filence and folitude of the wilderness. Our route lay along an Indian pathway which conducted us to lake Erie. There is an intereft which the mind feels in the remoteness of fituation, and in the pleasure of contemplating scenes which wear all the graces of nature in her primitive attire, that will scarcely yield to the most picturefque charms of culture and population.

Traverfing thefe wilds, and obferving often nothing but an immenfe foreft around me, where the cultivated fpots comparatively upon a smaller scale are no more than a few fquare feet cut out of a field of ftanding wheat, I could not help anticipating that time, when the gloom and folitude of the woods will give place to a peopled and fmiling landscape.Though probably I fhall be in my grave before that happens, it is difficult to attach the idea of independent existence to individual bodies-we live in each other, and the future as much as in ourselves, and I exclude the narrow idea, that would confine all my views within the confines of my own day. No! the increafe and expansion of human being and happiness afford the brighteft views in the perfpective of the mind. Through many a weary mile, enveloped in the fhades of unpenetrated woods, by indulging in fancy a rational picture of the future, I beguiled the tedium of my journey, I could not contemplate without emotions of pleafure, that these inhofpitable tracts of foreft, deftined by nature for the bleffings of the human race, in the course of a few revolutions of our globe in its orbit fhall be transformed by culture into a country where future generations will experience all the comforts and all the embellishments of life; and I amufed myself often in imagining, that the rural beauties of my native country would one day adorn thefe hills and valleys now covered with an endlefs unprofitable foreft of trees.

There appear to me through this wildernefs two diftinct characteristic tracts of country-one of a moift rich foil, where the beech associates with the maple; the other of a light or fandy nature, covered with fern or wild grafs, and extending in beautiful plains or natural parks, interfperfed with groves of poplars, chefnuts, and white oaks. The latter tracts of country, from the name of an extenfive morafs and the creek in their vicinity, I apprehend must have originally abounded with buffaloes; but they have at prefent difappeared. Thefe Buffalo plains, which extend far west, are extremely pleafing to

the eye, and give one an idea of the greateft refinement in rural scenery. The first night of our journey across the defart, we flept in a fort of log house-but on the fecond, after travelling between fixty and feventy miles, we halted in the midit of a fine plain. Overcome by fatigue, I took my saddle from my horfe as a pillow, and lay down on the roots of a large oak.There was fomething, however, fo awful and interesting to me, in a fituation per fectly new, that I fcarcely wished to compofe myself to fleep. The night was calm and ftarlight; a tall wood at a diftánce caft a folemn fhade before us; and while my companions were in fleep, I lay all night in contemplation, attentive to the deep filence of the gloomy regions furrounding us, which was fometimes interrupted by the howling of wolves and the wild and fhrill cries of the Indians. Notwithstanding Mr. Buffon will not allow the panther to be a native of America, it is very confidently faid to have been seen in thefe parts; but I confefs, I never met any perfon who could affert it upon unequivocal teftimony. The American wolf, which is a diminutive species, formerly inhabited every part of this and the adjoining ftates. So great was the number of wolves at the early fettlements to the fouth-eaft, that when the fmallpox first committed its ravages amongst the Indians, attracted by the peftilential ftench of the putrid bodies, they affembled round the Indian castles and devoured the helplefs fick. From this animal it is fufpected the Indian dog derives his race- -although domefticated for a length of time, he still retains fome of the features and ferocity of his progenitors. From the liberal bounties given by the western counties of this ftate for wolves' heads, they will soon probably be deftroyed.

