New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-08-17
For The Tribune.
I TFE ON THE NEW-YORK CANALS
EXTRACT FROM A RoArMAs's LOG BOOK.


Ranley's Basin, miles ives: Of Rome Here
the alluvian hills are but little elevated above
the morass. The geologist might despair IN the
absence OF all rock bat the botanlst will here ilnd
a redundant vegetable creation TO employ his IA
bors among the trees the Ulmus Aqnatico-
Pinps Canadensis. and Ascer Rubrum abound :;
the surface Of the earth is bat gently rolling with
:. continual occurrence of impractlcable soughs,
the soil black with vegetable matter, the sub
soil, generally q gravelly loam. German hmm,
grants are making some good improvements aho
vegetable gardens along the banks OF the cai'aI ~
this swamp they cannot chop down lne t1hpef
as fast as the Yankees, but they DO IL WIN greater
neatncss; they sell every stick OF the Woo, oitch
and drain the clearing, the cute car keeps her
Garden az neat as her kitchen. llailed woman
e,tber;no her onions lcie cell rerkauft sic tSicb
ler-this brought the whole family, old andyoung,
70 the boat Strange as 1t may seem, single
sentence Of German Will empty one of these log
cabins of its inmates-speak to them OF their ma
tive land and every muscle OF thelr overnight
features rcaxes in a moment; the cute rrau's
eve plistens with sympathetic tear, and the III
tie kinaer sent forth jocund laugh as II they
too were interested in their parents love tor the
Vatcriaad. The German immigrants are more
thrifty than those Of any other nation hey are
not only more industrious and economical, but
Their wants are fewer and more simple; a German
will bear prosperity better than any other nun
neither the worlds foles, nor It's fashions, have
any power to ose them out Of their early &C
CURED habits OF industry and absteinious living
But on the other hand, If German has acquired
a bad habit, he cliugs TO 1t with the same pecu-
liar tenacily. There are no people who have
withstood the Temperance Reform in the United
States with so much tenaclty as the native Ger
man population.
Started at 2 A. NJ, passed Rome before the day
broke, stopped to feed at tavern now kept by an
English landlord-his wife wore the brcechcs--
The house was full of blacklegs; there had been
Ii shooting match there the day before, and the
carron crows had not left the ground. Passed
Ofiskany, and Whesborough to Uuca. Here |
witnessed great struggle for passengers between
the Railroad and the Packet runners The rall
cars 90 the quickest; but DR.. Frankln's doctrine
that time is money! only applied to his own age,
when mems hands had to do that which steam
docs now ODcr producti0n was an unknown
thing in Franln's day but now, when the more
Il man does the wo sc he is off, he begins to lind
that time lost IN travelling Is no loss at all, II 1T
does not increase his expenses. Hence a passage
to Syracuse on packet with supper and lodging
gratis is better than shorter passage by the cars,
with supper and lodging to pay for at Syracuse,
As we passed Frankfort Lock at the cast end
Of the long level, two clerks came on board to
sell us bookstores from the adjoining groceries,
Put up this night at Frankfort Bason here the
hills Of the Upper Mohawk begin to approach the
intervules forming now and then ravne similar
to those on the banks of the Cayuga and Seneca
Lakes but with a wide difference IN the soil and
productions. Here the cold sour soil supports
little else than a few stuntcd Cdnadens!S pines,
while in the warm calciferous soil of the Lake
ravincs spring up whole families Of wild flowers
unknown to this snowy region.
This night "a boat came along side of us: the
Captain begged of ME | rose early to give hm
a call. got up at 2 A. Mt took our driver
half an hour TO dress himself after | called hun;
with the help of Il lantern and lamp, 1t appeared
to me that it took him half an hour more to find his
great-coat, cap and mlttens. Alter be had started
for his horses | called the Captain alongside; III
two minutes he out and III the stable;-hs
driver followed and in FIVE minutes his horses
were on the tow-path. Casing Bill was with
our driver and our horses Strengthened up in time
TO take the lock first. In many things boatInan
is very different animal from sailor. The
former must have at least one light to go to bed
with, and two to hunt bis traps with at rising
But the poor slave OF a sailor is glad to turn III
all standing, and he turns out i'll the dark with
curse at his head or cat at his back. He has
no tow path for his refuge. | have often thought
how it would make boatswains Cat laugh 10 see
a canal driver dress himself and make ready to
do his duty, all hands waiting his tardy motion.
In fact the boat and cargo but 100 often at the
mercy of wretched, graceless boy, yclept a
driver. 1t also makes the heart sick to see those
drivers abuse their horses. To their shame be
1t spoken, most OF the line boat Captains, when
they have passengers on board, crowd their teams
numerically. To effect this they are continually
bribing the driver oput on the lash have heard
one driver taunt another for thus whipping his
team for the sake of a skGlc Ga shilling.) 81 get
a quarter" replied the delinquent When you
see troupe OF horses going Oft the Canal IN the
fall, lame CALLED and worn to skin and bones, ask
an old Canal driver what has reduced them 10
this, and ne will tell you that they have eaten too
many shad skaleS. We now come to Herkiner,
situated in the midst of broad, rich ntervales. 1t
does me good TO look at this rural village without
a palace, a bank or Il prison. Here every man
has his corn.patch, and his meadow here nature
is all bountiiui with her choicest alluvials, and
man is satisfied with the soils product. The
tricks OF trade, It's osillng competitions its demon.
all2lng effects It's revusions, disturb HIM not
AT Little Falls the flats Of the Upper Mohawk
come TO a sudden termination here perpendicu.
lar carbonlzed sandstone rock stands up from lis
primitive base OF granite more than two hundred
feet. 1t IN this sandstone, when decomposcd
that those pure crystals occur which are hawked
about for sale by the children at Lyale Falls, un.
der the name OF diamonds. Directly below Lit
tie Falls the intervales again commence; but the
farming is more sloyenly. Along she fences the
alder, alneS tncona, and the poisonous cicuta,
abound in an undisurbcd uxuriance. The wild
mustard also invades both the summer and win,
ter crops \ break at the lock below Fort PLAIN
detained us hall day, during which time there