1823, OCTOBER. NIAGARA 17 



yalus and beside it a Viola, both in seed ; the Viola grew in sand and 

 its seed-pods were buried among it. I crossed below the Falls to the 

 American side, and then to the island called Goat Island. It is partly 

 covered with woods of large dimensions ; the soil is variable, part rich and 

 part sand and gravel. The sugar maple, Acer saccharinum, on the brink 

 of the rocks grew very large ; they had all been tapped or bled and still 

 seemed uncommonly vigorous. There were a few pines of two species, 

 but had no cones. Botrychium, two species in shady parts of the wood 

 in decayed leaves ; two species of Orobanche, in dry places also among 

 leaves. Trillium seemed to be plentiful, but the leaves being decayed, 

 I could not get as many as I would like. Arum triphyllum, 1 Dracontium 

 sp., and Pothos foetidus 2 : I was not a little surprised to see Pothos in a 

 dry place ; they had perfected seeds. Rhus Vernix in conjunction with 

 some species of Smilax, and another species of Rhus clad the trunks 

 of the large trees. On the south side of the island there is very good 

 limestone and a good kind of gypsum. 



Wednesday, October 1st. I went across the river again four miles down 

 from the Falls, where is great diversity of soil. Opposite what is called the 

 Whirlpool grew three species of Quercus on barren rocks, with narrow 

 serrated leaves, acorns small and olive-shaped ; they are certainly different 

 from any in my possession. Among the roots of the trees in crevices 

 of rocks grew Pteris atropurpurea, 3 Asplenium, and Polypodium of all 

 of which I took plants and seeds, and specimens of the oaks. On my 

 returning to the inn I found that Mr. Briscoe was to leave in the afternoon. 

 The weather being bad, and the seeming approach of winter, made me 

 anxious to get to New York as soon as possible. We accordingly set out 

 and passed Stamford, where Mr. Briscoe informed me Captain Sabine lived. 

 The face of the country is variable, with some beautiful rising eminences. 

 At 4 o'clock we reached Queenston, where I parted from Mr. Briscoe. 

 I am under great obligations to this gentleman. Crossed the river at 

 Queenston for Lewiston on my way to Lockport. I got a box, packed 

 my plants, and then went to bed. 



Thursday, October 2nd. At 4 o'clock' I started for Bucks, where 

 I arrived at 7 o'clock. I left the stage and went in the country for four miles 

 to Lockport, for the purpose of calling onDavid Thomas, Esq., chief engineer 

 for the western district of the Erie Canal. Governor Clinton spoke of him 

 in the highest terms of respect. My meeting with him showed him to be a 

 gentleman of great attainments. Mr. Thomas is, in America, looked on as 

 a mineralogist of the first standing. He possesses a knowledge of birds 

 and botany. In the afternoon we walked along the canal and saw the 

 operation of forming and building. 



Lockport, Friday, 3rd. In company with Mr. Thomas, who kindly 

 offered me the 'use of his person? as he said, I visited woods north of Lockport 

 which were almost all beech ; we found two specimens of Corallorrhiza 

 one like innata of Britain, the other a small one. I secured plants of them ; 



1 Arisaema triphyllum, Britton and Brown, 111. Fl. N. U. St. i. p. 361. 



2 Symplocarpus foetidus, Engler, in DC. Monog. Phan. ii. p. 212. 



3 Pellaea atropurpurea, Christensen, Ind. Fil. p. 478. 



