Aug. 11. We sailed up the strait and passed
between two small islands of a very charming
appearance. This strait is more beautiful than
that of Niagara. It is thirty leagues long, and
is about a league broad, except about half way,
where it is enlarged, forming a small lake which
we called Sainte Claire, the navigation of which
is safe along both shores, which are low and
even.
This strait is bordered by a fine country and
fertile soil. Its course is southerly.' On its banks
are vast meadows, terminated by vines, fruit
trees, groves and lofty forests* so? arranged that
we could scarcely believe but there were Country
seats scattered through their beautiful plains*
There is an abundance of stag?*, deer, roe-bucks
and bears, quite tame and good to eat, more
delicious than the fresh pork of-Europe. We
also found wild turkeys and swans in abundance..
The high beams of our vessel were garnished
with multitudes of deer, which our people killed
in the chase.
Along the remainder of this strait, the forests
are composed of walnut, chestnut, plum and peat
trees. Wild grapes also abound, from which
we made a little wine. There are all-kinds of
wood for building purposes. Those who will
have the good fortune some day to possess the
beautiful and fertile lands along this strait, will
be under many obligations to us, who have
cleared the way, and traversed Lake Erie for a
hundred leagues of a navigation before unknown.
. WHO WERE THE ALLEGHANS l
This is an inquiry in our aboriginal archaeology,
which assumes a deeper interest, the more
it-is discussed* All the, republic is concerned in
the antiquarian knowledge, and true etymology
and history of an ancient race* to whom tradition
attaches valor, and powers and who have
cbnsecrated their name in American geography
upon the most, important range of mountains
between the valley of the Mississippi and the
Atlantic. But. the. inquiry, comes home to us
with a local and redoubled interest, from the
foot that they occupied a large portion of the
western area of the, state^of New York, comprising
the valley of the Alleghany river to its
utmost source, and extending eastwardly an
undefined distance. ,,v Even #o late as 1727, Col-
den,. in his History of the Fiye^Nations, places
them, under-the name -of Alleghgn^ on'his map
of this river. It is not certain that they did not
anciently occupy the country as far east and
south as the junction of Allen’s creek with the
G,enesee. A series-of old forts, anterior in age
to the Iroquois power, extends along the shores
of Lake Erie, up to the system of water communication
which has its outlet into the Alleghany
through the Conewongo. There are some striking
points of identity between the character of
these antique military works, and those of the
Ohio valley; and this coincidence is still more
complete in -the remains of ancient art found in
40