Smyrna times., 1881-07-27
For the Smyrna Times
Smyrna to Niagara 80 Years Ago.

Mr.. EDITOR:-I noticed i'll the TIMES |
that numbers of your citizens are visiting
the Sen Side, and other places of Summer
resorts, and it has occurred to me, that
some description of a trip the writer took
from Smyrna to the Falls of Niagara 50
years ago, might not prove uninteresting
to your readers, contrasting the past with
the present facilities of travel.
In the early morn of pleasant Summer
day, small party took passage at Duck
Creek Landing, ON board the fast sailing
Packet-Humphries, master.
This packet was one of a line of sloOps,
owned by the Messrs. p. and E. Spruance,
who were prominent of Smyrna.
We were provided with n lunch of cold
chicken, ham, cheese, pickles &C., for a
day, expecting to reach Philadelphia that
evening. Whether we were becalmed or
the wind was adverse, or the tide too low
to pass over the shoals, don't remember,
but we were creek bound all day and
night. During the day We amused our
selves as best we could, fishing and crab
bing.
The next day, ON arriving in Philadel-
phia, we proceeded to Congress Hall,
then a famous hostelery, located, l think
at the corner of Chestnut and Third streets
Being too late for the steamer there being
but one departure daily for New York.
we spent that day sight seeing in the city
of BrOtherly Love.
The next day took the steamer for
Burlington, and it being my first ride on a
steamboat, found in the machinery and
equipments of the boat, much to interest
and astonish me. 1 enjoyed it muchly.
Thence we staged if to AmbOy and there
took steamer for New York,
The trip from Philadelphia to New
York was made in day. In New York
we quartered at the Madison House, q
leading hotel of the the city at that time
On the following morning, we took pas
sage on the steamer Erie, boat that was
advertised to make the run from New
York to Albany, in the ipcredulous short
time, between SUNRISE and sunset,
She did it, much to the satisfaction of the
passengers.
Only few years later, when 1 again
visited New York, the Madison House
ranked no more than third rate houst
and the great Erie has been so outstripet
in steam boat enterprise that she hat
taken her place as a tug boat in the
harbor.
From Albany to Rochester, we Travelled
ON the Canal in barges. l think we made
that distance in two days and nights. /
was slow travelling, but to me it was
jolly ride: when tired of the monotony o
the barge, a number of us would go ashor
and gather berries and flowers from tn
banks of the canal, and then by a speed,
locomotion Overtake the barge. At tRoches
ter we were not fortunate enough t
secure seats in the mail coach, so we eithe
had to wait until a coach load was mad
up or charter one for ourselves. Gu
party consisted of five, just half tn
number required to fill coach % insid
4 anu OulSluC DdooCtlS,Cl OClAAH bAC
number.) In a few hours John C. Lowbe
one of our party, reported that the chic
of the TonaWandO tribe and his daugl
ter wished to get on as speedily as possible
and would pay one-half the charter priC
of the coach. Our three ladies were horr
fed at the idea of being shut up in a stag
coach with an Indian. But Mr.. Lowbt
being at that time connected with tn
Holland Land Company, and having ha
much business intercourse with the Ho
land Bay Indians, and being PERSONAL
acquainted with the Indian chief, so fl
quieted the fears of our party, that I'll
ladies consented to the arrangement. FL
myself, had unlimited confdencein III
Lowber, and felt boys curiosity to Sc
and talk with live Indian, never havin
seen one. jtt
The chief was tall fine looking ma
andso bright that had / seen him in Smyrr
in citizen dress, should have taken hi
for a mulatto. He wore frock-coat an
pants, but over his pants he wore leggil
b with Indian adornments, moccasins,
a high bell crown fur hat with feather g.
And over dress he wore a blue blank
worked with gold and silver beeds al
quills and feathers. He was educated al
conversed well (so the grownupmembers
our party said). OF his daughters costuI
/ can only say she wore moccasins, leggi
:. q high bell crowned hat, with gold Al
silver bands from the brim to the crow
and massive ear and nose rings, and b
draped around her person, say 10 yal
Of the finest blue broad cloth, looped abc
her person most gracefully and fasten
-s in various places with gold and silly
3. =. ornaments, Early in the evening
,sS ,sr reached Tonawando, the residence of I
hit, Indian chief and were cordially invited
aos. spend the night; we did so, and until da