Travels Through North America, During the Years 1825 and 1826. v. 1-2. Bernhard
is also protected by a chevaux-de-frise, there is a common wooden bridge thrown over the river, for wagons. Four miles farther on is Schenectady, where we arrived after sunset. Between this town and Albany, we passed no less than twenty-seven locks. These, though they are built of solid lime-stone, will soon require repairing, as the water passes through them in various places. The gates also lock badly, so that the water which percolates forms artificial cascades. The country through which we passed to-day was generally wild and hilly, and somewhat thinly settled.
Schenectady is an old town containing about five thousand inhabitants, and is intersected by the canal. At this place we left the packet-boat, in order to proceed to Utica next morning in another boat, and found excellent lodgings at Given’s hotel, which, after the great heat we had endured during the day, was exceedingly agreeable. Its inhabitants are, in part, descendants of the Lower Saxons, and some of them whom I saw at the tavern conversed with me in bad Dutch. Early on the next morning we walked through the town, and visited Union College, which consists of two large buildings situated a short distance from the town upon a little eminence. It was the time of vacation, and consequently it was perfectly silent. From its decaying appearance, I should judge the college was not in a very prosperous condition. From this building you have a beautiful view of the town, and of the Mohawk valley, which appears here to be well settled. In the town we observed a peculiar windmill, with a horizontal wheel, whose sails, about twenty in number, stand perpendicularly.
We left Schenectady early in the morning on board the packet-boat Samuel Young, which had engaged to take us to Utica, eighty miles distant, by an early hour the next day. It was a large boat, and, as the passengers are obliged to spend the night on board, is provided with separate apartments for the ladies. The canal again ran along the well-cultivated valley of the Mohawk, and the country, on account of the foliage of the trees upon the heights was beautiful. The village of Amsterdam consists of a few neat houses; and opposite, on the right bank of the Mohawk, is Rotterdam. On our way we passed several small aqueducts, the longest of which rest only upon three piers, and extend over small brooks, which, as well as the small rivulets, are distinguished by the Indian appellation of “creek.” The canal is carried over two rivers, called Schoharie and Canajoharie creeks, from which it receives the most of its water. At this place the horses are conveyed to the opposite side of the two rivers by means of ferry-boats. At the first ferry is a small village, called Fort Hunter, where, before the revolution, there had been a fort, or rather a redoubt of the same name. Towards evening we passed through a valley, which is formed by two rocky mountains, one of which is called Anthony’s Nose. The houses we saw on our route, had generally a handsome appearance; to-day and yesterday I observed also some saw-mills. There are twenty-six locks between Schenectady and Utica. The day was intolerably warm, and our company was very numerous. I confined myself to writing, the whole day, as much as possible; but, in consequence of the heat, I could not avoid sleeping. In the evening we fortunately had a thunder-storm, which cooled the air. During the night, as there was a want of births, the beds were placed upon benches, and, as I was the tallest person, mine was put in the centre upon the longest bench, with a chair as a supplement. It had the appearance of a hereditary sepulchre, in the centre of which I lay as father of the family. I spent an uncomfortable night, on account of my constrained posture, the insects which annoyed me, and the steersman, who always played an agreeable tune upon his bugle whenever he approached a lock. During the night we passed an aqueduct bridge, which stands over a solace, called Little Falls. Towards morning we passed through a well-cultivated region, with some neat houses, called German flats, and which was settled by some Germans during the time of Queen Anne. At about twelve o’clock at noon we arrived at Utica, nine miles from the place where we passed a lock, which is the last that occurs in the next seventy miles. The land appeared to be marshy, and consisted of sand and pebbles.
