climb to the top of them, split the bark, and strip it off, which was the method our carpenter took. The bark is split on one side, in a strait line along the tree, as long as the boat is intended to be; at the same time, the bark is carefully cut from the stem a little way on both sides of the slit, that it may more easily separate; the bark is then peeled off very carefully, and particular care is taken not to make any holes into it; this is easy when the sap is in the trees, and at other seasons the tree is heated by the fire, for that purpose. The bark thus stript off is spread on the ground, in a smooth place, turning the inside downwards, and the rough outside upwards, and to stretch it better, some logs of wood or stones are carefully put on it, which press it down. Then the sides of the bark are gently bent upwards, in order to form the sides of the boat; some sticks are then fixed into the ground, at the distance of three or four feet from each other, in the curve line, in which the sides of the boat are intended to be, supporting the bark intended for the sides; the sides of the bark are then bent in the form which the boat is to have, and according to that the sticks are either put nearer[300]or further off. The ribs of the boat are made of thick branches of hiccory, they being tough and pliable. They are cut into several flat pieces, about an inch thick, and bent into the form which the ribs require, according to their places in the broader or narrower part of the boat. Being thus bent, they are put across the boat, upon the back, or its bottom, pretty close, about a span, or ten inches from each other. The upper edge on each side of the boat is made of two thin poles, of the length of the boat, which are put close together, on the side of the boat, being flat, where they are to be joined. The edge of the bark is put between these two poles, and sewed up with threads of bast, of the mouse-wood, or other tough bark, or with roots. But before it is thus sewed up, the ends of the ribs are likewise put between the two poles on each side, taking care to keep them at some distance from each other. After that is done, the poles are sewed together, and being bent properly, both their ends join at each end of the boat, where they are tied together with ropes. To prevent the widening of the boat at the top, three or four transverse bands are put across it, from one edge to the other, at the distance of thirty or forty inches from[301]each other. These bands are commonly made of hiccory, on account of its toughness and flexibility, and have a good length. Their extremities are put through the bark on both sides, just below the poles, which make the edges; they are bent up above those poles, and twisted round the middle part of the bands, where they are carefully tied by ropes. As the bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be put so close together as to keep the water out, the crevices are stopped up with the crushed or pounded bark of the red elm, which in that state looks like oakum. Some pieces of bark are put upon the ribs in the boat, without which the foot would easily pierce the thin and weak bark below, which forms the bottom of the boat, for the better security of which, some thin boards are commonly laid at the bottom, which may be trod upon with more safety. The side of the bark which has been upon the wood, thus becomes the outside of the boat, because it is smooth and slippy, and cuts the water with less difficulty than the other. The building of these boats is not always quick; for sometimes it happens that after peeling the bark off an elm, and carefully examining it, it is found pierced with holes and splits, or it is too thin to[302]venture one’s life in. In such a case another elm must be looked out; and it sometimes happens that several elms must be stripped of their bark, before one is found fit for a boat. That which we made was big enough to bear four persons, with our baggage, which weighed somewhat more than a man.All possible precautions must be taken in rowing on the rivers and lakes of these parts with a boat of bark. For as the rivers, and even the lakes, contain numbers of broken trees, which are commonly hidden under the water, the boat may easily run against a sharp branch, which would tear half the boat away, if one rowed on very fast, exposing the people in it to great danger, where the water is very deep, especially if such a branch held the boat.To get into such a dangerous vessel, must be done with great care, and for the greater safety, without shoes. For with the shoes on, and still more with a sudden leap into the boat, the heels may easily pierce through the bottom of the boat, which might sometimes be attended with very disagreeable circumstances, especially when the boat is so near a rock, and close to that a sudden depth of water; and such places are common in the lakes and rivers here.[303]I never saw the muskitoes (Culex pipiens) more plentiful in any part ofAmericathan they are here. They were so eager for our blood, that we could not rest all the night, though we had surrounded ourselves with fire.Wood-lice (Acarus Americanus Linn.) abound here, and are more plentiful than on any part of the journey. Scarcely any one of us sat down but a whole army of them crept upon his clothes. They caused us as much inconvenience as the gnats, during the last night, and the short time we stayed here. Their bite is very disagreeable, and they would prove very dangerous, if any one of them should creep into a man’s ear, from whence it is difficult to extract them. There are examples of people whose ears were swelled to the size of the fist, on account of one of these insects creeping into them, and biting them. More is said about them in the description which I have given to the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences82.TheWhipperiwillorWhip-poor-Willcried all night on every side. TheFirefliesflew in numbers through the woods at night.[304]FortAnnederives its name from QueenAnne; for in her time it served as a fortification against theFrench. It lies on the Western side of the riverWoodcreek, which is here as inconsiderable as a brook, of a fathom’s breadth, and may be waded through in any part, during this season. The fort is built in the same manner as the fortsSaratogaandNicholson, that is to say, of palisades, within which the soldiers were quartered, and at the corners of which were the lodgings of the officers. The whole consisted of wood, because it was erected only with a view to resist irregular troops. It is built on a little rising ground which runs obliquely to the riverWoodcreek. The country round about it is partly flat, partly hilly, and partly marshy, but it consists merely of earth, and no stones are to be met with, though ever so carefully sought for. GeneralNicholsonbuilt this fort in the year 1709; but at the conclusion of the war, then carrying on against theFrench, it shared the same fate withSaratogaand FortNicholson, being burnt by theEnglishin 1711. This happened with the following circumstance: In 1711 theEnglishresolved to attackCanada, by land and by sea, at the same time. A powerfulEnglishfleet sailed up the river[305]St. Lawrenceto besiegeQuebec, and GeneralNicholson, who was the greatest promoter of this expedition, headed a numerous army to this place by land, to attackMontreal, at the same time from hence; but a great part of theEnglishfleet was shipwrecked in the riverSt.Lawrence, and obliged to return toNew England. The news of this misfortune was immediately communicated to GeneralNicholson, who was advised to retreat. CaptainButlerwho commanded FortMohawk, during my stay inAmerica, told me that he had been at FortAnnein 1711, and that GeneralNicholsonwas about to leave it, and go down the riverWoodcreek, in boats ready for that purpose, when he received the accounts of the disaster which befel the fleet. He was so enraged, that he endeavoured to tear his wig, but it being too strong for him, he flung it to the ground, and trampled on it, crying outRoguery, treachery. He then set fire to the fort, and returned. We saw the remains of the burnt palisades in the ground; and I asked my guides, Why theEnglishhad been at so great an expence in erecting the fort, and why they afterwards burnt it without any previous consideration? They replied, that it was done to get money from the government once[306]more, for the rebuilding of the fort, which money coming into some people’s hands, they would appropriate a great part of it to themselves, and erect again a wretched, inconsiderable fort. They further told me, that some of the richest people inAlbanyhad promoted their poor relations to the places for supplying the army with bread, &c. with a view to patch up their broken fortunes; and that they had acquired such fortunes as rendered them equal to the richest inhabitants ofAlbany.The heat was excessive to-day, especially in the afternoon, when it was quite calm. We were on the very spot where FortAnneformerly stood; it was a little place free from trees, but surrounded with them on every side, where the sun had full liberty to heat the air. After noon it grew as warm as in a hot bath83, and I never felt a[307]greater heat. I found a difficulty of breathing, and it seemed to me as if my lungs could not draw in a sufficient quantity of air. I was more eased when I went down into the vallies, and especially along theWoodcreek. I tried to fan the air to me with my hat, but it only encreased the difficulty of breathing, and I received the greatest relief when I went to the water, and in a shady place frequently sprinkled some water in the air. My companions were all very much weakened, but they did not find such difficulty in breathing, as I had done; however towards evening the air became somewhat cooler.Junethe 29th. Having compleated our boat, after a great deal of trouble, we continued our journey this morning. Our provisions, which were much diminished, obliged us to make great haste; for by[308]being obliged to carry every thing on our backs, through the woods to FortAnne, we could not take a great quantity of provisions with us, having several other very necessary things with us; and we did always eat very heartily. As there was very little water in the river, and several trees were fallen across it, which frequently stopped the boat, I left the men in the boat, and went along the shore withYungstroem. The ground on both sides of the river was so low, that it must be under water in spring and autumn. The shores were covered with several sorts of trees, which stood at moderate distances from each other, and a great deal of grass grew between them. The trees afforded a fine shade, very necessary and agreeable in this hot season; but the pleasure it gave was considerably lessened by the numbers of gnats which we met with. The soil was extremely rich.As we came lower down the river, the dykes, which the beavers had made in it, produced new difficulties. These laborious animals had carried together all sorts of boughs and branches, and placed them across the river, putting mud and clay in betwixt them, to stop the water. They had bit off the ends of the branches as[309]neatly as if they had been chopped off with a hatchet. The grass about these places was trod down by them, and in the neighbourhood of the dykes we sometimes met with paths in the grass, where the beavers probably carried trees along. We found a row of dykes before us, which stopped us a considerable while, as we could not get forwards with the boat, till we had cut through them.As soon as the river was more open, we got into the boat again, and continued our journey in it. The breadth of the river, however, did not exceed eight or nine yards, and frequently it was not above three or four yards broad, and generally so shallow, that our boat got on with difficulty. Sometimes it acquired such a sudden depth, that we could not reach the ground with sticks of seven feet length. The stream was very rapid in some places, and very slow in others. The shores were low at first, but afterwards remarkably high and steep, and now and then a rock projected into the water, which always caused a great depth in such places. The rocks consisted here of a grey quartz, mixed with a grey limestone, lying in strata. The water in the river was very clear and transparent, and we saw several little[310]paths leading to it from the woods, said to be made by beavers, and other animals, which resorted here to drink. After going a little more than threeEnglishmiles, we came to a place, where a fire was yet burning, and then we little thought that we had narrowly escaped death last night, as we heard this evening. Now and then we met with several trees lying across the river, and some dykes of beavers, which were troublesome to us.Towards night we met with aFrenchserjeant, and sixFrenchsoldiers, who were sent by the commander of FortSt. Frederic, to accompany threeEnglishmentoSaratoga, and to defend them in case of necessity, against sixFrench Indians, who were gone to be revenged on theEnglish, for killing the brother of one of them in the last war. The peace was already concluded at that time, but as it had not yet been proclaimed inCanada, theIndiansthought they could take this step; therefore they silently got away, contrary to the order of the Governor ofMontreal, and went towards theEnglishplantations. We here had occasion to admire the care of Providence for us, in escaping these barbarians. We found the grass trod down all day along, but had no thoughts of danger,[311]as we believed that every thing was quiet and peaceable. We were afterwards informed, that theseIndianshad trod the grass down, and passed the last night in the place where we found the burning brands in the morning. The usual road which they were to take, was by FortAnne, but to shorten their journey they had gone an unfrequented road. If they had gone on towards FortAnne, they would have met us without doubt, and looking upon us all asEnglishmen, for whose blood they were gone out, they could easily have surprised and shot us all, and by that means have been rid of the trouble of going any further to satisfy their cruelty. We were greatly struck when theFrenchmentold us how near death we had been to-day. We passed the night here, and though theFrenchrepeatedly advised and desired me not to venture any further with my company, but to follow them to the firstEnglishsettlement, and then back to FortSt. Frederic, yet I resolved, with the protection of the Almighty, to continue my journey the next day.We saw immense numbers of those wild pigeons flying in the woods, which sometimes come in incredible flocks to the southernEnglishcolonies, most of theinhabitants[312]not knowing where they come from. They have their nests in the trees here; and almost all the night make a great noise and cooing in the trees, where they roost. TheFrenchmenshot a great number of them, and gave us some, in which we found a great quantity of the seeds of the elm, which evidently demonstrated the care of Providence in supplying them with food; for inMaythe seeds of the red maple, which abounds here, are ripe, and drop from the trees, and are eaten by the pigeons during that time: afterwards, the seeds of the elm ripen, which then become their food, till other seeds ripen for them. Their flesh is the most palatable of any bird’s flesh I ever tasted.Almost every night, we heard some trees crack and fall, whilst we lay here in the wood, though the air was so calm that not a leaf stirred. The reason of this breaking I am totally unacquainted with. Perhaps the dew loosens the roots of trees at night; or, perhaps there are too many branches on one side of the tree. It may be, that the above-mentioned wild pigeons settle in such quantities on one tree as to weigh it down; or perhaps the tree begins to bend more and more to one side, from its center of gravity, making the weight always greater[313]for the roots to support, till it comes to the point, when it can no longer be kept upright, which may as well happen in the midst of a calm night as at any other time. When the wind blows hard, it is reckoned very dangerous to sleep or walk in the woods, on account of the many trees which fall in them; and even when it is very calm, there is some danger in passing under very great and old trees. I was told, in several parts ofAmerica, that the storms or hurricanes sometimes only pass over a small part of the woods, and tear down the trees in it; and I have had opportunities of confirming the truth of this observation, by finding places in the forests, where almost all the trees were thrown down, and lay all in one direction.Tea is differently esteemed by different people; and I think we would be as well, and our purses much better, if we were both without tea and coffee. However, I must be impartial, and mention in praise of tea, that if it be useful, it must certainly be so in summer, on such journeys as mine, through a desart country, where one cannot carry wine or other liquors, and where the water is generally unfit for use, as being full of insects. In such cases, it is very relishing when boiled, and tea is drunk with it;[314]and I cannot sufficiently describe the fine taste it has in such circumstances. It relieves a weary traveller more than can be imagined, as I have myself experienced, together with a great many others who have travelled through the desart forests ofAmerica; on such journeys, tea is found to be almost as necessary as victuals84.Junethe 30th. This morning we left our boat to theFrenchmen, who made use of it to carry their provisions; for we could not make any further use of it, on account, of the number of trees which theFrenchhad thrown across the river during the last war, to prevent the attacks of theEnglishuponCanada. TheFrenchmengave us leave to make use of one of their boats, which they had left behind them, about six miles from the place where we passed the last night. Thus we continued our journey on foot, along the river; and found the country flat, with some little vales here and there. It was every where covered with tall trees, of the deciduous kind; among which the beech, the elm, theAmericanlime-tree, and the sugar-maple, were the[315]most numerous. The trees stand at some distance from each other; and the soil in which they grow is extremely rich.After we had walked about aSwedishmile, or sixEnglishmiles, we came to the place where the sixFrenchmenhad left their bark boats, of which we took one, and rowed down the river, which was now between nineteen and twenty yards broad. The. ground on both sides was very smooth, and not very high. Sometimes we found a hill consisting of grey quartz, mixed with small fine grains of grey spar. We likewise observed black stripes in it; but they were small, that I could not determine whether they were of glimmer, or of another kind of stone. The hills were frequently divided into strata, lying one above another, of the thickness of five inches. The strata went from north to south; and were not quite horizontal, but dipping to the north. As we went further on, we saw high and steep hills on the river-side, partly covered with trees; but in other parts, the banks consist of a swampy turf ground, which gave way when it was walked upon, and had some similarity to the sides of our marshes, which my countrymen are now about to drain. In those parts where the ground was low and flat, we did not see any[316]stones either on the ground, or on the softer shore; and both sides of the river when they were not hilly, were covered with tall elms,Americanlime-trees, sugar-maples, beeches, hiccory-trees, some water-beeches, and white walnut-trees.On our left we saw an old fortification of stones laid above one another; but nobody could tell me whether theIndiansor theEuropeanshad built it.We had rowed very fast all the afternoon, in order to get forward; and we thought that we were upon the true road, but found ourselves greatly mistaken: for towards night we observed, that the reeds in the river bent towards us, which was a mark that the river likewise flowed towards us; whereas, if we had been on the true river, it should have gone with us. We likewise observed, from the trees which lay across the river, that nobody had lately passed that way, though we should have seen the steps of theFrenchmenin the grass along the shore, when they brought their boat over these trees. At last, we plainly saw that the river flowed against us, by several pieces of wood which floated slowly towards us; and we were convinced, that we had gone twelveEnglishmiles, and upwards, upon a wrong river, which obliged us to return, and to row till[317]very late at night. We sometimes thought, through fear, that theIndians, who were gone to murder someEnglish, would unavoidably meet with us. Though we rowed very fast, yet we were not able to-day to get half-way back to the place where we first left the true river.The most odoriferous effluvia sometimes came from the banks of the river, towards night, but we could not determine what flowers diffused them. However, we supposed they chiefly arose from theAsclepias Syriaca, and theApocynum androsæmifolium.TheMusk-Ratscould likewise be smelled at night. They had many holes in the shores, even with the surface of the water.We passed the night in an island, where we could not sleep on account of the gnats. We did not venture to make a fire, for fear theIndiansshould find us out, and kill us. We heard several of their dogs barking in the woods, at a great distance from us, which added to our uneasiness.[318]

Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.We passed the night about six miles fromAlbany, in a countryman’s cottage. On the west side of the river we saw several houses, one after another, inhabited by the descendants of the firstDutchsettlers, who lived by cultivating their grounds. About half anEnglishmile beyond our lodgings, was the place where the tide stops in the riverHudson, there being only small and shallow streams above it. At that place they catch a good many sorts of fish in the river.The barns were generally built in theDutchway, as I have before described them77; for in the middle was the threshing-floor, above it a place for the hay and straw, and on each side stables for horses, cows, and other animals. The barn itself was very large. Sometimes the buildings in the court-yard consist only of a room, and a garret above it, together with a barn upon the above plan.Junethe 22d. This morning I followed one of our guides to the water-fall nearCohoes, in the riverMohawk, before it falls[276]into the riverHudson. This fall is about threeEnglishmiles from the place where I passed the night. The country till the fall is a plain, and only hilly about the fall itself. The wood is cleared in most places, and the ground cultivated, and interspersed with farm-houses.TheCohoes Fallis one of the greatest inNorth America. It is in the riverMohawk, before it unites with the riverHudson. Above and below the fall, the sides and the bottom of the river consist of hard rock. The river is three hundred yards broad here. At the fall there is a rock crossways in the river, running every where equally high, and crossing in a strait line with the side which forms the fall. It represents, as it were, a wall towards the lower side, which is not quite perpendicular, wanting about four yards. The height of this wall, over which the water rolls, appeared to me about twenty or twenty-four yards. I had marked this height in my pocket-book; and afterwards found it agreed pretty well with the account which that ingenious engineer, Mr.Lewis Evans, communicated to me atPhiladelphia. He said, that he had geometrically measured the breadth and height of the fall, and found it nine hundredEnglishfeet[277]broad, and seventy-five feet high. The representation of this fall, which is here joined, has been made by Mr.Evans. There was very little water in the river at present, and it only ran over the fall in a few places. In such places where the water had rolled down before, it had cut deep holes below into the rock, sometimes to the depth of two or three fathoms. The bed of the river, below the fall, was of rock, and quite dry, there being only a channel in the middle fourteen feet broad, and a fathom or somewhat more deep, through which the water passed which came over the fall. We saw a number of holes in the rock, below the fall, which bore a perfect resemblance to those inSwedenwhich we callGiants Pots, orMountain Kettles. They differed in size; there being large deep ones, and small shallow ones. We had clear uninterrupted sun-shine, not a cloud above the horizon, and no wind at all. However, close to this fall, where the water was in such a small quantity, there was a continual drizzling rain, occasioned by the vapours which rose from the water during its fall, and were carried about by the wind. Therefore, in coming within a musket-shot of the fall, against the wind, our cloaths were[278]wetted at once, as from a rain. The whirlpools, which were in the water below the fall, contained several kinds of fish; and they were caught by some people, who amused themselves with angling. The rocks hereabouts consist of the same black stone which forms the hills aboutAlbany. When exposed to the air, it is apt to shiver into horizontal flakes, as slate does.At noon we continued our journey toCanadain the canoe, which was pretty long, and made out of a white pine. Somewhat beyond the farm where we lay at night, the river became so shallow that the men could reach the ground every where with their oars; it being in some parts not above two feet, and sometimes but one foot deep. The shore and bed of the river consisted of sand and pebbles. The river was very rapid, and against us; so that our rowers found it hard work to get forward against the stream. The hills along the shore consisted merely of soil; and were very high and steep in some parts. The breadth of the river was generally near two musket-shot.Sturgeonsabound in the riverHudson. We saw them for several days together leap high up into the air, especially in the evening; our guides, and the people who lived hereabouts, asserted that they never see any[279]sturgeons in winter time, because these fish go into the sea late in autumn, but come up again in spring and stay in the river all the summer. They are said to prefer the shallowest places in the river, which agreed pretty well with our observations; for we never saw them leap out of the water but in shallows. Their food is said to be several kinds ofconfervæ, which grow in plenty in some places at the bottom of the river; for these weeds are found in their bellies when they are opened. TheDutchwho are settled here, and theIndians, fish for sturgeons, and every night of our voyage upon this river, we observed several boats with people who struck them with harpoons. The torches which they employed were made of that kind of pine, which they call the black pine here. The nights were exceedingly dark, though they were now shortest, and though we were in a country so much to the South ofSweden. The shores of the river lay covered with dead sturgeons, which had been wounded with the harpoon, but escaped, and died afterwards; they occasioned an insupportable stench during the excessive heat of the weather.As we went further up the river we saw anIndianwoman and her boy sitting in a[280]boat of bark, and anIndianwading through the river, with a great cap of bark on his head. Near them was an island on which there were a number ofIndiansat present, on account of the sturgeon fishery. We went to their huts to try if we could get one of them to accompany us toFort St. Frederic. On our arrival we found that all the men were gone into the woods a hunting this morning, and we were forced to engage their boys to go and look for them. They demanded bread for payment, and we gave them twenty little round loaves; for as they found that it was of great importance to us to speak with theIndians, they raised difficulties, and would not go till we gave them what they wanted. The island belonged to theDutch, who had turned it into corn-fields. But at present they had leased it to theIndians, who planted their maize and several kinds of melons on it. They built their huts orwigwamson this island, on a very simple plan. Four posts were put into the ground perpendicularly, over which they had placed poles, and made a roof of bark upon them. They had either no walls at all, or they consisted of branches with leaves, which were fixed to the poles. Their beds consisted of deer-skins which were spread on the ground. Their utensils were a couple of small kettles, and[281]two ladles, and a bucket or two of bark, made so close as to keep water. The sturgeons were cut into long slices, and hung up in the sunshine to dry, and to be ready against winter. TheIndianwomen were sitting at their work on the hill, upon deer-skins. They never make use of chairs, but sit on the ground: however, they do not sit cross-legged, as theTurksdo, but between their feet, which, though they be turned backwards, are not crossed, but bent outwards. The women wear no head-dress, and have black hair. They have a short blue petticoat, which reaches to their knees, and the brim of which is bordered with red or other ribbands. They wear their shifts over their petticoats. They have large ear-rings: and their hair is tied behind, and wrapped in ribbands. TheirWampum, or Pearls, and their money, which is made of shells, are tied round the neck, and hang down on the breast. This is their whole dress. They were now making several kinds of work of skins, to which they sowed the quills of theAmerican Porcupines, having dyed them black or red, or left them in their original colour.Towards evening, we went from hence to a farm close to the river, where we found only one man, looking after the maize and the fields; the inhabitants being not yet returned since the end of the war.[282]The little brooks here contain Crawfish, which are exactly the same with ours78, with this difference only, that they are somewhat less; however, theDutchinhabitants will not eat them.Junethe 23d. We waited a good while for theIndians, who had promised to come home, in order to shew us the way toFort St. Ann, and to assist us in making a boat of bark, to continue our voyage. About eight o’clock three of the men arrived. Their hair was black, and cut short; they wore rough pieces of woollen cloth, of a bright green colour, on their shoulders, a shirt which covers their thighs, and pieces of cloth, or skins, which they wrap round the legs and part of the thighs. They had neither hats, caps, nor breeches. Two of them had painted the upper part of their foreheads, and their cheeks, with vermilion. Round their neck was a ribband, from which hung a bag down to the breast, containing their knives. They promised to accompany us for thirty shillings; but soon after changed their minds, and went with anEnglishman, who gave them more. Thus we were obliged to make this journey quite alone. TheIndians, however, were honest enough to return us fifteen shillings, which we had paid them before-hand.[283]Our last night’s lodging was about tenEnglishmiles fromAlbany. During the last war, which was just now ended, the inhabitants had all retreated from thence toAlbany, because theFrench Indianshad taken or killed all the people they met with, set the houses on fire, and cut down the trees. Therefore, when the inhabitants returned, they found no houses, and were forced to ly under a few boards which were huddled together.The river was almost a musket-shot broad, and the ground on both sides cultivated. The hills near the river were steep, and the earth of a pale colour.TheAmericanElder (Sambucus occidentalis79) grows in incredible quantities along those hills, which appear quite white, from the abundance of flowers on the Elder.All this day along, we had one current after another, full of stones, which were great obstacles to our getting forward. The water in the river was very clear, and generally shallow, being only from two to four feet deep, running very violently against us in most places. The shore was covered with pebbles, and a grey sand. The hills consisted of earth, were high, and stood perpendicular towards the river, which was[284]near two musket-shot broad. Sometimes the land was cultivated, and sometimes it was covered with woods.The hills near the river abound with red and white clover. We found both these kinds plentiful in the woods. It is therefore difficult to determine whether they were brought over by theEuropeans, as some people think; or whether they were originally inAmerica, which theIndiansdeny.We found Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) growing plentifully in a sandy soil. In gardens it was one of the worst weeds.We found people returning every where to their habitations, which they had been forced to leave during the war.The farms were commonly built close to the river, on the hills. Each house has a little kitchen-garden, and a still lesser orchard. Some farms, however, had large gardens. The kitchen-gardens afford several kinds of gourds, water-melons, and kidney-beans. The orchards are full of apple-trees. This year the trees had few or no apples, on account of the frosty nights which had happened inMay, and the drought which had continued throughout this summer.[285]The houses hereabouts are generally built of beams of wood, and of unburnt bricks dried by the sun and the air. The beams are first erected, and upon them a gable with two walls, and the spars. The wall on the gable is made of boards. The roof is covered with shingles of fir. They make the walls of unburnt bricks, between the beams, to keep the rooms warmer; and that they might not easily be destroyed by rain and air, they are covered with boards on the outside. The cellar is below the house.The farms are either built close to the river-side, or on the high grounds; and around them are large fields with maize.We saw great numbers ofMusk-Rats(Castor Zibethicus Linn.) on the shores of the river, where they had many holes, some on a level with the surface of the water. These holes were large enough to admit a kitten. Before and in the entrance to the holes, lay a quantity of empty shells, the animals of which had been eaten by theMusk-Rats80. They are caught in traps placed along the water-side, and baited with some maize or apples.[286]TheSassafras-treesabound here, but never grow to any considerable height.Chestnut-treesappear now and then.TheCockspur Hawthorn(Cratægus Crus Galli Linn.) grows in the poorest soil, and has very long spines; which shews, that it may be very advantageously planted in hedges, especially in a poor soil.This night we lodged with a farmer, who had returned to his farm after the war was over. All his buildings, except the great barn, were burnt.Junethe 24th. The farm where we passed the night was the last in the province ofNew York, towardsCanada, which had been left standing, and which was now inhabited. Further on, we met still with inhabitants: but they had no houses, and lived in huts of boards; the houses being burnt during the war.As we continued our journey, we observed the country on both sides of the river to be generally flat, but sometimes hilly; and large trails of it are covered with woods of fir-trees. Now and then we found some parts turned into corn-fields and meadows; however, the greater part was covered with woods. Ever since we leftAlbany, almost half-way toSaratoga, the river runs very rapid; and it cost us a[287]deal of pains to get upwards. But afterwards it becomes very deep, for the space of several miles; and the water moves very slowly. The shores are very steep, though they are not very high. The river is two musket-shot broad. In the afternoon it changed its direction; for hitherto its direction was from North to South, but now it came from N. N. E. to S. S. W. and sometimes from N. E. to S. W.Anthills are very scarce inAmerica; and I do not remember seeing a single one before I came to theCohoes Fall. We observed a few in the woods to-day. The Ants were the same with our common red ones (Formica rufa Linn.) The Ant-hills consist chiefly of the slate-like mouldered stone which abounds here, there being nothing else for them.Chestnut-treesgrew scattered in the woods. We were told, that Mulberry-trees (Morus rubra Linn.) likewise grow wild here, but rather scarce; and this is the most northerly place where they grow inAmerica; at least, they have not been observed further to the north. We met with wild parsneps every day; but commonly in such places where the land was or had been cultivated. Hemp grows[288]spontaneously, and in great abundance, near old plantations.The woods abound withWoodlice, which were extremely troublesome to us.TheThuya occidentalis Linn.appeared along the shores of the river. I had not seen it there before.The trees which grow along the shores, and on the adjacent hills, within our sight to-day, are elms, birches, white firs, alders, dog-trees, lime-trees, red willows, and chestnut-trees. TheAmericanElder, (Sambucus Canadensis Linn.) and the wild vines, only appear in places where the ground has been somewhat cultivated, as if they were desirous of being the companions of men. The lime-trees and white walnut-trees are the most numerous. The horn-beams, with inflated cones, (Carpinus Ostrya Linn.) appeared now and then; but the water-beech and water-poplar never came within sight any more.We frequently saw ground-squirrels and black squirrels in the woods.At a little distance fromSaratoga, we met twoIndiansin their boats of bark, which could scarce contain more than one person.NearSaratogathe river becomes shallow[289]and rapid again. The ground is here turned into corn-fields and meadows, but on account of the war, it was not made use of.Saratogahas been a fort built of wood by theEnglish, to stop the attacks of theFrench Indiansupon theEnglishinhabitants in these parts, and to serve as a rampart toAlbany. It is situated on a hill, on the east-side of the riverHudson, and is built of thick posts driven in to the