about fifteen hundred inhabitants.

It was not considered so well built, however, as Cooperstown, a sister village in

Otsego county.

The batteaux still moved up the Mohawk to Rome, the site of Fort Stanwix; here, at one hundred and six miles from Schenectady, the first stage of the voyage was completed on the seventh day. Here in the last century was a famous portage, between the head waters of the Mohawk, and those of the Wood Creek. A cluster of forts had arisen one after the other about this portage, but they were already in a ruinous condition. And here again, were a cluster of locks, and a bit of canal to connect the eastern and the western waters. The travellers and their batteaux were soon floating on that dark and sluggish stream, the Wood Creek, and on the evening of the second day they reached the Oneida Lake, a broad sheet of dark-colored water, unwholesome to drink, and strangely blended with small dark particles called the Lake blossom, by the boatmen. It was very rich in fish, the boatmen asserting that more than a hundred large salmons would sometimes be caught in a day, by a small party with a seine. These hundred fish would sell for $75. It was a day's voyage, with the oars and poles, across the lake, against a head wind. Another day was needed to bring the boats to "Three River Point," where the Oneida and Seneca unite, to form the Oswego River, which is twenty-five miles long, full of rocks and rapids, and at that period flowed through a country still essentially wild. Vast reaches of unbroken forest lay on either side, east and west. The Oswego Fall, with its rocks and foaming waters, making a descent of twelve feet, was passed on foot; the boats with a light lading were carried down safely by very skillful pilots. Some months later a large cannon, a thirty-two pounder, was carried safely down the fall in a boat, the officers standing on the shore anxiously watching its descent. The twelfth day the boats reached the port of Oswego.

The little village had an odd aspect. The old fortifications on both sides of the river were entirely in ruins.

There were ruins also of old Dutch trading-houses, of some strength; these buildings were of stone, built around a long square, upon which all their doors opened within, for security. One of these houses bore the date of 1711, some sixteen years before the building of the first English fort.

The foundation of the American village did not take place until twenty years after the Peace, in 1803. The oldest settler had many adventurous stories to tell the young officers, of the hardships he and his family had undergone in the dark ages, five years earlier. He rode forty miles to mill. He had not one neighbor when he built his solitary dwelling. The nearest market, for common necessaries, was one hundred miles distant.

There was, however, quite a brisk trade at the wharves in 1808, some nine or ten vessels belonging to the port passing constantly to and fro. Many of them were laden with Onondaga salt. And, strange to say, others carried tea and Chinese and East Indian goods to Canada. Upper Canada depended chiefly upon Oswego for these luxuries. There were several small taverns, and about a dozen houses, with a few log huts. There were several large warehouses filled with salt, tea, etc., etc. But in winter these were shut up. The whole village went to sleep like the bears, during cold weather!

Wild animals still prowled through the adjoining forest; bears, wolves, and panthers were not wanting. Of deer there was an abundant supply. And one or two fresh beaver-dams were only a short distance from the banks of the river. The officers supplied their mess bountifully with venison, and bear's meat, to say nothing of grouse and water-fowl; and few days passed without a fishing-party. The fish in the Ontario were excellent, and stories were told of the capture of sturgeon weighing nearly a hundred pounds, of the celebrated muscalonge of half that weight, and of salmon very nearly as large, to say nothing of the white-fish, the Oswego bass, and rock bass. While throwing himself with all his usual spirit into these hunting and

fishing expeditions, the young midshipman was never much of an angler. He generally required something more of movement and excitement in his out-door recreations. He was particularly fond of cruising and exploring expeditions along the lake shore. But whether afloat or ashore the mess led a merry life, they were all young, on excellent terms with each other, and their duties at the moment were light.