Utica, which is intersected by the canal, is a flourishing town, of about four thousand inhabitants, and stands upon the site where Fort Schuyler, a redoubt against the Indians, was formerly situated. In 1794, there was a small tavern here, which was the only dwelling house in this part of the country; but at present Utica is one of the most flourishing towns in the state of New York, and new houses are continually building. In fact, it is only here that a person begins to admire the great improvements in cultivation, and gets perfectly new ideas of the works of man, and of his enterprising genius! Utica, on the right bank of the Mohawk, has two banks, four churches, an academy, and large and convenient stores, a bookstore, and printing-office. It has also several ale-houses, and three fine taverns, at the largest of which, called Shepherd’s hotel, we found excellent accommodations. In this house there are always more than seventy beds for the accommodation of strangers; and these, on some occasions, are barely sufficient. The number of travellers this summer, is said to have been unusually great, especially from the southern states, where the heat is intolerable, and the summers generally unhealthy. In such an American tavern every thing is perfectly comfortable, and proportionably cheap. The price for board and lodging is a dollar a day. The bell for rising rings before seven o’clock in the morning. The bed-chambers are spacious, the beds wide and comfortable, and the linen fine and perfectly clean. The bed-chambers, moreover, are furnished with the necessary wash-stands, &c. After a person is dressed, he enters the bar-room, where he finds all kinds of strong and refreshing drinks; the desk of the head waiter is also here, who attends to the bill. The inn-keeper is generally a gentleman, who eats with the guests, and leads the conversation. Besides the entry, where the boots and shoes are left in the evening, and where they are found well cleaned in the morning, there are several sitting, reading, and writing parlours, &c. And if a person wishes a separate sitting-room, especially when he travels with ladies, it may be readily had at a separate charge. Half an hour after rising, they ring the bell for breakfast; and, upon going to the dining-room, you find upon a covered table, beef-steaks, mutton, broiled chicken, or other fowls, fish, and boiled potatoes, which are of a very superior quality. The waiters, or in many places, the servant-maids, hand the coffee and tea. As the Americans, in general, are a quiet people, such a breakfast, which is eaten in great haste, is attended with but little noise. Dinner is generally served at about two o’clock, and tea at seven in the evening. At tea, the table is again furnished as at breakfast, with the addition of ragouts and baker’s bread. Nobody is obliged to drink wine. There are usually water and whiskey on the table, which are mixed in the summer, as the most healthy drink. Every one must help himself as well as he can, for the victuals are not handed about. Napkins you do not get, and instead, you are obliged to make use of the table-cloth. With the exception of the spoons, there is no silver on the table; the forks have two steel prongs, and their handles, like those of the knives, are of buck’s horn. It is an excellent rule, that no one on departing is obliged to give money to the servants.
At Utica, seven of us for nine dollars hired a stage to visit the Falls of Trenton, distant fourteen miles. Our passengers were partly from New York, and partly from the state of North Carolina. We crossed the Mohawk upon a covered wooden bridge, built in a bad and awkward manner, on which I observed an advertisement, “that all persons who pass this bridge on horseback or wagon faster than a walk, shall be fined one dollar.” After this, our road gradually ascended to a forest, which was, however, in part cleared for new fields. The timber is so much neglected here, that they will very probably feel the want of it in less than fifty years. At a short distance from the falls of West Canada Creek is a new tavern, which is situated in a lately cleared forest, and is built entirely of wood. At this tavern we left the carriage, and went on foot through thick woods, from which a pair of stairs conduct to the falls. A new pair of wooden stairs of about eighty steps, built for the accommodation of strangers, leads to the bed of the river. This consists entirely of slate-rock, is about two hundred feet wide, and is enclosed between high rocky banks, which are lined by beautiful and lofty firs, arbor vitæ, the maple, the elm, and the cedar. This beautiful mass of green, the azure sky, the large and variegated rocks, and the three falls, produce a most happy effect. The rocks at these falls, which, on account of the great heat, scarcely extended over half the river, are so excavated by the water, that they have the form of a common kettle. The upper falls, which are about ninety feet high, are the grandest; and near them, under the shade of an arbor vitæ, an adventurer has established a small tavern, which presents a very picturesque appearance, and is said to yield considerable profit. The rocks contain handsome petrifactions of shells, plants, and animals; and we saw one specimen a foot and a half long, which resembled