ground, close to each other, in the manner of palisades, forming a square, the length of whose sides was within the reach of a musket-shot. At each corner are the houses of the officers, and within the palisades are the barracks, all of timber. This fort has been kept in order and was garrisoned till the last war, when theEnglishthemselves in 1747 set fire to it, not being able to defend themselves in it against the attacks of theFrenchand theirIndians; for as soon as a party of them went out of the fort, some of these enemies lay concealed, and either took them all prisoners, or shot them.I shall only mention one, out of many artful tricks which were played here, and which both theEnglishandFrenchwho were present here at that time, told me repeatedly. A party ofFrench, with their[290]Indians, concealed themselves one night in a thicket near the fort. In the morning some of theirIndians, as they had previously resolved, went to have a nearer view of the fort. TheEnglishfired upon them, as soon as they saw them at a distance; theIndianspretended to be wounded, fell down, got up again, ran a little way, and dropped again. Above half the garrison rushed out to take them prisoners; but as soon as they were come up with them, theFrenchand the remainingIndianscame out of the bushes, betwixt the fortress and theEnglish, surrounded them, and took them prisoners. Those who remained in the fort had hardly time to shut the gates, nor could they fire upon the enemy, because they equally exposed their countrymen to danger, and they were vexed to see their enemies take and carry them off in their fight and under their cannon. SuchFrenchartifices as these made theEnglishweary of their ill-planned fort. We saw some of the palisades still in the ground. There was an island in the river, nearSaratoga, much better situated for a fortification. The country is flat on both sides of the river nearSaratoga, and its soil good. The wood round about was generally cut down. The shores of the river are high, steep, and consist of earth. We saw some[291]hills in the north, beyond the distant forests. The inhabitants areDutch, and bear an inveterate hatred to allEnglishmen.We lay over night in a little hut of boards erected by the people who were come to live here.Junethe 25th. Several saw-mills were built here before the war, which were very profitable to the inhabitants, on account of the abundance of wood which grows here.The boards were easily brought toAlbany, and from thence toNew York, in rafts every spring with the high water; but all the mills were burnt at present.This morning we proceeded up the river, but after we had advanced about anEnglishmile, we fell in with a water-fall, which cost us a deal of pains before we could get our canoe over it. The water was very deep just below the fall, owing to its hollowing the rock out by the fall. In every place where we met with rocks in the river, we found the water very deep, from two to four fathoms and upwards; because by finding a resistance it had worked a deeper channel into the ground. Above the fall, the river is very deep again, the water glides along silently, and increases suddenly near the shores. On both sides till you come to FortNicholson, the shore is covered with tall[292]trees. After rowing several miles, we passed another water-fall, which is longer and more dangerous than the preceding one.Giants-pots81, which I have described in the memoirs of the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences, are abundant near the fall of the rock which extends across the river. The rock was almost dry at present, the river containing very little water at this season of the year. Some of the giants-pots were round, but in general they were oblong. At the bottom of most of them lay either stones or grit, in abundance. Some were fifteen inches in diameter, but some were less. Their depth was likewise different, and some that I observed were above two foot deep. It is plain that they owed their origin to the whirling of the water round a pebble, which by that means was put in motion, together with the sand.We intended to have gone quite up to FortNicholsonin the canoe, which would have been a great convenience to us; but we found it impossible to get over the upper fall, the canoe being heavy, and scarce any water in the river, except in one place where it flowed over the rock, and where it was impossible to get up, on account of the[293]steepness, and the violence of the fall. We were accordingly obliged to leave our canoe here, and to carry our baggage through unfrequented woods to FortAnne, on the riverWoodcreekwhich is a space from forty-three to fiftyEnglishmiles, during which we were quite spent, through the excess of heat. Sometimes we had no other way of crossing deep rivers, than by cutting down tall trees, which stood on their banks, and throwing them across the water. All the land we passed over this afternoon was almost level, without hills and stones, and entirely covered with a tall and thick forest, in which we continually met with trees which were fallen down, because no one made the least use of the woods. We passed the next night in the midst of the forest, plagued with muskitoes, gnats, and wood-lice, and in fear of all kinds of snakes,Junethe 26th. Early this morning we continued our journey through the wood, along the riverHudson. There was an old path leading to FortNicholson, but it was so overgrown with grass, that we discovered it with great difficulty. In some places we found plenty ofraspberries, some of which were already ripe.FortNicholsonis the place on the eastern shore of the river Hudson, where a[294]wooden fortification formerly stood. We arrived here some time before noon, and rested a while. ColonelLydiusresided here till the beginning of the last war, chiefly with a view of carrying on a greater trade with theFrench Indians; but during the war, they burnt his house, and took his son prisoner. The fort was situated on a plain, but at present the place is all overgrown with a thicket. It was built in the year 1709, during the war which QueenAnnecarried on against theFrench, and it was named after the braveEnglishgeneralNicholson. It was not so much a fort, as a magazine to FortAnne. In the year 1711, when theEnglishnaval attempt uponCanadamiscarried, theEnglishthemselves set fire to this place. The soil hereabouts seems to be pretty fertile. The riverHudsonpassed close by here.Some time in the afternoon, we continued our journey. We had hitherto followed the eastern shore of the riverHudson, and gone almost due North; but now we left it, and went E. N. E. or N. E. across the woods, in order to come to the upper end of the riverWoodcreek, which flows to Fort St.Frederic, where we might go in a boat from the former place. The ground we passed over this[295]afternoon was generally flat, and somewhat low. Now and then we met with rivulets, which were generally dried up during this season. Sometimes we saw a little hill, but neither mountains nor stones, and the country was every where covered with tall and thick forests. The trees stood close, and afforded a fine shade; but the pleasure which we enjoyed from it was lessened by the incredible quantity of gnats which fill the woods. We found several plants here, but they were far from each other, (as in our woods where the cattle have destroyed them,) though no cattle ever came here. The ground was every where thick covered with leaves of the last autumn. In some places we found the ground over-grown with great quantities of moss. The soil was generally very good, consisting of a deep mould, in which the plants thrive very well. Therefore it seems that it would answer very well if it were cultivated: however, flowing waters were very scarce hereabouts; and if the woods were cleared, how great would be the effects of the parching heat of the sun, which might then act with its full force!We lodged this night near a brook, in order to be sufficiently supplied with water,[296]which was not every where at hand during this season. The muskitoes, punchins or gnats, and the woodlice, were very troublesome. Our fear of snakes, and of theIndiansrendered this night’s rest very precarious and unsecure.Punchins, as theDutchcall them, are the little gnats (Culex pulicaris Linn.) which abound here. They are very minute, and their wings grey, with black spots. They are ten times worse than the larger ones, (Culex pipiens Linn.) or muskitoes; for their size renders them next to imperceptible; they are every where careless of their lives, suck their fill of blood, and cause a burning pain.We heard several great trees fall of themselves in the night, though it was so calm, that not a leaf stirred. They made a dreadful cracking.Junethe 27th. We continued our journey in the morning. We found the country like that which we passed over yesterday, except meeting with a few hills. Early this morning we plainly heard a fall in the riverHudson.In every part of the forest we found trees thrown down either by storms, or age; but none were cut down, there being no inhabitants; and though the wood is[297]very fine, yet nobody makes use of it. We found it very difficult to get over such trees, because they had stopped up almost all the passages, and close to them was the chief residence of rattle-snakes, during the intenseness of the heat.About two o’clock this afternoon we arrived at FortAnne. It lies upon the riverWoodcreek, which is here at its origin no bigger than a little brook. We stayed here all this day, and next, in order to make a new boat of bark, because there was no possibility to go down the river to Fort St.Frederic, without it. We arrived in time, for one of our guides fell ill this morning, and could not have gone any further with his burthen. If he had been worse, we should have been obliged to stop on his account, which would have put us under great difficulties, as our provisions would soon have been exhausted, and from the desart place where we were, we could not have arrived at any inhabited place in less than three or four days. Happily we reached the wish’d-for place, and the sick man had time to rest and recover.About FortAnnewe found a number of mice, of the common kind. They were probably the offspring of those which were brought to the fort in the soldier’s provisions,[298]at the time when it was kept in a state of defence.We met with some apple and plumb-trees, which were certainly planted when the fort was in a good condition,Junethe 28th. TheAmerican Elm, (Ulmus Americana Linn.) grows in abundance, in the forests hereabouts. There are two kinds of it. One was called theWhite Elm, on account of the inside of the tree being white. It was more plentiful than the other species, which was called theRed Elm, because the colour of the wood was reddish. Of the bark of the former the boats made use of here are commonly made, it being tougher than the bark of any other tree. With the bark of hiccory, which is employed as bast, they sow the elm-bark together, and with the bark of the red elm they join the ends of the boat so close as to keep the water out. They beat the bark between two stones; or for want of them, between two pieces of wood.The making of the boat took up half yesterday, and all this day. To make such a boat, they pick out a thick tall elm, with a smooth bark, and with as few branches as possible. This tree is cut down, and great care is taken to prevent the bark from being hurt by falling against other trees,[299]or against the ground. With this view some people do not fell the trees, but climb to the top of them, split the bark, and strip it off, which was the method our carpenter took. The bark is split on one side, in a strait line along the tree, as long as the boat is intended to be; at the same time, the bark is carefully cut from the stem a little way on both sides of the slit, that it may more easily separate; the bark is then peeled off very carefully, and particular care is taken not to make any holes into it; this is easy when the sap is in the trees, and at other seasons the tree is heated by the fire, for that purpose. The bark thus stript off is spread on the ground, in a smooth place, turning the inside downwards, and the rough outside upwards, and to stretch it better, some logs of wood or stones are carefully put on it, which press it down. Then the sides of the bark are gently bent upwards, in order to form the sides of the boat; some sticks are then fixed into the ground, at the distance of three or four feet from each other, in the curve line, in which the sides of the boat are intended to be, supporting the bark intended for the sides; the sides of the bark are then bent in the form which the boat is to have, and according to that the sticks are either put nearer[300]or further off. The ribs of the boat are made of thick branches of hiccory, they being tough and pliable. They are cut into several flat pieces, about an inch thick, and bent into the form which the ribs require, according to their places in the broader or narrower part of the boat. Being thus bent, they are put across the boat, upon the back, or its bottom, pretty close, about a span, or ten inches from each other. The upper edge on each side of the boat is made of two thin poles, of the length of the boat, which are put close together, on the side of the boat, being flat, where they are to be joined. The edge of the bark is put between these two poles, and sewed up with threads of bast, of the mouse-wood, or other tough bark, or with roots. But before it is thus sewed up, the ends of the ribs are likewise put between the two poles on each side, taking care to keep them at some distance from each other. After that is done, the poles are sewed together, and being bent properly, both their ends join at each end of the boat, where they are tied together with ropes. To prevent the widening of the boat at the top, three or four transverse bands are put across it, from one edge to the other, at the distance of thirty or forty inches from[301]each other. These bands are commonly made of hiccory, on account of its toughness and flexibility, and have a good length. Their extremities are put through the bark on both sides, just below the poles, which make the edges; they are bent up above those poles, and twisted round the middle part of the bands, where they are carefully tied by ropes. As the bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be put so close together as to keep the water out, the crevices are stopped up with the crushed or pounded bark of the red elm, which in that state looks like oakum. Some pieces of bark are put upon the ribs in the boat, without which the foot would easily pierce the thin and weak bark below, which forms the bottom of the boat, for the better security of which, some thin boards are commonly laid at the bottom, which may be trod upon with more safety. The side of the bark which has been upon the wood, thus becomes the outside of the boat, because it is smooth and slippy, and cuts the water with less difficulty than the other. The building of these boats is not always quick; for sometimes it happens that after peeling the bark off an elm, and carefully examining it, it is found pierced with holes and splits, or it is too thin to[302]venture one’s life in. In such a case another elm must be looked out; and it sometimes happens that several elms must be stripped of their bark, before one is found fit for a boat. That which we made was big enough to bear four persons, with our baggage, which weighed somewhat more than a man.All possible precautions must be taken in rowing on the rivers and lakes of these parts with a boat of bark. For as the rivers, and even the lakes, contain numbers of broken trees, which are commonly hidden under the water, the boat may easily run against a sharp branch, which would tear half the boat away, if one rowed on very fast, exposing the people in it to great danger, where the water is very deep, especially if such a branch held the boat.To get into such a dangerous vessel, must be done with great care, and for the greater safety, without shoes. For with the shoes on, and still more with a sudden leap into the boat, the heels may easily pierce through the bottom of the boat, which might sometimes be attended with very disagreeable circumstances, especially when the boat is so near a rock, and close to that a sudden depth of water; and such places are common in the lakes and rivers here.