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they were very small. The river was almost completely dried 
up. I walked over its bed, which consists of slate rock, as far as 
its middle and near to the falls. In some places the rocks are 
excavated by the action of the water, and you may see holes 
which are full of water and are said to contain excellent fish. 
Finding great difficulty in continuing the canal on the right bank 
of the Mohawk, they were obliged here to carry it to the oppo¬ 
site side by means of an aqueduct-bridge, one thousand one 
hundred and eighty-eight feet in length. This bridge is of wood, 
and is supported by twenty-six stone columns, on account of 
which, they have placed a chevaux-de-frise , to keep off the 
ice in the river about one hundred yards off. The part of this 
wooden canal, which contains the water, is about twenty feet 
wide and has a tow-path eight feet wide on one side. These 
wooden aqueducts will probably soon require repairing, and there 
is no doubt but that they will ultimately be obliged to build them 
of iron. The canal is cut through the rocks, almost the whole 
distance, where it runs along the left bank of the Mohawk, 
and presents a very handsome appearance. Twelve miles farther 
on, it returns again to the right bank of the Mohawk by a simi¬ 
lar aqueduct, seven hundred and forty-eight feet in length and 
supported by sixteen piers. Above this aqueduct, which is also 
protected by a chevaux-de-frise , there is a common wooden 
bridge thrown over the river, for wagons. Four miles farther 
on is Schenectady, where we arrived after sunset. Between this 
town and Albany, we passed no less than twenty-seven locks. 
These, though they are built of solid lime-stone, will soon re¬ 
quire repairing, as the water passes through them in various places. 
The gates also lock badly, so that the water which percolates 
forms artificial cascades. The country through which we passed 
to-day was generally wild and hilly, and somewhat thinly settled. 
Schenectady is an old town containing about five thousand in¬ 
habitants, and is intersected by the canal. At this place we left 
the packet-boat, in order to proceed to Utica next morning in 
another boat, and found excellent lodgings at Given’s hotel, which, 
after the great heat we had endured during the day, was exceed¬ 
ingly agreeable. Its inhabitants are, in part, descendants of the 
Lower Saxons, and some of them whom I saw at the tavern con¬ 
versed with me in bad Dutch. Early on the next morning we 
walked through the town, and visited Union College, which 
consists of two large buildings situated a short distance from the 
town upon a little eminence. It was the time of vacation, and 
consequently it was perfectly silent. From its decaying appear¬ 
ance, I should judge the college was not in a very prosperous 
condition. From this building you have a beautiful view of the 
