Open Road — Guides — Railroads — Canals — Bridges 



content. He told me that land thereabout, unimproved, sold 1808 

 from three to four pounds sterling an acre, not far from the road, 

 prime land. Hardie (a civil man) emigrated fifteen years ago 

 from Lewistown, on the Juniata, before Mifflin county was struck 

 off from Cumberland. I mention this because I saw neither actual 

 improvement in his situation, nor any means of improvement that 

 might not have been made or obtained in the place he left. 



I intended originally to have gone from Buffaloe up the 

 American side, to Schlosser's, but Landen at Buffaloe informed 

 me, the road was impassable. However, persons had been 

 appointed to put it in order, and he was one, and about to set to 

 work the next day, so that in a week or two it would be good. 

 From Schlosser's northward to Lewistown there is a road, which 

 forms the portage on the American side round the falls of seven 

 miles, and thence from Lewistown to Niagara fort, a tolerable 

 road of six miles. The river makes a bend toward the British 

 side, so that the portage round the falls there is nine miles. The 

 country on the American side is good and will admit of thick 

 settlement, but there are very few settlers from Niagara fort south- 

 ward to Buffaloe. I cannot help thinking it would be well worth 

 while to force a settlement along that frontier. 



4J/2 Inquire for John Thompson's house; it is a mile and a 

 half off the road. You go past one Bateman's on the left hand of 

 the road, where you may get some person not merely to direct, but 

 to go with you to Thompson's, which is a good stone house near 

 the river. At the back of his house there is a stony field, full of 

 cedars and white pine; go to the bank, and you see a place they 

 call the whirlpool, which is a truly picturesque scene. The river 

 seems at least one hundred and fifty feet below you; narrow, 

 rapid, foaming; in its haste it drives against a bay which forms 

 nearly a cul de sac; this occasions an eddy, which they call the 

 whirlpool. On some days it is comparatively still; on others it 

 roars as loud as the great falls, and may be well heard at three 

 and four miles distance. It is an object not to be passed on such 

 a tour. Volney notices it, but I had not Volney with me, and 



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