smooth and fertile meadows which extend along the banks of the Mohawk, at different levels, above and below the falls. are found at many similar spots. One of these is two and a half feet in diameter, beginning at the top of a rock thirty feet above the present level of the river; and, being broken below, allows a vis whole length of the funnel. The canal descends at this place by five locks, each of eight feet lift. One of the high hills on the southern bank of the river, at this place, has a re-iter to see the sky above, through the markable cave; and the geological features of the region are worthy of attention. Beautiful crystals of quartz are found in the neighborhood, in considerable abundance, and are washed from the micaceous slate by every rain. Passengers in the rail-cars sometimes have an opportunity to purchase a few, of the children who take pains to collect them. In 1789, several prisoners were taken by a party of Indians, at a mill; but two men escaped, by retreating under the waterwheel, whence the savages could not dislodge them. ROME. This village was named at a time when unfounded expectations were The Marble Aqueduct, two hundred entertained of its rapid and extensive and fourteen feet long, and sixteen feet growth. Its population, in 1850, about wide, is one of the best-constructed and 8,000 It occupies a place of great imbeautiful works on the line of the canal, portance in the French and Revolutioncrossing the Mohawk on five large arch-ary wars, as it was one of the carryinges, to bring over a supply of water from places on the ancient Indian route bethe old canal on the northern bank. [tween Lake Ontario and the Mohawk, The central arch is seventy feet span. Few constructions can be found which present to the eye, in so forcible a contrast, the rude obstacles of nature with symmetry and beauty of useful art. ter. in 1758, and was at first merely a square fort, with four bastions, a covered way and glacis, surrounded by a palisaded ditch. It cost £266,400, but, through neglect, was in ruins at the beginning by the way of Oneida lake and Wood creek. The Black-river canal (an important work) passes the village, as well as the railroad and Erie canal. The ground is the summit-level between The first settler in this wild spot was Lake Ontario and the ocean, four huna Scotch gentleman, Alexander Ellis, dred and thirteen feet above the Hudwho, by the aid of Sir William Johnson, son at Albany, from which it is distant obtained a patent of the surrounding one hundred and twelve miles. The tract. The river makes a descent of United States arsenal, and barracks for forty-two feet, by two rapids, within the one thousand men, were built in 1813. distance of two thirds of a mile, with a Fort Stanwix (of which only some broad interval of smooth and deep wa-marks remain in the soil) was erected Above these is a dam, divided by an island, over which the water pours in small cascades. The romantic pass which opens through the ridge of mountains, is about two miles in length, and of an average breadth of only five hun-of the Revolution. Having been hastily dred yards, while rough and woody heights, rises on each side nearly four hundred feet. Everything here, and above and below, indicates that a lake once covered the great German Flats; and it is calculated that, if a dam were now built here seventy feet high, that rich and extensive alluvial tract would soon be overflown, and the new lake would find an outlet through Wood creek into Oneida lake and Ontario. The rocks are deeply worn, often by large and deep circular drills, such as repaired, and named Fort Schuyler, on the 3d of August, 1777, it was invested by Colonel St. Leger, with a large mixed force from Canada, comprising one thousand Indians. Colonel Ganzevoort, however, resolutely refused to surrender; and, although in command of only seven hundred and fifty men, sent out Colonel Willet to make a diversion in favor of General Herkimer, who was advancing to his relief, and with such success that the enemy were driven from their camp, leaving their baggage and even papers. Twenty wagon-loads of spoils were brought into the fort. The invaders, however, returned, and the siege was closely pressed; but Colonel Willet and Major Stockwell succeeded in passing by stealth through the midst of the enemy, and reached General Sullivan's camp at Stillwater, who sent General Arnold with assistance. That sagacious officer (afterward a traitor) so terrified the invaders by exaggerated reports, that they fled in a panic, and failed in their enterprise as utterly as General Burgoyne, to co-operate with whom, they had come from Canada. with neat yards and gardens; while the hotels are large, and the point where the canal and railroad pass the principal street is one of great activity and bustle. The view in every direction is over an extent of level ground, and bounded by the hills enclosing the valley of the Mohawk. CLINTON.