o Utica.
The day was fine and pleasant. They regretted that it was too late, upon
their return thither, to visit a hydrostatic lock designed to weigh the
boats which pass on the canal. Having seen enough of the canal, and
being anxious to see the newly-settled country between this place and
Niagara, they continued their journey the next day in the stage coach.
With this intention they left Utica at four o'clock in the morning, and
the same day arrived at Auburn, distant seventy-three miles. They passed
through twelve villages on their route from Utica to Auburn. Between
Manchester and Vernon day dawned, and they found themselves in a rather
wild country, in the midst of a wilderness. Behind the village of
Oneida, the road led along a considerable hill, from which they had a
beautiful view of Oneida lake, which presented the appearance of a large
stream. Here there were a number of extensive prospects, which, however,
as there was but little cultivated land and few houses, were rather
uniform. Something further on, after they had left Oneida, they came to
a small lake, called Salt Lake, which is in the midst of a forest, and
has on its banks three picturesquely situated towns, Liverpool, Salina,
and Syracuse. At Salina are rich salt springs, the water of which is
collected in reservoirs, and it is evaporated by the heat of the sun to
procure the salt. Beyond Sullivan they passed through the village of
Chitteningo. A branch of the Erie canal forms a kind of harbour at this
place. They dined at Manlius, a new village. From the canal, which forms
an angle here, they drove in a southerly direction in order to keep on
the plains. The two Onondago villages are pleasant places.
Beyond Marcellus the night unfortunately closed in, which prevented
their seeing Skaneateles Lake, as well as the town of the same name.
About nine o'clock in the evening they arrived at Auburn, and found good
accommodations at one of the public houses.
At four o'clock next morning they again set out in the stage coach for
Rochester, distant sixty-nine miles. It was just day-light when they
arrived in the vicinity of Cayuga, on the lake of the same name. This
lake empties into the Seneca river, which afterwards unites with the
Mohawk. They crossed the lake, not far from its mouth, on a wooden
bridge one mile in length. On the opposite side of the lake is a large
toll-house. At a short distance from this they arrived at Seneca Falls,
so called in con
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