Part 1 (2/2)
We arrived at Schenectady about one o'clock. As _all_ the pa.s.sengers in our stage were bound to Utica, one of the number proposed that he be appointed to bargain for our pa.s.sage in one boat, as the opposition run very _high_, or to speak more correctly, very _low_ on the ca.n.a.l, and it required some policy, as we were soon convinced, to avoid imposition. As soon as the stage stopped at the Hotel, even before the driver with all his activity to undo the door, up stepped a large muscular fellow, and bawled out at the highest pitch of polite etiquette, ”Gentlemen, do you go to the West?” ”We do.” ”The packet starts at 2 o'clock, gentlemen; you had better take your pa.s.sages and secure your births; only 3-1/2 cents a mile, gentlemen, and two s.h.i.+llings a meal, with best accommodations, and a very superior boat, gentlemen.” ”Hang his boat, gentlemen, don't take pa.s.sage in her,” said a second fellow. ”I'll take you for less than half the money in a devlish fine boat, and charge you but a s.h.i.+lling a meal.” By this time there were at least half a dozen more, all anxious for us to engage our pa.s.sage with them at almost any price we pleased. But our _Contractor_ very properly remarked, that he must see the boats himself before he would take pa.s.sage in any. We therefore all sallied forth to the ca.n.a.l, which pa.s.ses at right angles through the town. We selected a very superior boat of the Clinton Line, calculated to accommodate thirty persons. This boat is calculated for carrying freight, and the cabins are furnished in good style. The Captain actually engaged to take us to Utica, a distance of 89 miles, for one cent and a quarter per mile!! a York s.h.i.+lling for each meal extra, and to make no charge for births, which are a very necessary accommodation, as the boats run day and night. ”Thinks I to myself” this will make up for the shaved dried beef, and prepared bread and b.u.t.ter. I had only time to take a casual peep at Schenectady, but it appears to be a thriving, pleasant town, and is located princ.i.p.ally between the Mohawk and the Ca.n.a.l. Very few persons take the boats between this place and Albany, on account of the delay occasioned by the numerous locks. We ”set sail by horse power,”
as the Irishman has it, about 2 o'clock P. M., the horses being attached to a rope about 30 yards long, made fast to the boat amids.h.i.+ps, with our ideas pleasingly elevated at the thought of traveling on the _Grand Clinton Ca.n.a.l_ for the first time. The afternoon was cool and pleasant, and never was I more delightfully situated as a traveller than on this occasion. A majority of my companions were Western merchants, well informed respecting the localities and prospects of the country we were pa.s.sing through, and ready and willing to give the required information. The Ca.n.a.l, this afternoon's pa.s.sage, has been for the most part immediately on the south bank of the Mohawk, which flows through a narrow valley of good land, but the hills on either side, unlike the Chester county high grounds, have a poverty-stricken appearance.
At the close of the twilight we arrived at Schoharie creek, distant 23 miles from our place of embarkation. This is the first place of danger I have yet observed. The creek is about 30 yards wide at this place, and is crossed by means of ropes stretched across the stream, which ropes are your only security; should they give way, you must inevitably go down the current and pa.s.s over a dam immediately below, of several feet perpendicular descent. In times of a freshet it is very dangerous. Two or three boats, like the Indians over the falls of Niagara, have already been forced involuntarily over it, and so far in safety. The horses are ferried over in scows, pulled by the same ropes. As darkness soon covered the face of nature, I retired to the cabin, and after sketching my observations, and enjoying a pleasant confab with my fellow travellers, retired to my birth, while our boat skimmed its peaceful way along this artificial and wonderful water communication.
_Extract No. 3_
_8th._--I arose early, having but a disturbed rest during the night, owing to the continued blowing of trumpets and horns at the approach of every lock, and now and then a tremendous jar received in pa.s.sing a boat; but there is the strictest caution and observation of rules respecting the mode of pa.s.sage, &c., a precaution highly important, or, owing to the immense number of boats, great confusion and no little danger would be the consequence. The boats on the ca.n.a.l have a beautiful appearance at night, being each illuminated by two large reflecting lamps on either side the bow, which has much the appearance of a street brilliantly illuminated. I endeavored to count the boats which we pa.s.sed yesterday, but I soon gave it up for a troublesome job. On going on deck this morning, I found a cold air and heavy frost; we were just pa.s.sing the village of Conojoharie, being the most considerable place since leaving Schenectady. I shall not attempt a description of all the numerous villages growing along our route, but will in another place give a list of their names, and distances apart. We are still in the valley of the Mohawk, which is narrow and fertile, but the surrounding country has nothing to boast of as to soil. The river at this place is not, I should suppose, over 50 to 70 yards wide, and is, wherever I have seen it, chequered with little islands, which give it a pleasing appearance. The locks and bridges are very numerous, and it requires great attention and care in pa.s.sing them, or you may be knocked down, and rise up without your head on your shoulders, which, before you can say ”look out,” may be in possession of the ca.n.a.l fishes. The bridges being low--the highest of them not more than 10 feet above the water, and some not even over 8 feet, while the boat is full seven, we have occasionally only one foot between the two objects, which hardly admit a boy to pa.s.s under them. The bridges are cheap structures, being nothing more than two stone abutments, having sleepers thrown across the ca.n.a.l covered with planks, and a handrail on each side. The main width of the ca.n.a.l at the water line is about 40 feet, and the locks 25. The captain informs me that six persons have lost their lives by being crushed between the bridges, which is a greater number than have been killed during the same time by the bursting of steam engines in the waters of the middle or eastern States.