[303]I never saw the muskitoes (Culex pipiens) more plentiful in any part ofAmericathan they are here. They were so eager for our blood, that we could not rest all the night, though we had surrounded ourselves with fire.Wood-lice (Acarus Americanus Linn.) abound here, and are more plentiful than on any part of the journey. Scarcely any one of us sat down but a whole army of them crept upon his clothes. They caused us as much inconvenience as the gnats, during the last night, and the short time we stayed here. Their bite is very disagreeable, and they would prove very dangerous, if any one of them should creep into a man’s ear, from whence it is difficult to extract them. There are examples of people whose ears were swelled to the size of the fist, on account of one of these insects creeping into them, and biting them. More is said about them in the description which I have given to the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences82.TheWhipperiwillorWhip-poor-Willcried all night on every side. TheFirefliesflew in numbers through the woods at night.[304]FortAnnederives its name from QueenAnne; for in her time it served as a fortification against theFrench. It lies on the Western side of the riverWoodcreek, which is here as inconsiderable as a brook, of a fathom’s breadth, and may be waded through in any part, during this season. The fort is built in the same manner as the fortsSaratogaandNicholson, that is to say, of palisades, within which the soldiers were quartered, and at the corners of which were the lodgings of the officers. The whole consisted of wood, because it was erected only with a view to resist irregular troops. It is built on a little rising ground which runs obliquely to the riverWoodcreek. The country round about it is partly flat, partly hilly, and partly marshy, but it consists merely of earth, and no stones are to be met with, though ever so carefully sought for. GeneralNicholsonbuilt this fort in the year 1709; but at the conclusion of the war, then carrying on against theFrench, it shared the same fate withSaratogaand FortNicholson, being burnt by theEnglishin 1711. This happened with the following circumstance: In 1711 theEnglishresolved to attackCanada, by land and by sea, at the same time. A powerfulEnglishfleet sailed up the river[305]St. Lawrenceto besiegeQuebec, and GeneralNicholson, who was the greatest promoter of this expedition, headed a numerous army to this place by land, to attackMontreal, at the same time from hence; but a great part of theEnglishfleet was shipwrecked in the riverSt.Lawrence, and obliged to return toNew England. The news of this misfortune was immediately communicated to GeneralNicholson, who was advised to retreat. CaptainButlerwho commanded FortMohawk, during my stay inAmerica, told me that he had been at FortAnnein 1711, and that GeneralNicholsonwas about to leave it, and go down the riverWoodcreek, in boats ready for that purpose, when he received the accounts of the disaster which befel the fleet. He was so enraged, that he endeavoured to tear his wig, but it being too strong for him, he flung it to the ground, and trampled on it, crying outRoguery, treachery. He then set fire to the fort, and returned. We saw the remains of the burnt palisades in the ground; and I asked my guides, Why theEnglishhad been at so great an expence in erecting the fort, and why they afterwards burnt it without any previous consideration? They replied, that it was done to get money from the government once[306]more, for the rebuilding of the fort, which money coming into some people’s hands, they would appropriate a great part of it to themselves, and erect again a wretched, inconsiderable fort. They further told me, that some of the richest people inAlbanyhad promoted their poor relations to the places for supplying the army with bread, &c. with a view to patch up their broken fortunes; and that they had acquired such fortunes as rendered them equal to the richest inhabitants ofAlbany.The heat was excessive to-day, especially in the afternoon, when it was quite calm. We were on the very spot where FortAnneformerly stood; it was a little place free from trees, but surrounded with them on every side, where the sun had full liberty to heat the air. After noon it grew as warm as in a hot bath83, and I never felt a[307]greater heat. I found a difficulty of breathing, and it seemed to me as if my lungs could not draw in a sufficient quantity of air. I was more eased when I went down into the vallies, and especially along theWoodcreek. I tried to fan the air to me with my hat, but it only encreased the difficulty of breathing, and I received the greatest relief when I went to the water, and in a shady place frequently sprinkled some water in the air. My companions were all very much weakened, but they did not find such difficulty in breathing, as I had done; however towards evening the air became somewhat cooler.Junethe 29th. Having compleated our boat, after a great deal of trouble, we continued our journey this morning. Our provisions, which were much diminished, obliged us to make great haste; for by[308]being obliged to carry every thing on our backs, through the woods to FortAnne, we could not take a great quantity of provisions with us, having several other very necessary things with us; and we did always eat very heartily. As there was very little water in the river, and several trees were fallen across it, which frequently stopped the boat, I left the men in the boat, and went along the shore withYungstroem. The ground on both sides of the river was so low, that it must be under water in spring and autumn. The shores were covered with several sorts of trees, which stood at moderate distances from each other, and a great deal of grass grew between them. The trees afforded a fine shade, very necessary and agreeable in this hot season; but the pleasure it gave was considerably lessened by the numbers of gnats which we met with. The soil was extremely rich.As we came lower down the river, the dykes, which the beavers had made in it, produced new difficulties. These laborious animals had carried together all sorts of boughs and branches, and placed them across the river, putting mud and clay in betwixt them, to stop the water. They had bit off the ends of the branches as[309]neatly as if they had been chopped off with a hatchet. The grass about these places was trod down by them, and in the neighbourhood of the dykes we sometimes met with paths in the grass, where the beavers probably carried trees along. We found a row of dykes before us, which stopped us a considerable while, as we could not get forwards with the boat, till we had cut through them.As soon as the river was more open, we got into the boat again, and continued our journey in it. The breadth of the river, however, did not exceed eight or nine yards, and frequently it was not above three or four yards broad, and generally so shallow, that our boat got on with difficulty. Sometimes it acquired such a sudden depth, that we could not reach the ground with sticks of seven feet length. The stream was very rapid in some places, and very slow in others. The shores were low at first, but afterwards remarkably high and steep, and now and then a rock projected into the water, which always caused a great depth in such places. The rocks consisted here of a grey quartz, mixed with a grey limestone, lying in strata. The water in the river was very clear and transparent, and we saw several little[310]paths leading to it from the woods, said to be made by beavers, and other animals, which resorted here to drink. After going a little more than threeEnglishmiles, we came to a place, where a fire was yet burning, and then we little thought that we had narrowly escaped death last night, as we heard this evening. Now and then we met with several trees lying across the river, and some dykes of beavers, which were troublesome to us.Towards night we met with aFrenchserjeant, and sixFrenchsoldiers, who were sent by the commander of FortSt. Frederic, to accompany threeEnglishmentoSaratoga, and to defend them in case of necessity, against sixFrench Indians, who were gone to be revenged on theEnglish, for killing the brother of one of them in the last war. The peace was already concluded at that time, but as it had not yet been proclaimed inCanada, theIndiansthought they could take this step; therefore they silently got away, contrary to the order of the Governor ofMontreal, and went towards theEnglishplantations. We here had occasion to admire the care of Providence for us, in escaping these barbarians. We found the grass trod down all day along, but had no thoughts of danger,[311]as we believed that every thing was quiet and peaceable. We were afterwards informed, that theseIndianshad trod the grass down, and passed the last night in the place where we found the burning brands in the morning. The usual road which they were to take, was by FortAnne, but to shorten their journey they had gone an unfrequented road. If they had gone on towards FortAnne, they would have met us without doubt, and looking upon us all asEnglishmen, for whose blood they were gone out, they could easily have surprised and shot us all, and by that means have been rid of the trouble of going any further to satisfy their cruelty. We were greatly struck when theFrenchmentold us how near death we had been to-day. We passed the night here, and though theFrenchrepeatedly advised and desired me not to venture any further with my company, but to follow them to the firstEnglishsettlement, and then back to FortSt. Frederic, yet I resolved, with the protection of the Almighty, to continue my journey the next day.We saw immense numbers of those wild pigeons flying in the woods, which sometimes come in incredible flocks to the southernEnglishcolonies, most of theinhabitants[312]not knowing where they come from. They have their nests in the trees here; and almost all the night make a great noise and cooing in the trees, where they roost. TheFrenchmenshot a great number of them, and gave us some, in which we found a great quantity of the seeds of the elm, which evidently demonstrated the care of Providence in supplying them with food; for inMaythe seeds of the red maple, which abounds here, are ripe, and drop from the trees, and are eaten by the pigeons during that time: afterwards, the seeds of the elm ripen, which then become their food, till other seeds ripen for them. Their flesh is the most palatable of any bird’s flesh I ever tasted.Almost every night, we heard some trees crack and fall, whilst we lay here in the wood, though the air was so calm that not a leaf stirred. The reason of this breaking I am totally unacquainted with. Perhaps the dew loosens the roots of trees at night; or, perhaps there are too many branches on one side of the tree. It may be, that the above-mentioned wild pigeons settle in such quantities on one tree as to weigh it down; or perhaps the tree begins to bend more and more to one side, from its center of gravity, making the weight always greater[313]for the roots to support, till it comes to the point, when it can no longer be kept upright, which may as well happen in the midst of a calm night as at any other time. When the wind blows hard, it is reckoned very dangerous to sleep or walk in the woods, on account of the many trees which fall in them; and even when it is very calm, there is some danger in passing under very great and old trees. I was told, in several parts ofAmerica, that the storms or hurricanes sometimes only pass over a small part of the woods, and tear down the trees in it; and I have had opportunities of confirming the truth of this observation, by finding places in the forests, where almost all the trees were thrown down, and lay all in one direction.Tea is differently esteemed by different people; and I think we would be as well, and our purses much better, if we were both without tea and coffee. However, I must be impartial, and mention in praise of tea, that if it be useful, it must certainly be so in summer, on such journeys as mine, through a desart country, where one cannot carry wine or other liquors, and where the water is generally unfit for use, as being full of insects. In such cases, it is very relishing when boiled, and tea is drunk with it;[314]and I cannot sufficiently describe the fine taste it has in such circumstances. It relieves a weary traveller more than can be imagined, as I have myself experienced, together with a great many others who have travelled through the desart forests ofAmerica; on such journeys, tea is found to be almost as necessary as victuals84.Junethe 30th. This morning we left our boat to theFrenchmen, who made use of it to carry their provisions; for we could not make any further use of it, on account, of the number of trees which theFrenchhad thrown across the river during the last war, to prevent the attacks of theEnglishuponCanada. TheFrenchmengave us leave to make use of one of their boats, which they had left behind them, about six miles from the place where we passed the last night. Thus we continued our journey on foot, along the river; and found the country flat, with some little vales here and there. It was every where covered with tall trees, of the deciduous kind; among which the beech, the elm, theAmericanlime-tree, and the sugar-maple, were the[315]most numerous. The trees stand at some distance from each other; and the soil in which they grow is extremely rich.After we had walked about aSwedishmile, or sixEnglishmiles, we came to the place where the sixFrenchmenhad left their bark boats, of which we took one, and rowed down the river, which was now between nineteen and twenty yards broad. The. ground on both sides was very smooth, and not very high. Sometimes we found a hill consisting of grey quartz, mixed with small fine grains of grey spar. We likewise observed black stripes in it; but they were small, that I could not determine whether they were of glimmer, or of another kind of stone. The hills were frequently divided into strata, lying one above another, of the thickness of five inches. The strata went from north to south; and were not quite horizontal, but dipping to the north. As we went further on, we saw high and steep hills on the river-side, partly covered with trees; but in other parts, the banks consist of a swampy turf ground, which gave way when it was walked upon, and had some similarity to the sides of our marshes, which my countrymen are now about to drain. In those parts where the ground was low and flat, we did not see any[316]stones either on the ground, or on the softer shore; and both sides of the river when they were not hilly, were covered with tall elms,Americanlime-trees, sugar-maples, beeches, hiccory-trees, some water-beeches, and white walnut-trees.On our left we saw an old fortification of stones laid above one another; but nobody could tell me whether theIndiansor theEuropeanshad built it.We had rowed very fast all the afternoon, in order to get forward; and we thought that we were upon the true road, but found ourselves greatly mistaken: for towards night we observed, that the reeds in the river bent towards us, which was a mark that the river likewise flowed towards us; whereas, if we had been on the true river, it should have gone with us. We likewise observed, from the trees which lay across the river, that nobody had lately passed that way, though we should have seen the steps of theFrenchmenin the grass along the shore, when they brought their boat over these trees. At last, we plainly saw that the river flowed against us, by several pieces of wood which floated slowly towards us; and we were convinced, that we had gone twelveEnglishmiles, and upwards, upon a wrong river, which obliged us to return, and to row till[317]very late at night. We sometimes thought, through fear, that theIndians, who were gone to murder someEnglish, would unavoidably meet with us. Though we rowed very fast, yet we were not able to-day to get half-way back to the place where we first left the true river.The most odoriferous effluvia sometimes came from the banks of the river, towards night, but we could not determine what flowers diffused them. However, we supposed they chiefly arose from theAsclepias Syriaca, and theApocynum androsæmifolium.TheMusk-Ratscould likewise be smelled at night. They had many holes in the shores, even with the surface of the water.We passed the night in an island, where we could not sleep on account of the gnats. We did not venture to make a fire, for fear theIndiansshould find us out, and kill us. We heard several of their dogs barking in the woods, at a great distance from us, which added to our uneasiness.[318]

Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.

Cohoes Fall, on the River Mohawk, 900 feet wide 75 feet high.

We passed the night about six miles fromAlbany, in a countryman’s cottage. On the west side of the river we saw several houses, one after another, inhabited by the descendants of the firstDutchsettlers, who lived by cultivating their grounds. About half anEnglishmile beyond our lodgings, was the place where the tide stops in the riverHudson, there being only small and shallow streams above it. At that place they catch a good many sorts of fish in the river.

The barns were generally built in theDutchway, as I have before described them77; for in the middle was the threshing-floor, above it a place for the hay and straw, and on each side stables for horses, cows, and other animals. The barn itself was very large. Sometimes the buildings in the court-yard consist only of a room, and a garret above it, together with a barn upon the above plan.

Junethe 22d. This morning I followed one of our guides to the water-fall nearCohoes, in the riverMohawk, before it falls[276]into the riverHudson. This fall is about threeEnglishmiles from the place where I passed the night. The country till the fall is a plain, and only hilly about the fall itself. The wood is cleared in most places, and the ground cultivated, and interspersed with farm-houses.

TheCohoes Fallis one of the greatest inNorth America. It is in the riverMohawk, before it unites with the riverHudson. Above and below the fall, the sides and the bottom of the river consist of hard rock. The river is three hundred yards broad here. At the fall there is a rock crossways in the river, running every where equally high, and crossing in a strait line with the side which forms the fall. It represents, as it were, a wall towards the lower side, which is not quite perpendicular, wanting about four yards. The height of this wall, over which the water rolls, appeared to me about twenty or twenty-four yards. I had marked this height in my pocket-book; and afterwards found it agreed pretty well with the account which that ingenious engineer, Mr.Lewis Evans, communicated to me atPhiladelphia. He said, that he had geometrically measured the breadth and height of the fall, and found it nine hundredEnglishfeet[277]broad, and seventy-five feet high. The representation of this fall, which is here joined, has been made by Mr.Evans. There was very little water in the river at present, and it only ran over the fall in a few places. In such places where the water had rolled down before, it had cut deep holes below into the rock, sometimes to the depth of two or three fathoms. The bed of the river, below the fall, was of rock, and quite dry, there being only a channel in the middle fourteen feet broad, and a fathom or somewhat more deep, through which the water passed which came over the fall. We saw a number of holes in the rock, below the fall, which bore a perfect resemblance to those inSwedenwhich we callGiants Pots, orMountain Kettles. They differed in size; there being large deep ones, and small shallow ones. We had clear uninterrupted sun-shine, not a cloud above the horizon, and no wind at all. However, close to this fall, where the water was in such a small quantity, there was a continual drizzling rain, occasioned by the vapours which rose from the water during its fall, and were carried about by the wind. Therefore, in coming within a musket-shot of the fall, against the wind, our cloaths were[278]wetted at once, as from a rain. The whirlpools, which were in the water below the fall, contained several kinds of fish; and they were caught by some people, who amused themselves with angling. The rocks hereabouts consist of the same black stone which forms the hills aboutAlbany. When exposed to the air, it is apt to shiver into horizontal flakes, as slate does.

At noon we continued our journey toCanadain the canoe, which was pretty long, and made out of a white pine. Somewhat beyond the farm where we lay at night, the river became so shallow that the men could reach the ground every where with their oars; it being in some parts not above two feet, and sometimes but one foot deep. The shore and bed of the river consisted of sand and pebbles. The river was very rapid, and against us; so that our rowers found it hard work to get forward against the stream. The hills along the shore consisted merely of soil; and were very high and steep in some parts. The breadth of the river was generally near two musket-shot.