-The pleasant village of Clinton, situated nine miles from Ūtica, is the seat of Hamilton college. This institution owes its origin to the Rev. Samuel Kirkland, a missionary to the Oneida Indians. He was one of the pupils of the celebrated school of Mr. Wheelock, and graduated at Princeton in 1765. In the following year he removed to this place, and commenced a. long, self-denying, and successful course of missionary labors among the Oneidas, over whom he obtained a strong and beneficial influence, of great importance in the Revolutionary war. While the other nations of the savage confederacy joined the English, the Oneidas remained true to our cause. After the peace had been restored, he received a grant of land in this place and neighborhood, called Kirkland's patent, and again took up his residence here in 1792. The remarkable chief Skenandoa, with many of his people, became intelligent Christians under the instructions of their devoted pastor. In 1793, he obtained a charter for a seminary of learn UTICA. This city, situated on the southern bank of the Mohawk, occupies one of the important points where the line of the Erie canal and the railroad coincide, and are crossed by several country roads. It has the additional advantage of lying on a tract of fertile land, the river alluvion in that country being broad and rich. It is ninety-six miles west of Albany, and two hundred and forty-one miles from New York. Fort Schuyler, an earth work, thrown up here in the old French war, was the first point ever occupied here by white men; but, as Whitestown, for some years after its settlement, was the principal place of resort in this region, as late as 1793, there were but three dwellings in Utica. Rome was afterward marked out, as the site of a future city; but, although the Western Inland Nav-ing, designed for Indians as well as igation company, chartered in 1792, opened a canal from the bend of the Hudson here to Oneida lake, and expectations were entertained of a great trade taking that direction, in 1800, the Seneca turnpike was opened through Utica, which gave the latter place the advantage. It has continued to increase ever since. The population in 1830 was 8,323, and in 1850, 17,240. It was made a village in 1798, when it received the name of Utica, and it was incorporated as a city in 1832. It contains fourteen churches, three banks, numerous stores, and a number of handsome private houses, with much refined and intelligent society. The streets of Utica are generally pleasant, many of them being planted with trees and lined whites, under the title of the Hamilton Oneida academy, which has since been raised to the rank of a college. TRENTON FALLS.-The West Canada creek, in flowing through a long, deep, and narrow ravine, presents a succession of wild and romantic scenes, so striking and so interesting, that this region has been for some years a favorite point of observation to travellers of taste in the western tour. It is common for parties to stop at Utica, and devote a day to an excursion to Trenton Falls. The stream makes successive falls, four of which are the most considerable, but all varying in form and appearance. The largest is two miles northwest from Trenton village, where, within a short distance, it is precipitated down three perpendicu ocks, rushing over the intermediate Spes by steep and rough channels, in afrius and turbulent manner. The first of the falls is forty-seven feet in height, the second cleven, and the third forty-eight; and such is the variety in the directions of the sheets of water and the surrounding objects in that wild and secluded dell, which is shut in on both sides by perpendicular banks of dark limestone, from one hundred to one hundred and thirty feet in height, that the impressions made on the mind of a spectator are at once awful and pleasing. SYRACUSE. This is a large and flourishing village on the Erie canal, one hundred and thirty-three miles west of Albany, at the junction of the Oswego canal. Population, 1850 22,235. The great Salt-Spring, at Salina, is the most valuable in the Union, as it is abundant in water, very highly charged, and the supply is taken to numerous manufactories, where the salt is extracted and purified by the most approved processes. The spring rises on the marshes of Salina lake, a salt poud, six miles long and two in breadth, whose waters are impregnated to such a degree that its shores are lined with plants usually found only on the borders of the sea. The lake is surrounded by limestone hills, containing petrifactions; and gypsum abounds in the neighborhood. The spot is a portion of that extensive region which reaches from the Atlantic to the Pacific, between the latitudes of thirtyone and forty-five degrees north, whose course is here and there betrayed by brine springs. In this state, such springs exist in the counties of Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Ontario, Niagara, Genesee, Tompkins, Wayne, and Oneida; but that of Salina is by far the most valuable and productive. According to published statements, a bushel of salt may be obtained from forty-five gallons of water; and analysis gives the following results for forty gallons: Weight, 355 pounds; saline matter of all kinds, 56 pounds. Of this, muriate of soda is 51 pounds; carbonate of lime, colored by oxyde of iron, 6 ounces; sul L phate of lime, 2 pounds, 4 ounces; muriate of lime, 1 pound, 12 ounces; and probably some muriate of magnesia and sulphate of soda. The water is raised from the spring by a forcing-pump; and distributed through pipes and troughs to numerous manufactories, large and small, of different kinds, in the villages of Salina and Syracuse, and a considerable tract of land lying between them. In some places are seen large buildings, in which the water is evaporated by artificial heat; but the greater part is exposed, in shallow wooden vats, to the heat of the sun, being covered by sliding roofs when threatened by rain. A branch of the Erie canal affords the means of easy transportation, and immense