The locks I shall not attempt to describe, as almost everybody is familiar with their construction; they are simple, very strong, well built, and permanent, being uniformly about one hundred feet long. Our boat, which is of a superior cla.s.s for freight boats, is about 80 feet long by 20; the bow and stern are 4 feet lower than the middle section, which is divided into three apartments--the two end ones for the accommodation of pa.s.sengers, the stern to eat in, and the bow to sleep and sit in, each about 23 feet long, and sufficiently high for a six-footer to stand erect with his hat on. The roof is in the form of the back of a tortoise, and affords a handsome promenade, excepting when the everlasting bridges and locks open their mouths for your head. The centre apartment is appropriated to merchandize. The only difference between this and a pa.s.sage or packet boat, is, that their centre cabins are also for the accommodation of pa.s.sengers, and in some instances a little more expensively finished, and travel at the rate of 4 miles an hour, while we rarely exceed 3-1/4, they with three horses, and we with only two. It is evident the freight boats very much injure the packets by the cheapness with which they run, but as they go with freight, their pa.s.sage money is clear gain, and compet.i.tion is the result. The packets pay heavier tolls, and of course levy it on their cargo of live stock.
We really live _well_ in our little house, and have an obliging captain and steward, with every convenience, but short necks, that we could ask or desire.
It takes 5 hands to manage a boat of this size: they are the steward, the helmsman, and two drivers, who relieve each other as occasion may require: we have relays of horses every 20 miles, and thus we are gliding to the West. At 12 A. M. we arrived at the little falls of the Mohawk, distant 88 miles from our place of embarkation, and this being the wildest place on the ca.n.a.l, I shall notice it particularly. The river falls in less than half a mile 50 feet, by one continued rapid, which is surrounded by five locks, one directly above the other. There has evidently been a terrible effort with the little Mohawk, in days of yore, to break through the crags of the mountain barrier, which it evidently has done by the appearance of the rocks, which are worn away in a variety of forms on all sides. There being about 20 boats waiting to pa.s.s the locks, which would occupy some time, the captain very politely offered to accompany me to the village situated on the opposite side of the river, which is crossed by a very handsome aqueduct of hewn stone, to supply the ca.n.a.l as a feeder. The village is of considerable size, with several very pretty buildings, located amongst the rocks and crags not unlike Mauch Chunk, being quite dest.i.tute of soil. There is a splendid water power at this place, but the most interesting sight was to see the fountains which are before almost every house, supplied from a rivulet led from the mountains, and which are spouting in all directions.
_Extract No. 4_
The rapids at the Little falls are divided just below the village by an elevated island of everlasting rocks, which arrests its progress and causes an incessant roar and foam. The ca.n.a.l for a mile below this spot is a perfect encroachment upon the bed of the river--the wall which divides it from the river is powerful and strong, that the labor and expense attending its erection must have been immense. I was shown on the village side of the river, the old ca.n.a.l and locks by which this rapid was pa.s.sed, before the great modern improvement was projected. It was constructed more than 30 years since by a company of Englishmen, and was considered at that time a wonderful production of genius. But when contrasted with the present improvement, it dwindles into insignificance; the upper section is still used to supply the feeder, and crosses the aqueduct. The country still continues poor on both sides, while the narrow valley of the Mohawk presents very fine land.
The pa.s.senger can supply himself with provisions and grog at all the lockhouses along the line at a very low rate. We arrived at 5 o'clock at the long level commencing at the village of Frankford; the ca.n.a.l is now one entire uninterrupted sheet of water for 70 miles, without a solitary lock; we have pa.s.sed enough however to suffice for a while, having ascended upwards of 40 since leaving Schenectady, a distance of 80 miles. Very soon after entering the long reach, which is the summit level of the ca.n.a.l, the country begins to a.s.sume a different appearance, and the view is not so confined as heretofore. As the afternoon is a very pleasant one, the prospect is truly delightful.