On our arrival at Buffalo creek, we met with a party of furveyors and fome of the chiefs of the Six Nations, who were employed in adjusting the boundaries of a tract of three million acres of land lately purchafed from the Indians by a company of Dutch proprietors. At the mouth of the creek we beheld a beautiful and extenfive profpect of lake Erie. The promontory of Cape Abineau fronted us at a confiderable diftance on the Canadian fide of the lake; on the fouth the fhore pre fented an extended curve of hills in remote perfpective, and on the weft we beheld nothing but an unbounded waste of water. The whole was very much like a hand, fome view of the fea; but the tall and, fpreading trees which line the banks, di

minish much the defolate and bleak appearance of the fea-coaft, and give a peculiar character to the fcenery. We proceeded along the fandy fhore of the lake, till we reached its outlet communicating with lake Ontario; and here we were ferried over a very rapid ftream below Fort Erie to Upper Canada.

FALLS OF NIAGARA.

I now felt that lively intereft excited in me which it is natural to experience on approaching one of the greatest wonders of the world. The landfcape about us fo magnificently wild-the number of Indians difperfed over it-the profpect of the grand lake, all confpired to tell me I was in that romantic country defcribed by the firft travellers in America.

The waters of Lake Erie iffue, through an outlet on its eastern extremity over an horizontal bed of lime-ftone rocks, and running in a northern courfe through a channel between one and two miles wide, and down the falls at Niagara, empty themfelves into lake Ontario. The land on the fouth of this great lake is confiderably elevated, and the waters of the principal rivers flowing into it from that quarter, (fuch as the Black river, the Genefee, and the Ofwego) fall in cataracts before they iffue into the lake. On the banks of the out-let from lake Erie, the country is generally level, and continues fo for the most part till within a fhort distance of lake Ontario. The traveller then finds himfelf on a high ftation, floping towards the north, which commands the view of a magnificent expanfe of country, and ex. tends a great distance from eaft to weft, forming a large embankment as it were to lake Ontario. The river, at the distance of feven or eight miles from this fteep, defcends to the level of its bafe, and appears to have wrought a natural canal through the folid ftrata of horizontal rocks, which form high cliffs on each of its fhores from the falls at Niagara.

On the Canadian fide of the river, the land has been recently cleared of its wood. The oppofite fhore is totally uncultivated. We rode from lake Erie along the weftern banks of this out-let, which, branching out, forms a large ifland in its courfe, till we reached the block-house and village at. Chippewa. At the diftance of about ten miles, we diftin&tly heard the thunder of the great cataract at Niagara, and obferv. ed a thick cloud rifing to the northward. The out-let being a fine expanfe of water, about two miles wide, flows ferenely between the level and woody banks of Chippewa and Fort Schloeffer on the defart fhore

of the state of New York. The principal body of water then fuddenly takes a bend to the weftward, and precipitates itfelf in foaming furges over an immenfe bed of rocks for the distance of nearly half a mile, till it tumbles at the great falls. Part of the river, without effentially altering its courfe, paffes along the eastern fhore, and leaves an ifland which fevers its channel over the rocks till it has fallen down the steep. Standing on the Canadian fhore, which becomes elevated as the river defcends, and where it makes a curve paffing down the rapids; the profpect before me was truly majeftic. The fmooth and tranquil courfe of the waters along the woody fhore of Fort Schloeffer, about two miles above; the finall and picturefque islands, covered with cedars, which are formed by a part of the river winding round the rapids; the foam and impetuofity of the water bursting over the rocks, prefented an affemblage of grand and beautiful objects, forming a picture unequalled by any thing I ever beheld in nature. Having fufficiently gazed on this divine fcene; in order to have a full and perfect view of the falls below, I found it neceffary to go fome diflance roundPaffing under a heavy shower of rain, caufed by the fpray of the falls, and proceeding through a thick wood of pines, I found myself on the brink of an awful precipice, which overhung the river, boiling below in tremendous agitation after its fall. The whole of the stream after its defcent refumes nearly its original courfe; but it falls in two divifions into an immenfe bafon, from the bottom of which you obferve one part of the great cataract falling, on the fouth fide, over a concave ledge of rocks; and on the eastern fide, the other divifion of the falling river feparated by an ifland covered with large trees, and fupported on a base of rocks nearly 150 feet high. Having defcended with fome difficulty to the river, I clambered to the top of a rock which commands the whole of this ftupendous fcene. After lifting my eyes to the fublime and awful fpectacle of the great falls to the north, I involuntarily caft them down, overpowered by a fentiment of amazement mingled with terror. The greater body of this deep river, two miles wide, appears flowing to the centre of a femicircle, where it rushes into conflict and falls with a fury and impetuofity which the eye cannot fol low or fuftain. The recoil is almost as terrible as the fall, and the whole of the river below feems volatilised in one ftorm of foam and fpray, which covers the sheet

