86 WAKE-ROBIN 



At this point a dam was built across the Hudson, 

 the waters of which flowed back into Lake Sand- 

 ford, about five miles above. The lake itself being 

 some six miles long, tolerable navigation was thus 

 established for a distance of eleven miles, to the 

 Upper Works, which seem to have been the only 

 works in operation. At the Lower Works, besides 

 the remains of the dam, the only vestige I saw was 

 a long low mound, overgrown with grass and weeds, 

 that suggested a rude earthwork. We were told 

 that it was once a pile of wood containing hundreds 

 of cords, cut in regular lengths and corded up here 

 for use in the furnaces. 



At the Upper Works, some twelve miles distant, 

 quite a village had been built, which was now en- 

 tirely abandoned, with the exception of a single 

 family. 



A march to this place was our next undertaking. 

 The road for two or three miles kept up from the 

 river and led us by three or four rough, stumpy 

 farms. It then approached the lake and kept along 

 its shores. It was here a dilapidated corduroy 

 structure that compelled the traveler to keep an eye 

 on his feet. Blue jays, two or three small hawks, 

 a solitary wild pigeon, and ruffed grouse were seen 

 along the route. Now and then the lake gleamed 

 through the trees, or we crossed on a shaky bridge 

 some of its arms or inlets. After a while we began 

 to pass dilapidated houses by the roadside. One 

 little frame house I remembered particularly; the 

 door was off the hinges and leaned against the 



