Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1843-04-15

1
scence of former days, and the renewal of old
friendship could inspire.
Route to New Buiiao--Sail to Erie-De-
parture by stage FOR Pittsburgh--Thc trials OF
that conveyance--Comparison OF old Scotch
roads--Wildness of country between Erie aud
Pittsburgh Indian corn---Stock---Diiii-
cult ascents---Anival a, Pittsburgh.
May, 1871.
| HAVING resolved to return to New York by
route different from that which came, sail
ed for Lewiston at seven o'clock OF the morn
ing of the 10Th of June, and thence proceeded
by the railway forty miles to Buffalo, which,
travelling over an uninviting country, reached
about six o'clock in the evening.
Buffalo, from "small beginnings" has risen
during the present century TO town OF great
trade and wealth; having population Of co.
900, with spacious streets, handsome shops,
numerous public buildings, and exhibiting all
the life and activity of busy and thriving
shpping-place, from whence trade is carried on
with all the western and southern States.
AT nine o'clock ON the llth, embarked in
a steamer on the Lake for the town of Erie. The
sail was delightful, the vessel having been
steered near enough the land TO afford view
of beautiful country enriched by cultivation
and enlivenod by numerous handsome man
sions interspersed among the fields and forests.
At Erie, small country town, possessing
no remarkable feature, ! arrived a, six o'clock,
and remained all night.
| Next morning at 8 o'clock, SGT off fos Pitts.
burgh, distant 1870 miles, and, although had
hoped for exemption from REPETITION of the
trials Of an American stage.coach, here found
myself once more compelled to submii to them
as, in travelling fnom Erie to Pittsburgh, ] had
no choice but to take my seat in one of those
rude and rickeiy machines, carrying nine pas
sengers, all slowed inside, in three rows, as
! formerly described, and to submit, so circum-
stanced. 10 be joled over one Of the worst roads
on which wheels ever rolled.
| can remember since the roads in Scotland
were so bad that travelling in post-chase was
a usual thing, when any one projected the
shortest journey, to make interest to procure
for the occasion the services Of the most exper.
post-boy at the Inn, as aifording some security
against the common catastrophe of an upset;
but the Scotch roads Of that period were bow
ling greens in comparison with those which
it was now my doom to be dragged over.
Nor was the ipiucundity Of the conveyance
relieved by any ameDi,y in the country through
which we podded, it being for the greater part
a continued forest, with now and then, In the
wilderness. portion ofland of 100 or 200 acres,
cleared in the toughest manner, and cropped a.
mong the remaining stumps with wheat, clo-
yer, and Indian corn, by farmers apparently in
small way, and generally dwelling in un'
omfortable-looking Lighthouses. This vast
track Of country, few years ago, was Con
gress land. bat is now all disposed of, and in
progress of clearing.
The wheat crops in our course looked well.
and also, i'll might Judge, the Indian corn. The
latter, may here mention, is grown IN rows,
having space Of four feet between every two,
and the plants in the rows three feet assunder,
two seeds. as | learned, being always dibbled
into each hole. The land may thus be very
elfectualy horse and hand-hoed, and, indeed,
it appeared 10 me, that no crop had ever seen
admits Of so thorough working OF the land IN
summer as this does.
could not, however, learn whether Indian
corn is fould TO be an exhausting crop, 80 sex
hauslnp crop" seems not to be a term in au
American farmers vocabulary; al least II has
not been yet recognized 10 his language, al
though a persistence in bis present manage
ment may ere long illustrate its meaning. From
the class to which this plant belongs, 1t should
be inferred, that il is 10 be included among de-
ierioraling crops.
The stock | observed in the course OF this
part Of my tour, were, 10 general, poor half
starved animals, showing as usual, on the part
Of the owners, woful deficiency 10 this branch
Of rural economy.
The pensnce Of this journey was not con-
fined to our being dragged over the rocks, large
stones, stumps. hsles, and qusgs, which every
where gave an interesting diversity TO ths sur
face Of the road. With all these in the way,
we had to toll up the mountains approaching
nearer 10 the perpendicular than any over which
had vet seen carriage road conducted, and
generally iihsppened. that, when we had sur
mounted and Defended one mountain, another,
high, rugged, and erect, Immediately occurred,
and seemed 10 bid defiance to our further pro-
press. Bot must own the views from these
eminences were certainly Of the grandest des-
cription, and afforded some recomPense for The
toll Of obiaining them.
/, was however with great Joy ] at leag'h
found myself at Pittsburgh al half-pass nine