152 THE WILDERNESS AND ITS TENANTS. [1760-1763. 



would ascend the Mohawk, passmg the old Dutch 

 town of Schenectady, the two seats of Sir William 

 Johnson, Fort Hunter at the mouth of the Scoharie, 

 and Fort Herkimer at the German Flats, until he 

 reached Fort Stanwix at the head of the river 

 navigation. Then crossing over land to Wood 

 Creek, he would follow its tortuous course, over- 

 shadowed by the dense forest on its banks, until 

 he arrived at the little fortification called the Royal 

 Blockhouse, and the waters of the Oneida Lake 

 spread before him. Crossing to its western ex- 

 tremity, and passing under the wooden ramparts 

 of Fort Brewerton, he would descend the River 

 Oswego to Oswego,^ on the banks of Lake Ontario. 

 Here the vast navigation of the Great Lakes would 



1 MS. Journal of Lieutenant Gorell, 17C3. Anonymous MS. Journal of a 

 Tour to Niagara in 1765. The following is an extract from the latter: — 



"July 2d. Dined with Sir Wm. at Johnson Hall. The office of 

 Superintendent very troublesome. Sir Wm. continually plagued with 

 Indians about him — generally from 300 to 900 in number — spoil his 

 garden, and keep his house always dirty. . . . 



" 10th. Punted and rowed up the Mofhawk River against the stream, 

 which, on account of the rapidity of the current, is \ery hard work for 

 the poor soldiers. Encamped on the banks of the river, about 9 miles 

 from Harkimer's. 



" The inconveniences attending a married Subaltern strongly appear in 

 this tour. What with the sickness of their wives, the squeahng of their 

 children, and the smallness of their pay, I think the gentlemen discover no 

 common share of philosophy in keeping themselves from running mad. 

 Officers and soldiers, with their waves and children, legitimate and ille- 

 gitimate, make altogether a pretty compound oglio, which does not tend 

 towards showing military matrimony off to any great advantage. . . • 



" Monday, 14th. Went on horseback by the side of Wood Creek, 20 

 miles, to the Royal Blockhouse, a kind of wooden castle, proof against 

 any Indian attacks. It is now abandoned by the troops, and a sutler 

 lives there, who keeps rum, milk, rackoons, etc., which, though none of 

 the most elegant, is comfortable to strangers passing that way. The 

 Blockhouse is situated on the east end of the Oneida Lake, and is sur- 

 rounded by the Oneida Indians, one of the Six Nations." 



