THE GREAT WESTERN CANAL. 271 



buildings, and from the masts and rigging 

 of the vessels in the harbour. The military 

 paraded the streets, and assembled before 

 the Senate House to fire a feu de joie, and 

 the evening closed with a grand display of 

 fire-works. The great western canal, which 

 was begun in 1817, is now completed, and 

 connects Lake Erie with the waters of the 

 Hudson, near Albany. This astonishing un- 

 dertaking is generally mentioned to have been 

 suggested and principally promoted by the Hon. 

 De Witt Clinton, then governor of the state. 

 Its whole length is three hundred and sixty- 

 two miles, and cost seven millions of dollarso 

 Boats run on the canal, of about fiftv tons 

 burden, and draw about four feet water. They 

 are drawn by two or three horses and afford 

 tolerably comfortable accommodations for pas- 

 sengers. I took my passage in one of them 

 for Buffalo ; and the only inconvenience I 

 found, was, in reconciling myself to the gre- 

 garious arrangement of sleeping at night. We 

 passed 6 Tribes Hill/ distinguished formerly as 

 the place where the Mohawk Indians gene- 

 rally assembled to hold their council fire. Near 

 to which is the residence of the late Sir William 

 Johnson, who is said to have acquired a greater 

 influence over the Indians than any other white 



