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Show TRAVELS THROUGH UPPER CANADA: L E T T E R XXXII. D_'fi-nj,tion q/ Fort CbtjJpcrzvtry.-Plmz in meditation to mt a Ca~wl to avoid the Por·tage at t!Jt: Fflfls qf Niagam.-D1jwrture .from Chtpperzvay.. llltr!lf{e J[l!at of tbe Tf7eat1Jer.-D~fcription q/ tbe Cou11try bordaing on Niwrara River abo've tl1e Falls.-Oblervations on tbe Climate if Uj'!pcr 0 ./' Caruzdtl.-Rat:l~frwkcs common in UpjJcr Canada.-Fort E"n"e.-11-1!/l!r-abte Accommodatio.>t tbere.-Squirrel bw ti7Jg.-Smd:a lndirzns.-TJ,I!ir Expert71ifs at tbe Ufe qf the Blow-gun.-Defcriptt1n of the Blo7.~'-g1ln. -~xcurjion to tiJe Vi/lag~ of tl1e Scnekas.-Jf7holt! Nation abflnt.Pr~/) age of a dmz,rrcrous Sand Bar at the lvfouth qf Bt~ffalo Cre.·k .Sail from }ort Erie.-Driven back by a Storm.-Anchor under 1 otitt AbiJ!t!azt .-Drfinption qj" tbe Point .-Curiow Sand Jlit!s tl1ae.-Bear hunting.-How carried 011.-Dogs, what Sort oj: z!)l:d.-lf/iml changes. -The V~lfel jitjfers ji·om tin! Storm rzohi!Ji at Ancbor.-Departure from Point Abineau.-Gmeral DejcnjJti:m of Lake Erie.-Anccdote.Rearh the ljlands at the WLjleru End of tli(J LakC'.- Ancl.or there.-DeflTiption of the ljlands .-Se1pents qf variow Kinds found there .-Ratt!cjiw/:. es.-lvfedicinal Ufls made if tln'm.-Fabulous Accounts of Setpmts •. -Dcpartw·e from tbe ljlands.-Arrivaf at Mafdc,z.-Detroit Ri'l.-•er. Malden, 0-:tobcr. F 0 R T C Il I P PEW A Y, from whence my laD: lett r wa dated, i a [mal fiockaded fort, fituated on th borders of a ere k of the fl.lnc name, about t\VO hundr d yards difiant from Niagara River. Ilad it b .... en built im mediately on the htter il:rcam, its !ituation would have been much more convenient; for the water of the creek is fo bad that it cannot be drank, and the garrifon is obliged to dr::tw wuter daily from the nvcr. The fort, which occupies about one rood of ground only, confifl:s of a fmall block houfe, incloicd by a il:ockade of cedar pofrs a out twelve feet high, which is merely fufi1cient to defend the garrifon ag::tinfl mnfqnet !hot. Adjoining to the fort there are about feven or eight farm houies, and fome large fione houfes, where goods are de-pouted F 0 R T C HI P P E W A Y. pofited preparntory to their being conveye! up th .... river in bateaux, or acrofs the p rtage in carts, to ~eenfl:own. It is f;1.iJ that it would be praCticable to cut n canal fi·om hence to Q~1 ec nfl.own, by means of which the troublefome and expcnfivc proc fs of u nladin~ the bat aux and tranfporting the goode in CdrtS along the portage WL>uld be w0idcd. Such a cnnal will in all probabi~ity be undertaken one (by or other; but whenever that lhall be the cafe, there is r ·a(on to think that it will be cut on the New York fide f lhc ri ver for two reafons; firfl:, hec:a u[e the gr und on that fide is much more £wourahle for fuch an unclert,thng; and, fecondly, becaufc the f1:ate of New York is much more p pulous, and £1r better enabled to advance the large fums of mon y tint would be requifite for cutting a canal through fuch rugged ground as borders upon the river, than the province of Upper Canada either is at prcfent, or appears likely to be. About fifteen men, nnd r the command of a ]i utenant, are ufually quartered at Fort Chippcway, who arc mofl:Iy mployccl in condtH:ling in bateaux from thence to ]· ort Er·c th fl:ore8 for the troops in the upper country, and the prefents for the Indians. After we had gratified our curi fi ty in regard to the won .erous objcCl.s in the neighbourhood, at leaft as far as onr time would permit, we were obhgingly furnin1 d with a bateau by the orfleer at I• ort Chippeway, to whom we carri_d letters, to convey u to Fort Eric. My companion embarked in it with our hagg:1g . wh ·n the morning appointed for our d parturc arrived; but dcfirous or tlking on more look at the fall s, I {laid behind, determining to follo v them on foot in the c urfe of the day; I ac1.ordingly walked down to the fJ!l hom Fort Chippcway after brc::tkfafl, fpcnt an hour or two th rc, rdtt rncJ to the fort, and having flopp('d a nlOrt time to ref1 rnyiC!f aftcl the fatigues of climbing the itceps about rh fa 1•, l Jet out for Fqrt Erie, fifteen miles di{bnt from Chipp way, ar.-coL'P 1 1ed by my f..'lithCttl ~ rvant Edward, who has indeed b en a tn:a(i.Irc to me i.llCC I h::~v ·be ·n in America. The day was by no means :fit oura,>lc fur a pedeflrian c, - pec.lition; it was intenf<:ly hot, and w~ had 1 ot proceeded [dr befurc we found the nccefl)ty of taking off our jad>ets, w, iil:coars, and cravats, and |