of

of defcending water, and iffues in a heavy cloud to a confiderable height in the air. For fome time I felt doubtful as to the folidity of the ftation where I ftood. The horrid and unremitting peal of thunder which rebellows from the furrounding cliffs, is not a little heightened by the menacing afpect of the whole scene refembling one huge ruin. The falls on the NorthEaft of the island prefent an immenfe fight, where the beautiful predominates in the fublime; but the awe which fuch a tremendous body rufhing headlong down excites; the violence of its fall feeming to fhake the furrounding mountains, whofe entrails are torn from them and flung in difordered fragments on the fhore; the frequent and irregular blasts of wind rufhing at every moment from different quarters; the fhort and convulfive waves of the river beating on the rocks, render the whole at first as terrible as it is ftupendous. It is impoffible by any effort of fancy to heighten a fubject fo truly fublime. We may look at it with awe and aftonishment, returning deeply impreffed with admiration of the magnitude of the work and the omnipotence of the Creator; but to communicate any adequate idea of the feelings excited by the mighty traits in the aspect of this grand fcene, would require analogies which are not to be found in the imagery of the mind.

The body of rocks over which the greater divifion of the waters glides from the plane above (receding fomewhat in the form of a horfe-fhoe) is fo excavated, as to admit of a perfon's påffing without danger immediately under the river as it falls. I afcended the fhelving bafe of the cliffs on the North fhore, and walked under their fhelter to a point of projection which immediately covers the falls. But in attempting to pass round, I was affailed by a blast of wind and rain, fo violent, that I found it impoffible to proceed. An inhabitant in the vicinity of the rapids informed us, that according to his obfervation, taken by a poplar tree on the bank of this fhore, the falls had worn away the rocks and receded fix rods in the courfe of eight years. On the oppofite fhore, the channel has undoubtedly increafed in depth; for the paffage over the rapids to the iland has been heretofore effected, which at prefent is deemed impracticable. * Recent inftances are not wanting, of perfons, who from in

Thefe facts justify an opinion which I recollect to have heard fuggefted by M. De Volney, that the falls, originally commenced at the ridge of highlands feveral miles below. MONTHLY MAG, No, XLIX.

advertence have been precipitated down the falls. Some few years ago, an In dian lying afleep in his canoe, by accident or defign was fet adrift, and floated down with the current till he was awakened by the roaring of the rapids, where the water first bursts into a cataract. He then rofe and extended his arms with horror and aftonishment; but remembering that dignified refolution with which it has ever been the pride of his countrymen to meet death in the most dreadful fhapes, and having covered his head with his blanket, he compofedly fat in his canoe, glanced down the rapids, and was plunged into the tremendous abyfs. What can be the refiftance of the human body to fuch a force of defcending water, when large bodies of trees, which have gone down, are found hurled upon the fhore beneath, twisted and splintered into a thoufand pieces. All the vegetable fubftances below the falls are covered with a white down; and in the interftices, between fome calcareous and fhiftous rocks, where the water oozes from the cliffs, I found confiderable quantities of fpuma maris. In the vicinity of the rapids a hot fulphureous fpring was fome time fince difcovered.