Sturgeonsabound in the riverHudson. We saw them for several days together leap high up into the air, especially in the evening; our guides, and the people who lived hereabouts, asserted that they never see any[279]sturgeons in winter time, because these fish go into the sea late in autumn, but come up again in spring and stay in the river all the summer. They are said to prefer the shallowest places in the river, which agreed pretty well with our observations; for we never saw them leap out of the water but in shallows. Their food is said to be several kinds ofconfervæ, which grow in plenty in some places at the bottom of the river; for these weeds are found in their bellies when they are opened. TheDutchwho are settled here, and theIndians, fish for sturgeons, and every night of our voyage upon this river, we observed several boats with people who struck them with harpoons. The torches which they employed were made of that kind of pine, which they call the black pine here. The nights were exceedingly dark, though they were now shortest, and though we were in a country so much to the South ofSweden. The shores of the river lay covered with dead sturgeons, which had been wounded with the harpoon, but escaped, and died afterwards; they occasioned an insupportable stench during the excessive heat of the weather.

As we went further up the river we saw anIndianwoman and her boy sitting in a[280]boat of bark, and anIndianwading through the river, with a great cap of bark on his head. Near them was an island on which there were a number ofIndiansat present, on account of the sturgeon fishery. We went to their huts to try if we could get one of them to accompany us toFort St. Frederic. On our arrival we found that all the men were gone into the woods a hunting this morning, and we were forced to engage their boys to go and look for them. They demanded bread for payment, and we gave them twenty little round loaves; for as they found that it was of great importance to us to speak with theIndians, they raised difficulties, and would not go till we gave them what they wanted. The island belonged to theDutch, who had turned it into corn-fields. But at present they had leased it to theIndians, who planted their maize and several kinds of melons on it. They built their huts orwigwamson this island, on a very simple plan. Four posts were put into the ground perpendicularly, over which they had placed poles, and made a roof of bark upon them. They had either no walls at all, or they consisted of branches with leaves, which were fixed to the poles. Their beds consisted of deer-skins which were spread on the ground. Their utensils were a couple of small kettles, and[281]two ladles, and a bucket or two of bark, made so close as to keep water. The sturgeons were cut into long slices, and hung up in the sunshine to dry, and to be ready against winter. TheIndianwomen were sitting at their work on the hill, upon deer-skins. They never make use of chairs, but sit on the ground: however, they do not sit cross-legged, as theTurksdo, but between their feet, which, though they be turned backwards, are not crossed, but bent outwards. The women wear no head-dress, and have black hair. They have a short blue petticoat, which reaches to their knees, and the brim of which is bordered with red or other ribbands. They wear their shifts over their petticoats. They have large ear-rings: and their hair is tied behind, and wrapped in ribbands. TheirWampum, or Pearls, and their money, which is made of shells, are tied round the neck, and hang down on the breast. This is their whole dress. They were now making several kinds of work of skins, to which they sowed the quills of theAmerican Porcupines, having dyed them black or red, or left them in their original colour.

Towards evening, we went from hence to a farm close to the river, where we found only one man, looking after the maize and the fields; the inhabitants being not yet returned since the end of the war.[282]

The little brooks here contain Crawfish, which are exactly the same with ours78, with this difference only, that they are somewhat less; however, theDutchinhabitants will not eat them.

Junethe 23d. We waited a good while for theIndians, who had promised to come home, in order to shew us the way toFort St. Ann, and to assist us in making a boat of bark, to continue our voyage. About eight o’clock three of the men arrived. Their hair was black, and cut short; they wore rough pieces of woollen cloth, of a bright green colour, on their shoulders, a shirt which covers their thighs, and pieces of cloth, or skins, which they wrap round the legs and part of the thighs. They had neither hats, caps, nor breeches. Two of them had painted the upper part of their foreheads, and their cheeks, with vermilion. Round their neck was a ribband, from which hung a bag down to the breast, containing their knives. They promised to accompany us for thirty shillings; but soon after changed their minds, and went with anEnglishman, who gave them more. Thus we were obliged to make this journey quite alone. TheIndians, however, were honest enough to return us fifteen shillings, which we had paid them before-hand.[283]

Our last night’s lodging was about tenEnglishmiles fromAlbany. During the last war, which was just now ended, the inhabitants had all retreated from thence toAlbany, because theFrench Indianshad taken or killed all the people they met with, set the houses on fire, and cut down the trees. Therefore, when the inhabitants returned, they found no houses, and were forced to ly under a few boards which were huddled together.

The river was almost a musket-shot broad, and the ground on both sides cultivated. The hills near the river were steep, and the earth of a pale colour.

TheAmericanElder (Sambucus occidentalis79) grows in incredible quantities along those hills, which appear quite white, from the abundance of flowers on the Elder.

All this day along, we had one current after another, full of stones, which were great obstacles to our getting forward. The water in the river was very clear, and generally shallow, being only from two to four feet deep, running very violently against us in most places. The shore was covered with pebbles, and a grey sand. The hills consisted of earth, were high, and stood perpendicular towards the river, which was[284]near two musket-shot broad. Sometimes the land was cultivated, and sometimes it was covered with woods.

The hills near the river abound with red and white clover. We found both these kinds plentiful in the woods. It is therefore difficult to determine whether they were brought over by theEuropeans, as some people think; or whether they were originally inAmerica, which theIndiansdeny.

We found Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) growing plentifully in a sandy soil. In gardens it was one of the worst weeds.

We found people returning every where to their habitations, which they had been forced to leave during the war.

The farms were commonly built close to the river, on the hills. Each house has a little kitchen-garden, and a still lesser orchard. Some farms, however, had large gardens. The kitchen-gardens afford several kinds of gourds, water-melons, and kidney-beans. The orchards are full of apple-trees. This year the trees had few or no apples, on account of the frosty nights which had happened inMay, and the drought which had continued throughout this summer.[285]

The houses hereabouts are generally built of beams of wood, and of unburnt bricks dried by the sun and the air. The beams are first erected, and upon them a gable with two walls, and the spars. The wall on the gable is made of boards. The roof is covered with shingles of fir. They make the walls of unburnt bricks, between the beams, to keep the rooms warmer; and that they might not easily be destroyed by rain and air, they are covered with boards on the outside. The cellar is below the house.

The farms are either built close to the river-side, or on the high grounds; and around them are large fields with maize.

We saw great numbers ofMusk-Rats(Castor Zibethicus Linn.) on the shores of the river, where they had many holes, some on a level with the surface of the water. These holes were large enough to admit a kitten. Before and in the entrance to the holes, lay a quantity of empty shells, the animals of which had been eaten by theMusk-Rats80. They are caught in traps placed along the water-side, and baited with some maize or apples.[286]

TheSassafras-treesabound here, but never grow to any considerable height.

Chestnut-treesappear now and then.

TheCockspur Hawthorn(Cratægus Crus Galli Linn.) grows in the poorest soil, and has very long spines; which shews, that it may be very advantageously planted in hedges, especially in a poor soil.

This night we lodged with a farmer, who had returned to his farm after the war was over. All his buildings, except the great barn, were burnt.

Junethe 24th. The farm where we passed the night was the last in the province ofNew York, towardsCanada, which had been left standing, and which was now inhabited. Further on, we met still with inhabitants: but they had no houses, and lived in huts of boards; the houses being burnt during the war.

As we continued our journey, we observed the country on both sides of the river to be generally flat, but sometimes hilly; and large trails of it are covered with woods of fir-trees. Now and then we found some parts turned into corn-fields and meadows; however, the greater part was covered with woods. Ever since we leftAlbany, almost half-way toSaratoga, the river runs very rapid; and it cost us a[287]deal of pains to get upwards. But afterwards it becomes very deep, for the space of several miles; and the water moves very slowly. The shores are very steep, though they are not very high. The river is two musket-shot broad. In the afternoon it changed its direction; for hitherto its direction was from North to South, but now it came from N. N. E. to S. S. W. and sometimes from N. E. to S. W.

Anthills are very scarce inAmerica; and I do not remember seeing a single one before I came to theCohoes Fall. We observed a few in the woods to-day. The Ants were the same with our common red ones (Formica rufa Linn.) The Ant-hills consist chiefly of the slate-like mouldered stone which abounds here, there being nothing else for them.

Chestnut-treesgrew scattered in the woods. We were told, that Mulberry-trees (Morus rubra Linn.) likewise grow wild here, but rather scarce; and this is the most northerly place where they grow inAmerica; at least, they have not been observed further to the north. We met with wild parsneps every day; but commonly in such places where the land was or had been cultivated. Hemp grows[288]spontaneously, and in great abundance, near old plantations.

The woods abound withWoodlice, which were extremely troublesome to us.

TheThuya occidentalis Linn.appeared along the shores of the river. I had not seen it there before.

The trees which grow along the shores, and on the adjacent hills, within our sight to-day, are elms, birches, white firs, alders, dog-trees, lime-trees, red willows, and chestnut-trees. TheAmericanElder, (Sambucus Canadensis Linn.) and the wild vines, only appear in places where the ground has been somewhat cultivated, as if they were desirous of being the companions of men. The lime-trees and white walnut-trees are the most numerous. The horn-beams, with inflated cones, (Carpinus Ostrya Linn.) appeared now and then; but the water-beech and water-poplar never came within sight any more.

We frequently saw ground-squirrels and black squirrels in the woods.

At a little distance fromSaratoga, we met twoIndiansin their boats of bark, which could scarce contain more than one person.

NearSaratogathe river becomes shallow[289]and rapid again. The ground is here turned into corn-fields and meadows, but on account of the war, it was not made use of.

Saratogahas been a fort built of wood by theEnglish, to stop the attacks of theFrench Indiansupon theEnglishinhabitants in these parts, and to serve as a rampart toAlbany. It is situated on a hill, on the east-side of the riverHudson, and is built of thick posts driven in to the ground, close to each other, in the manner of palisades, forming a square, the length of whose sides was within the reach of a musket-shot. At each corner are the houses of the officers, and within the palisades are the barracks, all of timber. This fort has been kept in order and was garrisoned till the last war, when theEnglishthemselves in 1747 set fire to it, not being able to defend themselves in it against the attacks of theFrenchand theirIndians; for as soon as a party of them went out of the fort, some of these enemies lay concealed, and either took them all prisoners, or shot them.

I shall only mention one, out of many artful tricks which were played here, and which both theEnglishandFrenchwho were present here at that time, told me repeatedly. A party ofFrench, with their[290]Indians, concealed themselves one night in a thicket near the fort. In the morning some of theirIndians, as they had previously resolved, went to have a nearer view of the fort. TheEnglishfired upon them, as soon as they saw them at a distance; theIndianspretended to be wounded, fell down, got up again, ran a little way, and dropped again. Above half the garrison rushed out to take them prisoners; but as soon as they were come up with them, theFrenchand the remainingIndianscame out of the bushes, betwixt the fortress and theEnglish, surrounded them, and took them prisoners. Those who remained in the fort had hardly time to shut the gates, nor could they fire upon the enemy, because they equally exposed their countrymen to danger, and they were vexed to see their enemies take and carry them off in their fight and under their cannon. SuchFrenchartifices as these made theEnglishweary of their ill-planned fort. We saw some of the palisades still in the ground. There was an island in the river, nearSaratoga, much better situated for a fortification. The country is flat on both sides of the river nearSaratoga, and its soil good. The wood round about was generally cut down. The shores of the river are high, steep, and consist of earth. We saw some[291]hills in the north, beyond the distant forests. The inhabitants areDutch, and bear an inveterate hatred to allEnglishmen.

We lay over night in a little hut of boards erected by the people who were come to live here.

Junethe 25th. Several saw-mills were built here before the war, which were very profitable to the inhabitants, on account of the abundance of wood which grows here.

The boards were easily brought toAlbany, and from thence toNew York, in rafts every spring with the high water; but all the mills were burnt at present.

