of the day.
Mr. Weld remained in Albany for a few days, and then set off for
Skenesborough, upon Lake Champlain, in a carriage hired for the purpose.
In about two hours he arrived at the small village of _Cohoz_, close to
which is a remarkable cataract in the _Mohawk River_. This river takes
its rise to the north-east of Lake Oneida, and, after a course of one
hundred and forty miles, joins the Hudson about ten miles above Albany.
The _Cohoz fall_ is about three miles from the mouth of this river, and
at a place where its width is about three hundred yards: a ledge of
rocks extends quite across the stream, and from the top of these the
water falls about fifty feet perpendicular: the line of the fall, from
one side of the river to the other, is nearly straight. The appearance
of this cataract varies much, according to the quantity of water: when
the river is full, the water descends in an unbroken sheet from one bank
to the other; but, at other times, the greater part of the rocks is left
uncovered.
From this place Mr. Weld proceeded along the banks of the _Hudson
River_, and, late in the evening, reached _Saratoga_, thirty-five miles
from Albany. This place contained about forty houses; but they were so
scattered, that it had not the least appearance of a town.
Near Saratoga, on the borders of a marsh, are several remarkable mineral
springs: one of these, in the crater of a rock, of pyramidical form, and
about five feet in height, is particularly curious. This rock seems to
have been formed by the petrifaction of the water; and all the other
springs are surrounded by similar petrifactions.
Of the works thrown up at Saratoga, during the war, by the British and
American armies, there were now scarcely any remains. The country around
was well cultivated, and most of the trenches had been levelled by the
plough. Mr. Weld here crossed the Hudson River, and proceeded, for some
distance, along its eastern shore. After this the road was most
wretched, particularly over a long causeway, which had been formed
originally for the transporting of cannon. This causeway consisted of
large, trees laid side by side. Some of them being decayed, great
intervals were left, in which the wheels of the carriage were sometimes
locked so fast, that the horses alone could not possibly extricate them.
The woods on each side of the road had a much more majestic appearance
than any that Mr. Weld had seen since he had left Philadelphia. This
|