Thefe falls have been called Niagara, Jagara, and Ochniagara by the Indians. Some Cayuga chiefs informed me that the true name (perhaps in their language) is Ochniagara, an old compound word fignifying a large neck of water. Having heard that a fuperftitious reverence had been paid to this fublime fubject by the Indians, I was inclined to trace its etymology in fome words characteristic of the deity; and I found that Nioh in a vocabulary of the language of the Mohawks and Onondagas, fignified God. But I could not find any other probable word to juftify an etymology by conjunction.— Below the falls, the ftream is extremely vortiginous, and fo rapid, as not to admit of navigation, independent of an extraordinary turn, about five miles from Niagara, where the whole body of the water wheels round, and forms a tremendous whirlpool. The high ridge of land which I before mentioned, at a short distance below Niagara, commands a majestic view, comprehending the western part of lake Ontario, the ftream running into it from lake Erie, and an extenfive country to the Weft. At a great diftance on the north of lake Ontario, on which York Town or Toranto is fituated, the prefent feat of government of Upper Canada, the fore rifes into view, and prefents a line of ele4 K

vated

vated hills, defcribing, for near fifty miles, the northern boundaries of the lake. In the intermediate space, you diftinctly fee the fite of Newark, at the northern point of the outlet, on its entrance into the lake, and the fortrefs of Niagara on its eastern fhore.

Such is the prefent state of this interefting country, as far as my obfervations enable me to reprefent it. The fugitive tints of the pictures I have attempted to delineate, from the viciffitudes of the wonder-working powers of human labour, will in the courfe of a few years change or disappear; and if the memorial of them I have given be juft, it may then be a matter of fome curiofity to compare the future with the past.

OF THE INDIANS.

On our return we croffed the outlet at Queenstown, afcended the high ridge as it runs east, and having paffed two Tuscarora villages, encamped at the entrance of a large and almost impaffable morafs. The next day we arrived at another fettlement on the Tonnewanto rivulet, inhabited by the Seneca Indians. I felt extremely happy in the midst of the defart, to find myself in this inhabited little fpot. All the principal men were gone from their homes for the purpose of running the lines of ninety fquare miles which had been referved to them in the fale to the Hall and Company; and we found only the old men, women and children in the vil lage. Their huts, which they conftru&t of hewn planks covered with bark, are generally about 30 or 40 feet long, 15 wide, and as many high. In examining one of the most confiderable, we paffed through an outer fhed, in front of which was a feat where they fat funning themfelves. The interior fomewhat refembled the long cabin of a packet-boat. each fide was a line of four bed-places covered with deer fkins, with a bench running before them. Two fires were burning on the earthen floor in the area, and emitted their fmoke through holes in the roof. Above the beds was a floored granary containing their winter's provifion of maize,which, with fome precarious fupplies obtained by hunting and fifhing, is their conftant and only food. I difcovered no other implements of domeftic ufe than two or three iron kettles, fome bafkets, and cups made of dried gourds. Several families are lodged under one roof. Their plantations of corn were about two miles diftant. It is remarkable that all their domeftic and agricultural concerns are managed by the women. The men, de

On

lighting in the prerogatives of indolence and pleafure, are employed principally in hunting and lounging about.

The Six Nations, of whom this tribe conftitutes one, have shifted their habitations from spot to spot, and this village, among others, is of recent fettlement. They do not at prefent much cultivate the art of war; but their warriors still appear with tomahawks in their hands and cafed knives in their girdles. In general they are of innocent difpofitions, and in their daily intercourfe with the inhabitants of the United States we hear of few inftances of any ferocious irregularity of behaviour. I did not find that the rules of commutative juftice were either fettled or enforced amongst them by any regular authority. I liftened with a fmile to the account of their marriage and funeral rites.-But this fubject has been fo often treated (and fo completely by Cadwallader Colden, in his hiftory of these nations) that I find nothing left to add. I fhall only remark, as a fact falling within my obfervation-That, however rude and comfortlefs the fituation of the Indian of thefe parts may appear to us, he feels no difpofition to change. Inftances are not wanting of those who having been removed to a different hemifphere returned to their beloved and native woods, from which no temptations could eftrange them. The civilized emigrant comes often into the defart as deftitute as the Indian himself, but fuperior energies of mind and well directed labour foon render his abode there a matter of choice as well as convenience. The favage,

without any defire to imitate, looks with contempt on the exertions as well as therewards of his industry, and envies him no other poffeffion but his rum.

