in the country better provided. This ticulars relating to Rochester, may be building with the others connected with found in the history of the town, prbthe college, is an ornament to the town, 'lished in 1895. while it makes a conspicuous appearance from a distance.

The falls of the Genesee at this place are one of the most remarkable of the cataracts in New York, and rendered by art the most useful. The upper one is small, making an inconsiderable descent over a rocky bed of only a moderate angle of descent; but, as the grand aqueduct is built over it, the effect of the flowing water is increased by the obstruction of the channel by the masses of stonework, and the contraction thus

ROCHESTER.This flourishing and important city in this part of the state, is of such recent growth, that, until the year 1810, there was not even a single dwelling on its site. The whole tract was once a mill-lot, and was purchased, in 1802, by Nathaniel Rochester and two associates, at $15.50 an acre- -$1,750 in all. Some of the land on the eastern bank of the Genesee was sold at eigh- formed of the passage. The middle fall teen pence an acre in 1790, by the great is the principal one; and that is perspeculators of the day-Phelps and Gor-pendicular, over a rocky precipice, which 816, the population was only rises like a wall from the lower to the nured and thirty-one. upper level of the river. In pouring business is extensively car- over this, the water plunges ninety-six Cochester. There is a large feet, sometimes in a few small streams, ristmills, with runs of stones but, in floods, in a general sheet. It grind several thousand bar-was here that the celebrated Sam Patch, ther daily. The amount made after performing many astonishing leaps, mounts to near a million of unharmed, from fearful heights, lost his here are also several woollen life, in the year 1829, by jumping from mills, with many saw and the rocks into the basin. mills of different kinds in

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Below this spot, the river flows a mile and a half, through a wide and deep ns in the Union present such channel, passing several rapids, when it of a great and lucrative busi- reaches the two lower falls. Here the small a space of ground, as surrounding scenery is rough and wild; in the immediate vicinity of and the river first pours over a precipice at and below the aqueduct. twenty-five feet high, and immediately above referred to, form a afterward over another of eighty-four e of large, massive, stone feet. The banks below are high, rocky, buildings, and the greatest activity pre- and perpendicular, for a considerable vails in and around them, where crowds distance, showing numerous stratificaof men are constantly employed in the tions, which have been cut through by various kinds of business which are car- the current. Across the awful chasm a ried on in them, and in the various other wooden bridge was erected, in 1819, of mills and manufactories adjacent, as one noble arch, whose chord was three well as at the depôts of the canal and hundred and fifty-two feet, and the versed the railroad. Above twenty churches, sine fifty-four feet. The entire length several of them remarkably handsome, of the bridge was seven hundred and as well as capacious edifices, are among eighteen feet, and the width thirty feet. the public buildings, although the first The top of the arch was not less than presbyterian church, which is the oldest, one hundred and ninety-six feet above was erected in 1815; and so late as in the river. It contained seventy thouJanuary, 1813, at the celebration of the sand feet of timber, and sixty-four thouIndian new-year, the Senecas performed sand, six hundred and twenty feet, board their last heathen ceremonies on the measure. Just one year and a day after ground, near the site of the present its completion, it fell in ruins by its own Bethel church. An interesting account weight, the sides of the arch pressing of these, as well as of many other par-up the top.

CARTHAGE, a small town or the eastern | line; but between Goat island bank, is a place of considerable business, Canada side, it is curved inwar!, as a communication between Rochestering the Horseshoe. Thousan is of tay and Lake Ontario was established some ellers annually visit the spot, to a years since, by an inclined plane from this great natural curiosity; and fine the high bank to the river, where boats hotels, on both sides of the river, afford received and discharged cargoes. The them ample accommodations. Stairbusiness has greatly increased; and there cases have been excavated at different are now three railroads from Rochester places, by which visiters can get safely to the navigable part of the river, six down to the best points of view. A miles from the lake-shore. walk under the cliff is very interesting; but to pursue the slippery and dangerous path under the sheet of water, beneath the falling torrent and the mighty rock over which it falls, requires both courage and caution. Parties, however, often incur the hazard, and submit to the inconvenience caused by the extreme dampness of the atmosphere, which is constantly surcharged with spray, and, being agitated by conflicting currents of wind, soon wets one to the skin.

BUFFALO. This city, before referred to, as one of the principal inland towns of the state, and the centre of the lake and canal navigation and railroad communication, is pleasantly situated on the summit, declivity, and base, of the tableland which borders the end of Lake Erie and the head of Niagara river. The streets are broad, clean, and well built, and numerous blocks of stonehouses border the stream which here pours into the lake. A lighthouse, a pier, and an improved harbor, all subserve the extensive commerce of the place.

