810 [Assembly 



The emigrants desiring to land their stock, were often com- 

 pelled to approach some favorable position, and throwing the 

 animals overboard, swim them to the shore. In the more sparsely 

 ^ttled districts, vessels freighted with salt would anchor in some 

 adjacent cove, and announce its presence to the i;]habitants, who 

 were often compelled to haul their grain on sleds through the 

 woods, to barter for the salt. In this interchange, a bushel of 

 wheat usually purchased a bushel of salt.* 



The merchant visiting the southern market for goods, before 

 the introduction of steamers upon the lake, which occurred in 

 1809, consumed' generally a month on the journey. The return 

 of the merchandize was still more protracted. This journey was 

 often performed on horseback, and occasionally by a chance 

 vessel. The goods were transported in winter by sleighs, and at 

 other seasons by water, from Whitehall. Now, the merchant 

 may visit Boston, make his purchases, and on the third day exhi- 

 bit his wares upon the shelves. 



The village of Essex, for a series of years, was the important 

 business mart of this entire region. The manufacturing works, 

 for a long period, were limited to grist mills, for domestic use, 

 and saw mills. The latter became numerous, as the demand for 

 deals and other sawed lumber augmented. 



The construction of the Champlain canal gave a different di- 

 rection and imparted a new character to the lumbering operations 

 of northern New-York. Norway pine became subordinate in 

 value to the white pine. The Quebec trade yielded to the new 

 avenues opened to our own marts. Finer articles of lumber 

 were prepared for the southern markets. The lumber business in 

 its changed aspect again became the paramount occupation of the 

 country. Innumerable saw mills were erected, and the forests of 

 white pine were demolished with as much rapidity as the Nor- 

 way pine had been at an earlier day, to supply the Quebec 

 market. 



The amount and value of the various fabrics, tjie produce of 

 the forest, which have been transported by the Champlain canal 

 from Essex comity, are almost inappreciable. The manufacture 



s 