It is a very interesting subject of speculation to an inquifitive mind, to trace the different gradations of improvement which our nature undergoes from the fin plicity of favage life to our prefent extremes of luxury and refinement. We fee here a race of people apparently enjoying as much real happiness in the fimple gratification of the first wants of nature, as our more efteemed focieties in the full poffeffion of all that the arts, the knowledge, and the acquirements of our European ancestors in the lapfe of many centuries have bequeathed to us. To queftion, however, the propriety of thefe improvements, would be to overlook the ge-, nius of human nature, which has manifested an unvaried progreffion in fociety. Much as we may figh for that condition

of

It has often occurred to me, that if we were more intimate in our affociations with the Jews, we should fee how capable they are, as well as ourselves, of every friendfhip and efteem; and how much more fuitable to our own profeffions it would be to unite with them as with all mankind in brotherly love; it is unfortunate for us all that we must wait for fome fingular example of benevolence, before we can perfuade ourselves that thofe who differ from us may nevertheless be worthy of every regard; we learn in this too general prejudice, to forget the precepts of him we pretend to ferve, who has told us, that all are formed by the hand of one Almighty benefactor; and we need not an example, that the virtues of our faith may be found even in a Samaritan, and that good may really come out of Nazareth. Therefore the more we affociate with the Jews, the more we shall benefit

one another.

much, and in many inftances have not any clear and decided judgment of an exact distinction.

The office of priesthood is always preferved to thofe who are defcendants of Aaron-many of whom are diftinguished by the furname of "Cohen," which fignifies prieft; all the Cohens are, or fuppofe themselves to be, lineal defcendants of Aaron, and retain in their families the right to the priesthood, and the privileges of Aaron's family, amongst which is that of not interfering in matters relative to the dead-they do not perform any offices about the body, or attend the burials. All Jewish priests are of these defcendants of Aaron. And the Elders of these families pronounce once or oftener every year, in the fynagogue, the bleffing upon their families, which is recorded in Numbérs vi, v. 22, which they maintain as an ordinance from God peculiarly to them, as follows:

"And the Lord fpake unto Mofes, faying, -Speak unto Aaron and unto his fons, fay ing, On this wife ye fhall bless the children of Ifrael, faying unto them,-The Lord bless thee, and keep thee:-the Lord make his face fhine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee, and give thee peace! And they fhall thee: the Lord lift up his countenance upon put my name upon the children of Ifrael, and

I will blefs them."

Thus it appears, that the office of W. H. P. feems to imagine; but on the priesthood is not in the family of Levi, as attendant upon the Priesthood, and in contrary, the Levites are, and were only for it will be remembered, that Levi, and fome of the leffer offices of the Temple— his brother Simeon, fons of Jacob and Leah, were fcattered over all Ifrael, and had no fhare in the divifion of Canaan, but only fome cities in the portions of other tribes; for having united in the fin and mifchief of an unjust war; and therefore when their father Jacob bleffed Levi's fons, he rebuked Levi and Simeon for their combination and cruelty; adding, "Curfed be their anger, for it was fierce; and their wrath, for it was cruel. I will divide them in Jacob, and featter them in Ifrael." Gen. xlvi. v. 11, and xlix. v. 5, 6.

It has been generally believed, that the priesthood was in the family of Levi; but if we turn to the hiftory of Aaron, we fhall find that the title to it was confirmed by a miracle to Aaron alone. For in the revolt of Korah, Dathan and Abiram against Moles and Aaron's government, it was afferted by Korah, that the priesthood belonged to him as much as to Aaron, 4 K 2

both