lections
connect with this race, than a first rencontre with the outcasts by whom
it is represented on these frontiers, who daily degenerate where all
else seems to thrive, and who perish in the midst of an abundance,
which, for all but them, increases with each year.

I am not sure whether it would not be more humane to deal upon the
natives as summarily as with their forests; for the fall of the former
before the advance of civilization is not, though slower, less certain.

They may at present be likened to girdled trees, about whose vigorous
trunk the axe of the woodman is but lightly drawn, yet whose fall is
assured past remedy; the springs of health and life are stopped, upon
their fading leaves the sun rises and heaven's dews descend in vain; for
a little while they continue to wave their naked crests in the gale, and
hold forth their gaunt limbs as if life were in them, objects exciting
at once commiseration and disgust; until, crumbled into decay, the
unseemly skeletons lie prostrate athwart the roots of their once
fellows, who were stricken down in their bloom, and so perished by a
quicker and more merciful sentence.

NIAGARA.

I felt interested with Buffalo, and had promised myself much pleasure
from a visit to the country occupied by a branch of the Seneca tribe in
its neighbourhood; but Niagara was now within a few hours,--the great
object of the journey was almost in sight. I was for ever fancying that
I heard the sound of the "Thunder-water"[12] booming on the breeze; so,
with a restlessness and anxiety not to be suppressed, I got into the
coach on the day after my arrival at the capital of the lakes, and was
in a short time set down on the bank of the swift river Niagara, at the
ferry, which is some four miles from Buffalo.

We found the little rapids about the shore occupied by fishers of all
ages, who required but a small share of the patience which is deemed so
essential a qualification to the followers of this melancholy sport, for
they were pulling the simple wretches out as fast as the lines could be
baited and offered.

The shipment was quickly effected, and in a few minutes our faces were
turned from the dominion of the States. The vessel was a large
horse-boat; that is, a flat propelled by paddle-wheels similar to those
of a steam-boat, only wrought by horse-power,--an animal tread-mill in
fact. Whether the horses working this were here on good behaviour, or
not, I could not rightl