On our return to the American shore, we examined a camera obscura which is situated at the head of the American staircase, and was built by a Swiss. This gives a tolerably good view of the falls. Afterwards we took a ride to the Whirlpool, which is three miles down the Niagara, and is formed by a kind of rocky basin where the river runs between narrow rocky banks. It is singular to see this confusion of the water, whose appearance cannot be better described than by comparing it with the flowing of melted lead. The lofty rocks which form the banks of this river, are beautifully covered with wood and present a stately, majestic appearance. In the evening I again went to Goat-Island in order to view the falls by bright moonlight: in this light they produce a very peculiarly beautiful effect, which is greatly heightened by a moon-rainbow.
The following day, 23d August, all our company departed; my friend Tromp and myself alone remained. We went to the other side of the river, and took lodgings at Forsyth’s Hotel, where we found Sir Michael and Lady Clare, from Jamaica, where Sir Michael is a member of parliament: he was making a tour of pleasure, with his lady, through the United States. I also became acquainted with a Mr. Grymes, of Virginia, who was formerly attorney general of the state of Louisiana, and is married to the widow of the late Governor Claiborne, a beautiful and wealthy creole. As this family were also going on a tour to Canada, I hoped to travel with them. Mrs. Grymes spoke French, a circumstance which was exceedingly agreeable on account of the facility with which I could converse with her. I also found the son and adjutant of the governor, Sir Peregrine Maitland, who had been sent by his father, to await my arrival. In a short time after, this worthy general came himself to pay me a visit, and offer me a room in his cottage, four miles off. This I refused, but on the evening of the following day, I rode to Sir Peregrine’s in company with Sir Michael and Lady Clare. The road went over the battle-ground at Lundy’s Lane, (25th July, 1814,) which is situated upon a gentle eminence, and through the beautiful village of Stamford. The fields here are much better cultivated than in the United States, and there is not so much waste of timber. The clearing is done with much more order and regularity. Sir Peregrine resides at his cottage, in summer, which was built by his father-in-law, the Duke of Richmond, and surrounded by a park. His winter residence is at York, on the northern shore of Lake Ontario, the seat of the parliament of Upper Canada.
CHAPTER VII
On Thursday, the 25th of August, we took our final leave of the falls, in the forenoon, in company with the Grymes and Clare families, for the town of Newark, which is situated at the junction of the Niagara with Lake Ontario, on the Canada shore, about fourteen miles distant. At first our road passed over small hills, until we reached the battle-ground at Queenstown, a steep hill, which is situated behind Queenstown, and commands a view of the whole surrounding country. From this, the country as far as Lake Ontario, is more level. Opposite to Queenstown, on the American shore, is Lewistown.
The battle of Queenstown took place on the 13th of October, 1812. The English, under the command of General Brock, occupied the heights, whose right wing borders on the Niagara, having a deep ravine in front, and whose left wing gradually slopes towards other no less considerable eminences, which they had slightly fortified. General Solomon Van Rensselaer, the present post-master in Albany, and cousin of General Van Rensselaer, the patroon, encamped with the American troops, consisting of regulars and militia, on the opposite shore, near Lewistown. General Van Rensselaer was apprised that General Brock, with the greatest part of his corps, had marched towards the west, and that there were but few troops left on the heights. He determined therefore to cross the river, to make himself master of so important a position. During the night he conveyed his regulars, about one thousand four hundred men, over the river, and gave orders that the militia should follow on the return of the boats, and form a reserve in the rear. These troops gained the heights, and nearly surprised the British, who, notwithstanding, made a bold resistance. The Americans would, however, have remained masters of the field, had not General Brock returned with his detachment. Brock was a brave soldier, and hearing that the troops whom he had left behind, were in a dangerous position, he immediately attacked the Americans with but a single company. In this attack he found a glorious and memorable death. The Americans kept the heights as long as possible; their ammunition, however, being nearly exhausted, General Van Rensselaer sent orders to the militia to advance. The general himself hastened to the opposite shore to accelerate their movements; he was answered that they were ready to defend the borders of the United States, but it was contrary to the laws of the country to take them out of it. The troops of the line in the meanwhile, having exhausted their ammunition, were obliged to retreat; they expected to embark, but not finding any boats, they were compelled, after a heroic defence to surrender as prisoners of war. On the place where General Brock fell, the parliament of Canada has erected a monument to the memory of that brave and intrepid soldier. It consists of a lofty column, which may be observed from every part of the adjacent country. It was not yet completed, and wanted the inscription.
We expected to meet the steam-boat Queenstown at Newark, in order to proceed to Kingston, on the eastern extremity of Lake Ontario. We missed it, however, and were afterwards informed that it had been obliged to put in at another harbour on account of repairs. We were compelled, therefore, to remain three days at Newark. Newark is a regularly built town, with several handsome houses; it is situated at the outlet of the Niagara into Lake Ontario, between Fort George and Missagua. Fort Missagua is near the lake; Fort George lies south of Newark, and is in ruins. During the last war, both these forts were occupied by the Americans, and from Fort George towards the town, they had raised a bulwark so as to form a kind of intrenchment. After they had evacuated this position, and were obliged to retreat to the right shore of the Niagara, the commander, General M‘Clure, burnt the town of Newark, an act for which he has been severely censured by his country. Since this occurred, the village has never properly recovered, and its future increase will also be slow, especially as government is digging a canal to the west of Newark, which is to connect Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario, which will probably hereafter withdraw all the transitory commerce. Our time passed very agreeably in this town, particularly through the attention of the worthy Sir Peregrine Maitland, who had come hither; the politeness of Major Cob, and the gallant officers of the seventy-sixth regiment, of which four companies were at Newark, as well as the delightful singing of Mrs. Grymes, who remained with her husband, while many others, with whom we had expected to sail, went away.
We visited Fort Niagara, which is situated on the American shore, and which, in consequence of its white houses, and its waving flag, presents a very handsome appearance. The fort lies on a neck of land; it was erected by the French in the middle of the last century, and was shortly after taken by the British. After the peace of Versailles in 1783, it fell into the possession of the United States, was retaken during the late war by the British, and at the peace of Ghent, was again obtained by the United States. We saw all that was to be seen, and found every thing clean and comfortable. I will only further remark on the present occasion, that the uniform of the United States’ Infantry is very simple, and consists of dark blue cloth, with one row of white buttons, blue lace collars and cuffs of the same, white cord, and leather caps.
We also visited the village of the Tuscarora tribe of Indians, who reside within the limits of the United States, about three miles from Lewistown. The village consists of single houses, or wigwams, and is handsomely situated in a valley surrounded by forests. It contains a frame church, in which the service is performed by a methodist missionary, who also, during the winter, keeps school for their children. Most of the houses are surrounded by gardens and orchards; and the fields, in which they mostly cultivate Indian corn, appeared to be in a very good condition. We were conducted into the house of an Indian, about forty years of age,