74 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA: 
lias been ascertained beyond doubt, that the 
Pittsburgh merchant can have his goods com 
Toyed from New York,, by means of the Hud¬ 
son and Mohawk rivers, to Oswego, and from 
thence by the lakes Ontario and Erie, and the 
Alleghany River, to Pittsburgh, for one third 
of the sum which it costs him to transport them 
by land from Philadelphia, He prefers getting 
them by land, because the route from New 
York is uncertain; his goods may be lost, or 
damaged, or delayed months beyond the time 
he expects them. From Hudson River to the 
Mohawk is a portage of ten miles, or there¬ 
abouts ; and before they can get to Oswego are 
two or three more. At Oswego the goods 
must be shipped on board a vessel suitable for 
navigating the lakes, where they are exposed 
to tempests and contrary winds. At the Falls 
of Niagara is a portage of nine miles more ; 
the goods must here be shipped again on board 
a vessel on Lake Erie, and after arriving at 
Presqu 3 Isle must be conveyed over another 
portage preparatory to their being laden in a 
boat upon the Alleghany River. The whole 
of this route, from New York to Pittsburgh, 
is about eight hundred miles ; that from the 
federal city not much more than half the dis 
tance; if therefore the merchant at Pittsburgh 
can get his goods conveyed from New York 
for one third of what he pays for the carriage 
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