ch, Catfish
reported to be upwards of Two feet long, Eels, Suckers, Pike,
a few shad and some other Sorts not as yet perfectly known.
The Bait now used is Pidgeon's Flesh or Guts, for Worms are
scarce. The Land Frogs or Toads are very large, spotted with
green and yellow, Bears and Deer are Common.... Muscetoes &
Gnats are now troublesome. We observed a natural Strawberry
Patch before Croghan's Door which is at present in bloom, we
found the Ground Squirrels and small red squirrels very
numerous and I approached near to one Rabbit whose Face
appeared of a blac Colour.

"25th. We finished and launched our Canoe into the Lake. She
is 32 feet 7 inches in Length and 2 Feet 4 inches broad....

"27th. ... We engaged Joseph Brant, the Mohawk, to go down
with us to Aquahga. Last night a drunken Indian came and
kissed Col. Croghan and me very joyously. Here are Natives of
different Nations almost continually. They visit the Deputy
Superintendent as Dogs to the Bone, for what they can get....

"We found many petrified Shells in these Parts, & sometimes on
the Tops of High Hills.... Col. Croghan showed us a piece of
Copper Ore, as supposed. The Indian who gave it to him said he
found it on our Tract.... Col. C says that some of his Cows
were out in the Woods all last Winter without Hay, and they
now look well....

"The Col. had a Cargo of Goods arrived to-day, such as Hogs,
Poultry, Crockery ware, and Glass. The settled Indian Wages
here are 4s a Day, York Currency, being Half a Dollar.

"28th. Sunday. I had an Opportunity of inspecting the Bark
Canoes often used by the Natives; these Boats are constructed
of a single sheet of Bark, stripped from the Elm, Hiccory, or
Chesnut, 12 or 14 Feet long, and 3 or 4 Feet broad, and sharp
at each End, and these sewed with thongs of the same Bark. In
Lieu of a Gunnel, they have a small Pole fastned with Thongs,
sticks across & Ribs of Bark, and they deposit Sheets of Bark
in her Bottom to prevent Breaches there. These vessels are
very light, each broken and often patched with Pieces of Bark
as well as corked with Oakum composed of pounded Bark.

"The Col. talks of building a Saw Mill and Grist Mill here on
the Susquehannah, near his House, and has had a Millwright to
view the Spot.

"29