NIAGARA* 
83 
hood of Toronto* on the northern side of the 
lake, but they soon disappeared. Except at 
this place, the shores of the lake are flat and 
sandy* owing to which circumstance it is* that 
in traversing the lake you are generally carried 
out of sight of land in a very fevV hours. 
At day break on the 10th the fort and town 
of Niagara appeared under the lee bow* and 
the wind being favourable, we had every pros¬ 
pect before us of getting up to the town in a 
few hours; but scarcely had we reached the 
bar, at the mouth of Niagara River, when the 
wind suddenly shifted, and after endeavouring 
in vain to cross it by means of tacking, we were 
under the necessity of casting anchor at the 
distance of about two miles from the fort. The 
fort is seen to great advantage from the water ; 
but the town being built parallel to the river* 
and no part of it visible to a spectator on the 
lake* except the few shabby houses at the 
nearest end, it makes but a very poor appear¬ 
ance. Having breakfasted* and exchanged out 
habits de voyage, for such as it was proper to 
appear in at the capital of Upper Canada, and 
at the center of the beau monde of the province, 
the schooner *s vawl was launched, and we were 
landed, together with such of the passengers 
as were disposed to go on shore* at Mississaguis 
Point, from whence there is an agreeable walk 
of one mile, partly through woods, to the tow n 
of Niagara* 
4T” 
/w 
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