Every change of season, weather, and light, imparts some peculiar aspect to this extraordinary scene. The rising Niagara Falls, celebrated throughout sun gilds the edges of the cataract, and the world as the most stupendous of cat- illuminates the upper banks, with their aracts, lies partly in the state of New wild crests of overhanging trees, while York and partly in Canada. A more the darkness of the awful gulf below is sublime spectacle can not easily be con- enhanced by the unintermitted roaring ceived, and none can anywhere be found and concussions of the tremendous massn earth to compare with it. The river es of water dashed together. The lofty Niagara, a broad, deep, and rapid stream, column of mist, which for ever stands, le outlet of Lake Erie, the deepest of like a cloud, over this scene of noise The American inland seas, also discharges and fury, is sometimes dark as a thunhe waters flowing toward the ocean der-storm, but more frequently of a rom the whole chain of lakes above. snowy whiteness, and illuminated and Passing, with a hasty but unbroken cur-painted by rainbows, whose arches vary ent, by Grand island, it soon approach- in their position and direction with the es the verge of the mountain ridge; and, course of the sun. Night casts a tone after rushing for about half a mile down of majesty over the scene, as difficult to a declining, rocky bed, forming the rap-be duly described as to be witnessed ds, it is precipitated over a precipice one hundred and sixty feet high, into a gulf of unknown depth below, with a roar which is sometimes audible at the distance of twenty miles.

without emotion, especially when the moon silvers the rocks, the water, and the spray, or when, in winter, it falls upon the forest-trees, glazed with the frozen spray, and upon the immense icicles, often more than a hundred feet in length.

It is remarkable that the sheets of falling water are entire and unbroken, from top to bottom, in their whole extent, It is almost impossible for any living without any interruption worthy of being thing to survive the descent of this awmentioned. Goat island, near the mid-ful cataract. Deer and other animals dle, divides the river for some distance have sometimes been carried down, above and at the fall. On the New York while attempting to swim across the side, the cataract presents a straight | river above; and, in several instances,

men have been borne down to the awful | spectator views its waves with awe and verge, and plunged to unknown depths fear, as they glide beneath his feet, and in the black gulf beneath. intimate the sudden and fatal conse

A wire-bridge across Niagara river, below the falls, has been built, and is of sufficient strength to allow the passage of great weights.

The vicinity of Niagara has been sig-quences of a single misstep. nalized by several important military The Welland canal, on the Canada events. The French fortress of Fron-side, gives a passage to lake-vessels from tenac, at the mouth of the river, was Erie to Ontario. captured by the British, after a siege; Fort Erie, at the head of the stream, was taken by the Americans, in the war of 1812; Buffalo was burnt by the enemy; Lewistown was taken, by an American force, by a bold coup-de-main, after crossing in boats, and scaling an almost inaccessible height on the shore. The battle of Lundy's Lane and Bridgewa-pleasantest villages in the valley of the ter was fought within a short distance of the cataract, and gave the Americans some of their greatest advantages in that unhappy contest.

Grand island, a little above the cataract, is a good agricultural region, and is remarkable as the site of the proposed city of "Ararat," offered as a gathering-place of the Jews, and as a camp occupied by the invaders of Canada, in the late attempt at revolution.

The passage to the islands, over the bridge, affords the visiter a gratifying though an agitating view of the rushing stream, just as it pours furiously by to its stupendous leap down the awful precipice. With astonishing skill and boldness, the slight fabric has been constructed, from rock to rock, across the wild and dangerous channel; and the

Without naming numerous other places and objects of great interest, we return to the Hudson river.

POUGHKEEPSIE.-This is one of the

Hudson, but is so situated, at the distance of a mile from its eastern shore, as to be quite out of sight to travellers passing in steamboats. It is one of the most flourishing villages in this part of the state; and its settlement dates back to about the year 1700, when it was first inhabited by a few Dutch families. The soil is favorable to cultivation, while the stream which flows through the town makes a succession of falls, amounting, in all, to a descent of about a hundred and sixty feet, and affords water-power to various mills and manufactories. The place contains three printing-offices, two banks, and eleven churches, with twelve schools. Population, 1850, 11,080.

The Van Kleeck House.-This was the first house ever erected in Poughkeepsie. It was the residence of Myndert