This morning we proceeded up the river, but after we had advanced about anEnglishmile, we fell in with a water-fall, which cost us a deal of pains before we could get our canoe over it. The water was very deep just below the fall, owing to its hollowing the rock out by the fall. In every place where we met with rocks in the river, we found the water very deep, from two to four fathoms and upwards; because by finding a resistance it had worked a deeper channel into the ground. Above the fall, the river is very deep again, the water glides along silently, and increases suddenly near the shores. On both sides till you come to FortNicholson, the shore is covered with tall[292]trees. After rowing several miles, we passed another water-fall, which is longer and more dangerous than the preceding one.

Giants-pots81, which I have described in the memoirs of the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences, are abundant near the fall of the rock which extends across the river. The rock was almost dry at present, the river containing very little water at this season of the year. Some of the giants-pots were round, but in general they were oblong. At the bottom of most of them lay either stones or grit, in abundance. Some were fifteen inches in diameter, but some were less. Their depth was likewise different, and some that I observed were above two foot deep. It is plain that they owed their origin to the whirling of the water round a pebble, which by that means was put in motion, together with the sand.

We intended to have gone quite up to FortNicholsonin the canoe, which would have been a great convenience to us; but we found it impossible to get over the upper fall, the canoe being heavy, and scarce any water in the river, except in one place where it flowed over the rock, and where it was impossible to get up, on account of the[293]steepness, and the violence of the fall. We were accordingly obliged to leave our canoe here, and to carry our baggage through unfrequented woods to FortAnne, on the riverWoodcreekwhich is a space from forty-three to fiftyEnglishmiles, during which we were quite spent, through the excess of heat. Sometimes we had no other way of crossing deep rivers, than by cutting down tall trees, which stood on their banks, and throwing them across the water. All the land we passed over this afternoon was almost level, without hills and stones, and entirely covered with a tall and thick forest, in which we continually met with trees which were fallen down, because no one made the least use of the woods. We passed the next night in the midst of the forest, plagued with muskitoes, gnats, and wood-lice, and in fear of all kinds of snakes,

Junethe 26th. Early this morning we continued our journey through the wood, along the riverHudson. There was an old path leading to FortNicholson, but it was so overgrown with grass, that we discovered it with great difficulty. In some places we found plenty ofraspberries, some of which were already ripe.

FortNicholsonis the place on the eastern shore of the river Hudson, where a[294]wooden fortification formerly stood. We arrived here some time before noon, and rested a while. ColonelLydiusresided here till the beginning of the last war, chiefly with a view of carrying on a greater trade with theFrench Indians; but during the war, they burnt his house, and took his son prisoner. The fort was situated on a plain, but at present the place is all overgrown with a thicket. It was built in the year 1709, during the war which QueenAnnecarried on against theFrench, and it was named after the braveEnglishgeneralNicholson. It was not so much a fort, as a magazine to FortAnne. In the year 1711, when theEnglishnaval attempt uponCanadamiscarried, theEnglishthemselves set fire to this place. The soil hereabouts seems to be pretty fertile. The riverHudsonpassed close by here.

Some time in the afternoon, we continued our journey. We had hitherto followed the eastern shore of the riverHudson, and gone almost due North; but now we left it, and went E. N. E. or N. E. across the woods, in order to come to the upper end of the riverWoodcreek, which flows to Fort St.Frederic, where we might go in a boat from the former place. The ground we passed over this[295]afternoon was generally flat, and somewhat low. Now and then we met with rivulets, which were generally dried up during this season. Sometimes we saw a little hill, but neither mountains nor stones, and the country was every where covered with tall and thick forests. The trees stood close, and afforded a fine shade; but the pleasure which we enjoyed from it was lessened by the incredible quantity of gnats which fill the woods. We found several plants here, but they were far from each other, (as in our woods where the cattle have destroyed them,) though no cattle ever came here. The ground was every where thick covered with leaves of the last autumn. In some places we found the ground over-grown with great quantities of moss. The soil was generally very good, consisting of a deep mould, in which the plants thrive very well. Therefore it seems that it would answer very well if it were cultivated: however, flowing waters were very scarce hereabouts; and if the woods were cleared, how great would be the effects of the parching heat of the sun, which might then act with its full force!

We lodged this night near a brook, in order to be sufficiently supplied with water,[296]which was not every where at hand during this season. The muskitoes, punchins or gnats, and the woodlice, were very troublesome. Our fear of snakes, and of theIndiansrendered this night’s rest very precarious and unsecure.

Punchins, as theDutchcall them, are the little gnats (Culex pulicaris Linn.) which abound here. They are very minute, and their wings grey, with black spots. They are ten times worse than the larger ones, (Culex pipiens Linn.) or muskitoes; for their size renders them next to imperceptible; they are every where careless of their lives, suck their fill of blood, and cause a burning pain.

We heard several great trees fall of themselves in the night, though it was so calm, that not a leaf stirred. They made a dreadful cracking.

Junethe 27th. We continued our journey in the morning. We found the country like that which we passed over yesterday, except meeting with a few hills. Early this morning we plainly heard a fall in the riverHudson.

In every part of the forest we found trees thrown down either by storms, or age; but none were cut down, there being no inhabitants; and though the wood is[297]very fine, yet nobody makes use of it. We found it very difficult to get over such trees, because they had stopped up almost all the passages, and close to them was the chief residence of rattle-snakes, during the intenseness of the heat.

About two o’clock this afternoon we arrived at FortAnne. It lies upon the riverWoodcreek, which is here at its origin no bigger than a little brook. We stayed here all this day, and next, in order to make a new boat of bark, because there was no possibility to go down the river to Fort St.Frederic, without it. We arrived in time, for one of our guides fell ill this morning, and could not have gone any further with his burthen. If he had been worse, we should have been obliged to stop on his account, which would have put us under great difficulties, as our provisions would soon have been exhausted, and from the desart place where we were, we could not have arrived at any inhabited place in less than three or four days. Happily we reached the wish’d-for place, and the sick man had time to rest and recover.

About FortAnnewe found a number of mice, of the common kind. They were probably the offspring of those which were brought to the fort in the soldier’s provisions,[298]at the time when it was kept in a state of defence.

We met with some apple and plumb-trees, which were certainly planted when the fort was in a good condition,

Junethe 28th. TheAmerican Elm, (Ulmus Americana Linn.) grows in abundance, in the forests hereabouts. There are two kinds of it. One was called theWhite Elm, on account of the inside of the tree being white. It was more plentiful than the other species, which was called theRed Elm, because the colour of the wood was reddish. Of the bark of the former the boats made use of here are commonly made, it being tougher than the bark of any other tree. With the bark of hiccory, which is employed as bast, they sow the elm-bark together, and with the bark of the red elm they join the ends of the boat so close as to keep the water out. They beat the bark between two stones; or for want of them, between two pieces of wood.

The making of the boat took up half yesterday, and all this day. To make such a boat, they pick out a thick tall elm, with a smooth bark, and with as few branches as possible. This tree is cut down, and great care is taken to prevent the bark from being hurt by falling against other trees,[299]or against the ground. With this view some people do not fell the trees, but climb to the top of them, split the bark, and strip it off, which was the method our carpenter took. The bark is split on one side, in a strait line along the tree, as long as the boat is intended to be; at the same time, the bark is carefully cut from the stem a little way on both sides of the slit, that it may more easily separate; the bark is then peeled off very carefully, and particular care is taken not to make any holes into it; this is easy when the sap is in the trees, and at other seasons the tree is heated by the fire, for that purpose. The bark thus stript off is spread on the ground, in a smooth place, turning the inside downwards, and the rough outside upwards, and to stretch it better, some logs of wood or stones are carefully put on it, which press it down. Then the sides of the bark are gently bent upwards, in order to form the sides of the boat; some sticks are then fixed into the ground, at the distance of three or four feet from each other, in the curve line, in which the sides of the boat are intended to be, supporting the bark intended for the sides; the sides of the bark are then bent in the form which the boat is to have, and according to that the sticks are either put nearer[300]or further off. The ribs of the boat are made of thick branches of hiccory, they being tough and pliable. They are cut into several flat pieces, about an inch thick, and bent into the form which the ribs require, according to their places in the broader or narrower part of the boat. Being thus bent, they are put across the boat, upon the back, or its bottom, pretty close, about a span, or ten inches from each other. The upper edge on each side of the boat is made of two thin poles, of the length of the boat, which are put close together, on the side of the boat, being flat, where they are to be joined. The edge of the bark is put between these two poles, and sewed up with threads of bast, of the mouse-wood, or other tough bark, or with roots. But before it is thus sewed up, the ends of the ribs are likewise put between the two poles on each side, taking care to keep them at some distance from each other. After that is done, the poles are sewed together, and being bent properly, both their ends join at each end of the boat, where they are tied together with ropes. To prevent the widening of the boat at the top, three or four transverse bands are put across it, from one edge to the other, at the distance of thirty or forty inches from[301]each other. These bands are commonly made of hiccory, on account of its toughness and flexibility, and have a good length. Their extremities are put through the bark on both sides, just below the poles, which make the edges; they are bent up above those poles, and twisted round the middle part of the bands, where they are carefully tied by ropes. As the bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be put so close together as to keep the water out, the crevices are stopped up with the crushed or pounded bark of the red elm, which in that state looks like oakum. Some pieces of bark are put upon the ribs in the boat, without which the foot would easily pierce the thin and weak bark below, which forms the bottom of the boat, for the better security of which, some thin boards are commonly laid at the bottom, which may be trod upon with more safety. The side of the bark which has been upon the wood, thus becomes the outside of the boat, because it is smooth and slippy, and cuts the water with less difficulty than the other. The building of these boats is not always quick; for sometimes it happens that after peeling the bark off an elm, and carefully examining it, it is found pierced with holes and splits, or it is too thin to[302]venture one’s life in. In such a case another elm must be looked out; and it sometimes happens that several elms must be stripped of their bark, before one is found fit for a boat. That which we made was big enough to bear four persons, with our baggage, which weighed somewhat more than a man.

All possible precautions must be taken in rowing on the rivers and lakes of these parts with a boat of bark. For as the rivers, and even the lakes, contain numbers of broken trees, which are commonly hidden under the water, the boat may easily run against a sharp branch, which would tear half the boat away, if one rowed on very fast, exposing the people in it to great danger, where the water is very deep, especially if such a branch held the boat.

To get into such a dangerous vessel, must be done with great care, and for the greater safety, without shoes. For with the shoes on, and still more with a sudden leap into the boat, the heels may easily pierce through the bottom of the boat, which might sometimes be attended with very disagreeable circumstances, especially when the boat is so near a rock, and close to that a sudden depth of water; and such places are common in the lakes and rivers here.[303]

I never saw the muskitoes (Culex pipiens) more plentiful in any part ofAmericathan they are here. They were so eager for our blood, that we could not rest all the night, though we had surrounded ourselves with fire.

Wood-lice (Acarus Americanus Linn.) abound here, and are more plentiful than on any part of the journey. Scarcely any one of us sat down but a whole army of them crept upon his clothes. They caused us as much inconvenience as the gnats, during the last night, and the short time we stayed here. Their bite is very disagreeable, and they would prove very dangerous, if any one of them should creep into a man’s ear, from whence it is difficult to extract them. There are examples of people whose ears were swelled to the size of the fist, on account of one of these insects creeping into them, and biting them. More is said about them in the description which I have given to the RoyalSwedishAcademy of Sciences82.

