98 ONEIDA INDIANS. 



ing between the Eastern and Western. States. In 1814, the 

 village was reduced to one house, having been burned by the 

 enemy. Now it contains many brick houses of large size ; 

 and I was struck with the stores, or warehouses, at the wharf, 

 and the immense quantity of merchandise they contained. It 

 is the chief port on the lake for steam-boats a daily line sail 

 ing for Detroit, one of which, in course of the season, was 

 said to have left the pier with 800 passengers on board. The 

 Americans have fifteen steam-boats on the lake, many of them 

 of the largest size, arid four are building. The British had 

 not one at this time two small boats having been launched 

 in course of the season, were undergoing repair, after having 

 made a trip or two. American steamers do not touch at any 

 port on the Canada side of Lake Erie, with exception of Am- 

 herstburgh, on the river Detroit. 



The 4th July is a holiday over the Union, being the anni 

 versary of American independence, and was ushered in at 

 Buffalo with firing of guns, and other demonstrations of joy. 

 All was again quiet by breakfast time ; and a procession was 

 to take place at noon. Approving of keeping such a day in 

 remembrance, as impressing the mind of youth with love of 

 liberty, I felt inclined to witness the proceedings, but the 

 necessity of continuing my journey induced me to abandon 

 the idea. 



After breakfast, we got on board a miserable steamer of 

 eight horse power, which landed us at Fort Erie in Canada. 

 On the wharf at Buffalo we saw a number of the Oneida 

 tribe of Indians, on their way to Greenbay, a branch of Lake 

 Michigan. This tribe having sold their lands in the state of 

 New York, government was conveying them to their new 

 possessions. The poor creatures were standing in groups, 

 dressed in their best attire, and many young and old of both 

 sexes stupified by intoxication. I particularly remarked a 

 grey-haired aged female, with a countenance of the deepest 

 suffering, bearing in her arms a child of spurious origin. These 

 descendants of the original owners of the soil have been gra 

 dually deprived of their birthright ; and although Greenbay 

 is 1000 miles from their old habitations, the white man in 

 progress of time will envy their new possessions, and the poor 