quantities of salt are annually transported to all parts of the country. The vats are about sixteen by seven feet, and four inches deep, and are supplied with water sent from pump-houses through hollow logs. Between the rows of vats, sufficient space is left for carts to pass, in which the salt is removed. The salt made in this manner is coarse; that formed by artificial heat is fine. From fifteen to twenty-five boilers are used, usually placed in rows, which are supplied with salt water much in the same manner as the vats; and heat is applied below, where fires are kindled in furnaces. In some manufactories, steam-pipes are used for heating, and pass through the water. The new spring at Salina yields water more strongly impregnated with salt than the old spring; that is, in the proportion of fifty to seventy. Fresh water being reckoned at 0, and water saturated with salt at 100, a cubic foot of water from the new spring yields fourteen pounds of salt. Two mills on every bushel here are to be paid to the state for pumping the water, and six cents a bushel on all the salt made. About three millions of bushels are manufactured annually; and the business, in all its branches, occupies about three thousand men, in the four villages of Syracuse, Salina, Geddesburgh, and Liverpool. A French colony for the Onondaga country was planned in the year 1655, by the Jesuit Dablon, who procured at Quebec fifty soldiers, under the command of Lieutenant Lawson, and set out with them the next year, to undertake one of their missions at this place. Under so powerful a guard, with the approbation of the Jesuit superior-general, Francis Le Mercier, the expedition sailed up the river; but it was attacked by four hundred Mohawks, before they reached Montreal, who were jealous of the Onondagas, by whom the enterprise was encouraged. The Indians being repulsed, the party proceeded; and, after some delays and dangers, arrived at the appointed place of settlement. This is supposed to have been on the borders of Salina lake, as mention is made of a salt-spring. They were for a time very kindly treated by the Onondagas, who inhabited this region. Scarcely two years, however, had elapsed, before strong symptoms of hostility were exhibited; several murders were committed, and a large army of the Six Nations was assembled. The colonists became alarmed, and resolved on flight. By practising the greatest caution and secresy, they succeeded. Canoes were made with all haste in the house of the Jesuit, and a young Frenchman, who had been adopted by the Indians, and enjoyed their full | confidence, persuaded them to make a great feast; at the close of which they betook themselves to sleep; and when they awoke the next day, their intended victims were not to be found. Having launched their canoes in the night, and taken their young countryman with them, the colonists got such a start of their enemies, that they arrived in safety at Montreal. AUBURN.-This beautiful village, situated on Owasco lake, is worthy of the pleasing associations connected with its name, which Goldsmith's favorite poem has celebrated. Population, 9,548. The stateprison, located here, is quite a handsome building. It stands back about eighty feet from the road, and covers, including the grounds, about twenty-five thousand square feet. The wall that surrounds it is two thousand feet long, thirty feet high, and, at the base, four feet thick. On the southern side there is a small creek, from which, by means of a wheel and shaft, power enough is obtained to work all the machinery inside of the walls. The prison consists of two wings, and the main body of the house, which forms three sides of a square; the wings being two hundred and forty feet long, and twentyfive feet deep, and the house two hundred and eighty feet long. It was begun in the year 1816, and the cost was five hundred thousand dollars. The expenses of the prison, in the year 1839, were $51,671.21, and the money that was earned in the same year was $60,161.46. The prisoners number, in the course of a year, from six to seven hundred. Every sabbath they are instructed in the great truths of the Bible, and the younger portion are taught reading, writing, and arithmetic. When this prison was first built, there were five hundred and fifty cells; but lately a few more have been added. These cells are arranged in four stories, and are seven feet high, seven feet long, and three and a half feet wide. They are very well warmed, lighted, and ventilated, and everything fixed for the comfort of the prisoners. The space between the cells and the outside wall is ten feet wide, and is open from the roof to the ground. The passages to the cells are three feet wide, extending out from the wall in front of each cell. They being constructed in this manner, perfect silence can be preserved through the night, as the slightest noise or whisper is heard by the watchman on guard below. This precaution is taken in order to prevent any conversation during the night. The same care is taken in the daytime, for they are made to work without speaking. The prison-bell rings soon after daybreak, which is a signal for the prisoners to rise, and soon after the keeper unlocks the doors. The prisoners then come out of their cells, each one taking his pan that is used for his food, his kettle for water, and his tub. They then put these different things in their respective places, and in lockstep walk to the workshops, where they work until the prison-bell rings |
