TRAILS 



37 



and led to the present Seneca village of Tonawanda. There it 

 branched. One path led northwest, through the creek and swamp, 

 past Royalton and then to the Cold spring- 2 miles northeast of 

 Lockport. Continuing northwest it reached the ridge road and ter- 

 minated at the Tuscarora village near Lewiston. This latter trail 

 of course dates from the occupation of that reservation. 



The other branch went southwest from the Indian village to 

 Akron and Clarence Hollow, thence to Williamsville and the head 

 of Main street, Buffalo, where it ended. Mr Morgan said : 



This trail was traced through the overhanging forest for almost 

 its entire length. In the trail itself there was nothing particularly 

 remarkable. It was usually from 12 to 18 inches wide, and deeply 

 worn in the ground; varying in this respect from 3 to 6, and even 

 12 inches, depending upon the firmness of the soil. The large trees 

 on each side were frequently marked with the hatchet. Morgan, 

 p.429 



It remains to notice his lake and river trails. From Oswego one 

 followed the lake ridge to Irondequoit bay, turning up the bay to 

 its head, crossing the Genesee at the Rochester aqueduct, striking 

 the ridge road at the lower falls and going west to the Tuscarora 

 village, a recent town. 



A trail followed the Genesee river on each side, connecting the 

 recent Seneca villages occupying the valley. These need not be 

 mentioned here, and for many interesting details the reader is 

 referred to Morgan's valuable work. 



Trails naturally converged at Tioga point, where the Chemung 

 united with the Susquehanna, and these became important thorough- 

 fares for the Iroquois in their later wars. From this point he 

 named two trails up the Susquehanna. One followed the north 

 bank, crossing the Chenango at Binghamton, thence to the Unadilla, 

 and there intersecting the Oneida trail. The trail again branched 

 at Charlotte river, one branch going to the Cherry Valley creek 

 and then to Canajoharie. The other followed the Charlotte to 

 its head, crossed to the Cobleskill, intersecting the Schoharie trail 

 at Schoharie creek, ending at the lower Mohawk castle. A branch 

 turned up Foxes creek, crossed the Helderbergs and ended at 



