FROM CARLISLE TO THE OHIO 245 



towards the Canadian country, and through it (by 

 Venango and through sundry small streams) there is 

 opened up a good connection with the Canadian lakes. 

 Almost every season, very dry ones alone excepted, 

 boats of 2-3 ft. draught can go up the Alleghany and 

 into French Creek, and from thence there is but a 

 short portage to Lake Erie.* Down the Alleghany 

 such boats can make 50-60-100 miles a day. It has 

 even been estimated that goods and wares may be 

 brought hither (and expedited further) by the river 

 Lawrence and the Canadian lakes as profitably as by 

 the land road from Pensylvania or Maryland. The 

 Monongahela comes up from the South along the 

 frontier mountains of Virginia, and thus makes here, 

 where the Alleghany joins it, the most convenient 

 place for a staples-depot. + 



The mountains perfectly well admit of very con- 

 venient land routes being established in time for the 

 furtherance of the trade with Philadelphia and Balti- 

 more, but the road may be very much shortened by 

 streams f on both sides the mountains. At present 

 there is paid 40-50 shillings Pensylv. freightage the 

 hundredweight from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, a dis- 

 tance of 320 English miles ; but this is diminished if 

 the waggoners find a return freight. The number of 

 considerable streams which net the extensive country 



* Only a mile of land-passage, or portage, separates the 

 Cayahoga river, (which flows into Lake Erie and through it 

 into the St. Lawrence) from the Muskingum which falls into 

 the Ohio ; and so, but for that inconsiderable space, the Gulf 

 of Mexico is joined with the Gulf of St. Lawrence. 



t From where the Potomack ceases to be navigable to the 

 nearest navigable arm of the Ohio it is only 60 miles. 