In later years Mr. Cooper often mentioned with pleasure little incidents connected with this period of half garrison, half sailor life. On one occasion while on a journey through the wilderness to Buffalo, they stopped for the night at a rude frontier inn-perchance on ground which has now become the heart of a large city. Mr. Cooper acting as caterer for the party, inquired into the state of the larder. Mine host shook his head ruefully; he could promise very little; had they come a few weeks earlier he could have done better, but there was nothing to speak of in the house that day. "Give us what you eat yourself; you must have food of some kind!" Mine host looked melancholy; on his honor, he assured the officers, he had absolutely nothing to set before them, but grouse, venison steaks, and brooktrout; and maybe his wife could find cranberries for a tart! A month earlier they could have had fried pork fit for the President, with a pumpkin pie after it; but they must not expect any delicacies now. "Game's plenty, but nothing else!" added the publican with a sigh. Mine host was pining for salt pork! There was at that time an amusing character in the new village, who afforded no little entertainment to the young officers; this was a half-fledged medical genius, from New England, with long lank figure, strongly marked face, full of small professional vanities and pretensions, and with an intensely nasal twang in his pedantic speech; but withal a good fellow in the main. The Doctor's visits to the mess were always a very especial entertainment. When writing the "Pioneers" at a later day, Mr. Cooper ventured to introduce this old Oswego acquaintance to the

reader, under the name of Dr. Elnathan Todd. It was said that he had meanwhile removed further west, changed his profession, grown rich, and would probably not have known himself, if he ever read the book. The servant of the mess was a very raw Irish lad, but recently landed; he was a thorough Paddy of the most amusing sort, full of blarney and blunder, an unceasing source of amusement to the young men. On one occasion the table-cloth took fire; Paddy was at the moment filling a tea-pot on the table, from an ample kettle in his hand. "Pour the water on the cloth, Pat!" called out one of the officers. "Shure the wather is hot, your honor!" exclaimed Pat in great dismay, holding the kettle at a very safe distance from the blazing cloth, his face meanwhile exhibiting the most ludicrous expression of the bull physiognomy that could well be imagined. Mr. Cooper often laughed heartily at the mere recollection of the poor fellow's bewildered countenance.

The bright idea of giving a ball occurred to the young gentlemen. A fiddle and a ball-room were procured without much difficulty. With flags and evergreens the bare walls could be made to look festal. The lights were a difficulty. Pine knots were proposed by a wag. This idea was indignantly rejected. By skillful strategy, a large number of dip tallow candles were secured, sufficient for quite a brilliant illumination; all sorts of original ideas were resorted to, some military, some culinary, to provide candlesticks. and impromptu chandeliers. Thus far the plan looked promising; but, where were the ladies to grace the revels? Alas, ladies in northern New York were then very few, and very far between! After counting over every woman in the new. village who could be supposed capable of dancing, there still remained not a few of the dancing men likely to be partnerless. But a dance they were resolved to have, and moreover by sending out two or three ox-teams, accustomed to wading small rivers and making their way through swamps, hopes were held out of securing a dozen more damsels from a distance; boats skillfully commanded were also sent along

The

the coast and up the river, to capture a few more. eventful evening came. A delicate point had to be decided. How, and by what rules, so many miles from a regular drawing-room, were the honors of the evening to be allotted? Mr. Wolsey proved himself equal to the occasion. He issued his orders to the Master of Ceremonies: "All ladies sir, provided with shoes and stockings, you are to lead to the head of the Virginia reel; ladies with shoes but without stockings are to be considered in the second rank; ladies without either shoes or stockings, you will lead, gentlemen, to the foot of the country-dance!"

The especial duty for which this naval party had been sent to Oswego is thus alluded to in the "History of the Navy:" "In the course of the summer of 1808, it was thought prudent to make a commencement towards the employment of a force on the lakes; England already possessing, ships on Ontario and Erie. There being no especial law for such an object, advantage was taken of the discretionary powers granted to the President, under the act for building gun-boats. A few officers were placed under the orders of Lieutenant M. T. Wolsey, and that gentleman was empowered to make contracts for the construction of three vessels, one of which was to be built on Lake Ontario, and the other two on Lake Champlain. The two vessels constructed on Lake Champlain were ordinary gun-boats, but that built on Lake Ontario was a regular brig of war. The latter was of about two hundred and forty tons measurement, was pierced for sixteen guns, and when delivered by the contractors in the spring of 1809 to the sea ordered to receive her, she mounted sixteen twenty-four pound carronades. In consequence of an arrangement that was made about this time, with England, but which was not ratified in Europe, this vessel, which was called the Oneida, was not equipped and sent upon the lake till the following year.”

The Oneida was driven ashore by the ice, about a year after she was launched. The Canadian government, to preserve their superiority on the lake, soon after the launch of

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