216 NATURAL HISTORY OF NORTH AMERICA, 



hurt by a falling tree ,• on these occasions the saints were espe- 

 cially thanked, and the evening was spent in rejoicing. Even 

 to this day, they leave all their manure in their yards and 

 stables, and when its accumulation is troublesome, they move 

 the buildings, and erect new ones elsewhere ; yet the land is 

 exhausted for want of manure. 



We reached Detroit about ten o'clock, and lay there nearly 

 all day. It is a much larger town than I had anticipated. A 

 rail-road is to be made from hence, across the country, to Lake 

 Michigan. I never saw such beautiful fur caps and robes as 

 at Detroit. I longed to buy some buffalo-robes for my friends 

 in England, but thought the incumbrance of them would be too 

 gi'eat. No person here rides out in wet or cold weather with- 

 out a buffalo-skin wrapped round his feet and body. The 

 land, for some miles round Detroit, is poor. Many of the 

 streets in the town have planked side-walks. 



From Detroit we proceeded onwards, touching at Huron, 

 Cleveland, &c. all more or less flourishing towns, but Cleve- 

 land the most so by far, being, at the termination of the canal, 

 from Portsmouth, on the Ohio, to Lake Erie, a distance of 

 about three hundred and ten miles. These towns show clearly 

 the wonderful spirit of the Yankees. Cleveland is really a fine 

 town; broad streets, noble stores, good and well-kept hotels, 

 one of which, the " American House," is certainly splendid ; 

 1 could not help contrasting it with the vile and filthy hotels 

 at Cincinnati, There is, at present, a war going on at Cleve- 

 land, between the inhabitants of one side the river and those of 

 the other, which has once broken out into violence; it only 

 wants a Boileau, to make a good thing of it. 



At Erie there is a light-house, which is lighted by gas from 

 a mineral spring close by : sufficient gas accumulates during 

 the day to furnish the supply needed for the night. 



After leaving Cleveland, little occurred worthy of notice on 

 our voyage to Buffalo ; as you approach the Pennsylvania 

 shore, you see more of hills, the spurs of the Alleghanies. There 

 are many very nice farms, and good thriving ports, though in 

 some cases the harbours are not very good. It was early in 

 the morning when we reached Buffalo. All impatience once 

 more to behold Niagara, I took the eai'liest conveyance for 

 that place, and, in my hurry, nearly forgot some of my luggage, 

 and afterwards my dinner. How the Falls grow on you ! 



