The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1859-08-24
GN LAKE ONTARIO, Aup 8 1880

On LAKE ONTARIO, Aug 5, 1859.
commcEcc this letter on board the
steamer Zimmerman, which ruus from Lew
iston on the American side of the Niagara
River, TO Toronto on the Canada side of
Lake Ontario. Lewiston is a small Village,
: or 8 miles down the river fir ON the Falls.
The road runs all the way on the bank md
some places very near the prccipicc. The
motion of the boat is smooth and | can
write with us much ease ~ | could in nv
room. There are not Il great many passrn-
| gers on borcd. However, have no; as vet,
been through the boat. Lewiston is 6 or
: miles from the take proper. Iou have a
| full view of Brock : monument, on the Can.
ada side, rs YOU come down the river and
also from Lewiston. The village of
! Queenstown is opposite Lewiston and il
was at Queenstown that Gen Brock Of the
British army fell in the war of 1872 There
is another suspension bridge connecting
those two villages. At the mouth of Nj
agara and the comm, nccment of Lake On.
tarIo ~ niagara Village, on the Canada
side Here our boat stopped and took in
number OF passengers. many Of whom
started with me from the Falls, but tbc
tickets being different, pursued different
routes. Here we entered the beautiful On.
! tarlo l.ake-t WAS smooth and the sniI
Pile SAINT and delightful. Fort Niagara is
on the American side at the junction or the
river and lake | said could write ON In,
boat, but will take it back nnd conclnd,
this letter on land. The nest stoppinr poini
is Toronto, consider, able city with Il pop.
n!a'Ion of about 10000. Parliament meets
at Toront" and Quebec alternately. but
hereafter th" seat gf Government. has been
permanently located at Ottiwa CITY, on the
Ouiwa River.
Lake Ontario il lsO miles long and its
avcrage width said TO be 40 miIeS-sevrraI
places could not see any land. Its aver
age depth is said 10 be 800 feet. At To.
rontn We left the Zimmerman and took the
steamer Champion, which runs regularly to
Montreal. regretted 10 part with Capt
MalIoy OF the former he was exceedingly
polite and attentive and furaished me on
PTling. with the morning papers of Tofon-
to. We leii Toronto after dinner, having
dincd on the former boat, stopping at Port
Hope and Coburg and reaching Kingston
at the junction of the river st. Law renee
and Lake. at o'clock in the morning. The
boat remained at this place about ore hour,
which gave the passengers an opportunity
Of seeing somewhat of Kingston. The
buildings are mostly Of stone and very
substantial-the Custom House aud Mar.
ket are very imposing buildings The
Eeef choIcs-a supply OF which was laid
in by the Steward Of our boat for break.
fast and dinner. On neat building no.
iiccd the sign The British Primitive
Methodist Church" Kingston is well for.
tilted by FOrt Henry, situated on an Island
and connected with the citv by suspen.
sion bridge. Just below Kingston com.
mences what is termed the one thousand
Islands. these are amongst the wonders OF
the st. Lawrence, of all sizes, from a few
yards square 10 half mile in length. 10
point Of fact il is asserted that there are
1900 of those Ishnds.
The ST. Lawrence is broad md mnies.
tic river, the scenery fine and picturesque
The Rapids makes the descent and nayiga.
lion very exciting TO the passengers /; the
water IL dashed along at the rate OF 20
miles an hour--the white paps running from
10 10 feet high with tremendous roar.
ing. The steam is shut off the wheels oI
tir boat stopped, with four stout men al
J the wheel and four at the stern the boat
is kept perfectly straight, and on she leaps
with the current. The boat channel is very
narrow in many places, the rocks and sho.
ais being on either side. upon which ;hc
boat must strike aud break, unless she i.
kept perfectly straight The Ia Cline and
, the last just above Montreal, are said TO be
The most dangerous--here an Indian Pilo,
, comes aboard and he takes charge Of the
main steering wheel. The passengers seem
to feel easier and look more cheerful as
soon as the Big indian squares himself up
against the Pilots stand II is said that
: great nerve and precision is required in pi.
oting the boat through The rapids, and the
Big Indian has both qualities.
, Quite number of Towns ana Village
are dotted all along the banks Of the ST
lawreuce,--among the number, was one
called Lancaster The name sounded pleas
ant aud familiar and brooght with Il live.
-ly recollection of home. Another town
is Cornwall, here the American line leaves