We arrived at Utica just at sunset, and found our water course literally choked up with boats, and as there was considerable freight on board of ours to be discharged here, we were notified that she would be detained about two hours, of which s.p.a.ce we determined to avail ourselves by taking a peep at the town, all agreeing to continue our voyage with the obliging Captain and steward. Accordingly, we stepped on sh.o.r.e, and took a bird's eye view of the attractions of the place. As I never had heard much said respecting this same town of Utica, I was truly astonished, and not a little pleased with it. Setting aside delightful Philadelphia, New York, and Baltimore, (I always place _Philadelphia_ first on my list of pleasant cities,) I never saw so many fine buildings in any other town. It is really a beautiful place, and to my apprehension is not much smaller than Albany; I doubt whether the famed Rochester will equal it.
The streets are many of them very wide, being at right angles, nearly in a direction North, South, East and West, with the exception of State street, which runs in an oblique direction, and appears to be the Broadway of Utica, and truly for two or three squares it is in no respect inferior to that celebrated avenue of New York. There is an elegant church in the place, with a handsome steeple of great alt.i.tude, observable from a great distance. The Mohawk runs immediately on the north side of the place, and the ca.n.a.l directly through the centre.
Nothing can exceed the facility with which boats are loaded and discharged. There is a walk on each side of the ca.n.a.l about 10 feet wide: a boat stops opposite a store, a tackle descends from an upper story, which by means of a rope and windla.s.s within the building, managed by one man, can raise and lower heavy weights with wonderful despatch. I should have wished to have remained in this charming place for a longer period, but was propelled forward by persuasion. We left Utica at 10 P. M. and the ear was saluted from a great distance up and down the ca.n.a.l by the music of bugles, horns and trumpets, some of the boatmen sounding their instruments most sweetly. After enjoying these sounds for some time, I tumbled into my birth to partake of the necessary blessing of a nap.
_9th_--I awoke about sunrise and ascended our deck; there had been another heavy frost. We were just pa.s.sing Bull fort, and had entered the _Black Snake_, so called from the serpentine course of the ca.n.a.l. We have pa.s.sed, during the night, Whitesborough, Oriskany, and Rome, three mushroom villages, which, with many others, have sprung up as with the magic of Aladdin's lamp. We had now before us, with a few exceptions, one uninterrupted white pine and hemlock swamp for something like 20 miles, and really it looks to me as if you might cut and haul wood and logs to eternity without exhausting the supply. The country looks perfectly level, and in many places judging from the white clover and blue-gra.s.s which cover the sh.o.r.es of the ca.n.a.l, must be fertile, though its appearance would not indicate a healthy location for man. As we approached Canistoto, which by the way is but three years old, and a considerable place, we observed the country to be settled partially on both sides, the soil being dark and deep, was thickly covered with stumps and rich gra.s.s. In the course of the last 10 miles, we have pa.s.sed several squads of Onondaga and Oneida Indians carrying baskets, brooms, hunting apparatus, &c. I could not but think of their once numerous hordes, now no more, save a few scattered remnants of their wandering tribes, having scarcely a spot which they can call their own.
Placing myself for a moment in their situation, it made me feel sad, and I could but exclaim with Burns, ”Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn!” Among these numbers were frequently seen little children, and we diverted ourselves for miles together in making them run after the packet, by occasionally throwing out a cent, which made great scratching and scrabbling to see who would get it. We could not prevail on them to converse by the offer of any bribe whatever.
_Extract No. 5_
As we pa.s.sed Manlius, the ca.n.a.l runs on the North side of the high bank for near two miles, which opened to view many apparently inexhaustible quarries of plaster, which is said to be of superior quality. We also pa.s.sed, soon after, Green Lake, a pretty sheet of water, which has been sounded for 400 feet without discovering bottom.
At six o'clock we arrived at what may be called one of the wonders of this part of the world--the extensive salt establishment, belonging to the state, situated immediately at the head of Onondaga Lake. Here are located the villages of Syracuse, Salina, and Geddesburg, all within a mile of each other; the first and last are on the ca.n.a.l, and Salina a little to the north, but fairly in view, connected by a short feeder.
Syracuse is in a very prosperous condition. It was a very agreeable and novel sight to me to behold at this place upwards of 200 acres actually covered with vats filled with salt water in the act of evaporation. The process is very simple, and I shall not therefore attempt a description.
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