TheWhipperiwillorWhip-poor-Willcried all night on every side. TheFirefliesflew in numbers through the woods at night.[304]

FortAnnederives its name from QueenAnne; for in her time it served as a fortification against theFrench. It lies on the Western side of the riverWoodcreek, which is here as inconsiderable as a brook, of a fathom’s breadth, and may be waded through in any part, during this season. The fort is built in the same manner as the fortsSaratogaandNicholson, that is to say, of palisades, within which the soldiers were quartered, and at the corners of which were the lodgings of the officers. The whole consisted of wood, because it was erected only with a view to resist irregular troops. It is built on a little rising ground which runs obliquely to the riverWoodcreek. The country round about it is partly flat, partly hilly, and partly marshy, but it consists merely of earth, and no stones are to be met with, though ever so carefully sought for. GeneralNicholsonbuilt this fort in the year 1709; but at the conclusion of the war, then carrying on against theFrench, it shared the same fate withSaratogaand FortNicholson, being burnt by theEnglishin 1711. This happened with the following circumstance: In 1711 theEnglishresolved to attackCanada, by land and by sea, at the same time. A powerfulEnglishfleet sailed up the river[305]St. Lawrenceto besiegeQuebec, and GeneralNicholson, who was the greatest promoter of this expedition, headed a numerous army to this place by land, to attackMontreal, at the same time from hence; but a great part of theEnglishfleet was shipwrecked in the riverSt.Lawrence, and obliged to return toNew England. The news of this misfortune was immediately communicated to GeneralNicholson, who was advised to retreat. CaptainButlerwho commanded FortMohawk, during my stay inAmerica, told me that he had been at FortAnnein 1711, and that GeneralNicholsonwas about to leave it, and go down the riverWoodcreek, in boats ready for that purpose, when he received the accounts of the disaster which befel the fleet. He was so enraged, that he endeavoured to tear his wig, but it being too strong for him, he flung it to the ground, and trampled on it, crying outRoguery, treachery. He then set fire to the fort, and returned. We saw the remains of the burnt palisades in the ground; and I asked my guides, Why theEnglishhad been at so great an expence in erecting the fort, and why they afterwards burnt it without any previous consideration? They replied, that it was done to get money from the government once[306]more, for the rebuilding of the fort, which money coming into some people’s hands, they would appropriate a great part of it to themselves, and erect again a wretched, inconsiderable fort. They further told me, that some of the richest people inAlbanyhad promoted their poor relations to the places for supplying the army with bread, &c. with a view to patch up their broken fortunes; and that they had acquired such fortunes as rendered them equal to the richest inhabitants ofAlbany.

The heat was excessive to-day, especially in the afternoon, when it was quite calm. We were on the very spot where FortAnneformerly stood; it was a little place free from trees, but surrounded with them on every side, where the sun had full liberty to heat the air. After noon it grew as warm as in a hot bath83, and I never felt a[307]greater heat. I found a difficulty of breathing, and it seemed to me as if my lungs could not draw in a sufficient quantity of air. I was more eased when I went down into the vallies, and especially along theWoodcreek. I tried to fan the air to me with my hat, but it only encreased the difficulty of breathing, and I received the greatest relief when I went to the water, and in a shady place frequently sprinkled some water in the air. My companions were all very much weakened, but they did not find such difficulty in breathing, as I had done; however towards evening the air became somewhat cooler.

Junethe 29th. Having compleated our boat, after a great deal of trouble, we continued our journey this morning. Our provisions, which were much diminished, obliged us to make great haste; for by[308]being obliged to carry every thing on our backs, through the woods to FortAnne, we could not take a great quantity of provisions with us, having several other very necessary things with us; and we did always eat very heartily. As there was very little water in the river, and several trees were fallen across it, which frequently stopped the boat, I left the men in the boat, and went along the shore withYungstroem. The ground on both sides of the river was so low, that it must be under water in spring and autumn. The shores were covered with several sorts of trees, which stood at moderate distances from each other, and a great deal of grass grew between them. The trees afforded a fine shade, very necessary and agreeable in this hot season; but the pleasure it gave was considerably lessened by the numbers of gnats which we met with. The soil was extremely rich.

As we came lower down the river, the dykes, which the beavers had made in it, produced new difficulties. These laborious animals had carried together all sorts of boughs and branches, and placed them across the river, putting mud and clay in betwixt them, to stop the water. They had bit off the ends of the branches as[309]neatly as if they had been chopped off with a hatchet. The grass about these places was trod down by them, and in the neighbourhood of the dykes we sometimes met with paths in the grass, where the beavers probably carried trees along. We found a row of dykes before us, which stopped us a considerable while, as we could not get forwards with the boat, till we had cut through them.

As soon as the river was more open, we got into the boat again, and continued our journey in it. The breadth of the river, however, did not exceed eight or nine yards, and frequently it was not above three or four yards broad, and generally so shallow, that our boat got on with difficulty. Sometimes it acquired such a sudden depth, that we could not reach the ground with sticks of seven feet length. The stream was very rapid in some places, and very slow in others. The shores were low at first, but afterwards remarkably high and steep, and now and then a rock projected into the water, which always caused a great depth in such places. The rocks consisted here of a grey quartz, mixed with a grey limestone, lying in strata. The water in the river was very clear and transparent, and we saw several little[310]paths leading to it from the woods, said to be made by beavers, and other animals, which resorted here to drink. After going a little more than threeEnglishmiles, we came to a place, where a fire was yet burning, and then we little thought that we had narrowly escaped death last night, as we heard this evening. Now and then we met with several trees lying across the river, and some dykes of beavers, which were troublesome to us.

Towards night we met with aFrenchserjeant, and sixFrenchsoldiers, who were sent by the commander of FortSt. Frederic, to accompany threeEnglishmentoSaratoga, and to defend them in case of necessity, against sixFrench Indians, who were gone to be revenged on theEnglish, for killing the brother of one of them in the last war. The peace was already concluded at that time, but as it had not yet been proclaimed inCanada, theIndiansthought they could take this step; therefore they silently got away, contrary to the order of the Governor ofMontreal, and went towards theEnglishplantations. We here had occasion to admire the care of Providence for us, in escaping these barbarians. We found the grass trod down all day along, but had no thoughts of danger,[311]as we believed that every thing was quiet and peaceable. We were afterwards informed, that theseIndianshad trod the grass down, and passed the last night in the place where we found the burning brands in the morning. The usual road which they were to take, was by FortAnne, but to shorten their journey they had gone an unfrequented road. If they had gone on towards FortAnne, they would have met us without doubt, and looking upon us all asEnglishmen, for whose blood they were gone out, they could easily have surprised and shot us all, and by that means have been rid of the trouble of going any further to satisfy their cruelty. We were greatly struck when theFrenchmentold us how near death we had been to-day. We passed the night here, and though theFrenchrepeatedly advised and desired me not to venture any further with my company, but to follow them to the firstEnglishsettlement, and then back to FortSt. Frederic, yet I resolved, with the protection of the Almighty, to continue my journey the next day.

We saw immense numbers of those wild pigeons flying in the woods, which sometimes come in incredible flocks to the southernEnglishcolonies, most of theinhabitants[312]not knowing where they come from. They have their nests in the trees here; and almost all the night make a great noise and cooing in the trees, where they roost. TheFrenchmenshot a great number of them, and gave us some, in which we found a great quantity of the seeds of the elm, which evidently demonstrated the care of Providence in supplying them with food; for inMaythe seeds of the red maple, which abounds here, are ripe, and drop from the trees, and are eaten by the pigeons during that time: afterwards, the seeds of the elm ripen, which then become their food, till other seeds ripen for them. Their flesh is the most palatable of any bird’s flesh I ever tasted.

Almost every night, we heard some trees crack and fall, whilst we lay here in the wood, though the air was so calm that not a leaf stirred. The reason of this breaking I am totally unacquainted with. Perhaps the dew loosens the roots of trees at night; or, perhaps there are too many branches on one side of the tree. It may be, that the above-mentioned wild pigeons settle in such quantities on one tree as to weigh it down; or perhaps the tree begins to bend more and more to one side, from its center of gravity, making the weight always greater[313]for the roots to support, till it comes to the point, when it can no longer be kept upright, which may as well happen in the midst of a calm night as at any other time. When the wind blows hard, it is reckoned very dangerous to sleep or walk in the woods, on account of the many trees which fall in them; and even when it is very calm, there is some danger in passing under very great and old trees. I was told, in several parts ofAmerica, that the storms or hurricanes sometimes only pass over a small part of the woods, and tear down the trees in it; and I have had opportunities of confirming the truth of this observation, by finding places in the forests, where almost all the trees were thrown down, and lay all in one direction.

Tea is differently esteemed by different people; and I think we would be as well, and our purses much better, if we were both without tea and coffee. However, I must be impartial, and mention in praise of tea, that if it be useful, it must certainly be so in summer, on such journeys as mine, through a desart country, where one cannot carry wine or other liquors, and where the water is generally unfit for use, as being full of insects. In such cases, it is very relishing when boiled, and tea is drunk with it;[314]and I cannot sufficiently describe the fine taste it has in such circumstances. It relieves a weary traveller more than can be imagined, as I have myself experienced, together with a great many others who have travelled through the desart forests ofAmerica; on such journeys, tea is found to be almost as necessary as victuals84.

Junethe 30th. This morning we left our boat to theFrenchmen, who made use of it to carry their provisions; for we could not make any further use of it, on account, of the number of trees which theFrenchhad thrown across the river during the last war, to prevent the attacks of theEnglishuponCanada. TheFrenchmengave us leave to make use of one of their boats, which they had left behind them, about six miles from the place where we passed the last night. Thus we continued our journey on foot, along the river; and found the country flat, with some little vales here and there. It was every where covered with tall trees, of the deciduous kind; among which the beech, the elm, theAmericanlime-tree, and the sugar-maple, were the[315]most numerous. The trees stand at some distance from each other; and the soil in which they grow is extremely rich.

After we had walked about aSwedishmile, or sixEnglishmiles, we came to the place where the sixFrenchmenhad left their bark boats, of which we took one, and rowed down the river, which was now between nineteen and twenty yards broad. The. ground on both sides was very smooth, and not very high. Sometimes we found a hill consisting of grey quartz, mixed with small fine grains of grey spar. We likewise observed black stripes in it; but they were small, that I could not determine whether they were of glimmer, or of another kind of stone. The hills were frequently divided into strata, lying one above another, of the thickness of five inches. The strata went from north to south; and were not quite horizontal, but dipping to the north. As we went further on, we saw high and steep hills on the river-side, partly covered with trees; but in other parts, the banks consist of a swampy turf ground, which gave way when it was walked upon, and had some similarity to the sides of our marshes, which my countrymen are now about to drain. In those parts where the ground was low and flat, we did not see any[316]stones either on the ground, or on the softer shore; and both sides of the river when they were not hilly, were covered with tall elms,Americanlime-trees, sugar-maples, beeches, hiccory-trees, some water-beeches, and white walnut-trees.

On our left we saw an old fortification of stones laid above one another; but nobody could tell me whether theIndiansor theEuropeanshad built it.

We had rowed very fast all the afternoon, in order to get forward; and we thought that we were upon the true road, but found ourselves greatly mistaken: for towards night we observed, that the reeds in the river bent towards us, which was a mark that the river likewise flowed towards us; whereas, if we had been on the true river, it should have gone with us. We likewise observed, from the trees which lay across the river, that nobody had lately passed that way, though we should have seen the steps of theFrenchmenin the grass along the shore, when they brought their boat over these trees. At last, we plainly saw that the river flowed against us, by several pieces of wood which floated slowly towards us; and we were convinced, that we had gone twelveEnglishmiles, and upwards, upon a wrong river, which obliged us to return, and to row till[317]very late at night. We sometimes thought, through fear, that theIndians, who were gone to murder someEnglish, would unavoidably meet with us. Though we rowed very fast, yet we were not able to-day to get half-way back to the place where we first left the true river.

The most odoriferous effluvia sometimes came from the banks of the river, towards night, but we could not determine what flowers diffused them. However, we supposed they chiefly arose from theAsclepias Syriaca, and theApocynum androsæmifolium.

TheMusk-Ratscould likewise be smelled at night. They had many holes in the shores, even with the surface of the water.

We passed the night in an island, where we could not sleep on account of the gnats. We did not venture to make a fire, for fear theIndiansshould find us out, and kill us. We heard several of their dogs barking in the woods, at a great distance from us, which added to our uneasiness.[318]

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