Page 159 - La Société canadienne d'histoire de l'Église catholique - Rapport 1961

thence I went to Waterloo, Seneca county, and continued
there until the winter of 1818-19, when I went to Buffalo,
where I tarried until the opening of navigation. ,Meanwhile I
visited Black Roclc, the population of which was about the
san~e as that of Buffillo, aLout six hundred. I also visited
Niagara Falls, nearly a11 around in a state of nature, scarcely
any improvements, with some tmclve families residing there.
The first steam-boat built on the Upper Lakes, called the
Walk-in-the-Water, then lay in a small stream below Black
Rock. She ran from Buffalo to Detroit, making the round
trip once in two weeks. I left Buffalo in April, on board a
small schooner; we encountered head winds, and got out of
fuel. All the passengers were reqnested to try and pick up
driftwood, which drifted off froin shore; at length a large tree
was discovered, when all hands mere called to try and stop it.
I thought I would be very smart, so I got over the stern of the
vessel, and hung myself down so as to hitch my foot into a
crotch of the tree; the vessel meanwhile pressing on in one
direction and the tree floating the other. The consequence
was, 1 was forced to let go my hold on the vessel, and dropped
on to the tree; and there I was, a-straddle of it, in the
middle of Lake Erie, the laughing-stock of the crew and
passengers. After awhile the Captain lowered his small boat,
came and picked me up. We at length reached Cleveland,
after a passage of eight days, where I remained until the spring
of the following year.
It was very unhealthy in Cleveland at that time; and, soon
after my arrival, I was attacked with the ague and fever, which
stuck to me through the whole season and ensuing winter. In
the spring of 1820, my doctors told me that I must leave that
place, and go up the Lakes, if I would get over the disease.
So on tne first of April, I left Cleveland on board a small
schooner, bound for Detroit, and arrived there aftcr a three
days' passage. There were but few Americans then in De-
troit, the inhabitants being mostly French and half-breeds.
There was but one brick house in the place, which had been