VILLAGE OF GENEVA.

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1815, and was so called probably from the battle of Waterloo, which was fought in that year. It is seated on one of the outlets of the Seneca river, and has accordingly several mills turned by the stream. A court-house and jail give it an air of some importance, but there are not more than 1000 inhabitants at present residing here; many, it is said, having gone to the more promising village of Seneca Falls.

It was about four o'clock when we approached Geneva, which opened upon us in all its beauty, and appeared to be the most beautiful of all the inland towns or villages we had yet seen. The lake, at the head of which it is seated, is 35 miles in length, and from 3 to 4 in breadth. It is called "The Seneca Lake," as the Indians of the Seneca tribe originally occupied the borders of both the lake and the river that still retain their name. Its surrounding shores are eminently beautiful, having all the variety of sloping lawns and woods in some parts, and high cliffs and projecting promontories in others. The town itself, which is seated at its northern extremity, or at the head of the lake, looks like a series of clustered villas, scattered in groups, and deeply embosomed in the richest groves; while the glittering domes and slender spires of the public buildings and places of worship, rising from among the dwellings, add a richness if not a splendour to the whole.

We halted at Geneva to dine; and passed an agreeable hour there in rambling through the town, and enjoying the many beautiful prospects of the lake, which are presented from various points of view. I was surprised not to see any yachts or sailing-boats on so beautiful a sheet of water as this, especially

as it has three peculiarities which are so favourable to boating; namely, that it abounds with salmon, trout, and other fish; that there is almost always a breeze on the water; and that it is never closed with ice. But notwithstanding the fine pieces of water, both salt and fresh, with which America abounds, the taste for aquatic excursions, except in steamvessels, does not exist; and I do not remember to have either seen or heard of a yacht or pleasureboat, sailing or rowing, kept by any person in the country.

CHAP. XXVI.

Beautiful position and appearance of Geneva-Peculiarities of the lake on which it stands-Pretended female saviour of the world -Arrival at the village of Canandaigua-Description of the town and lake of that name- -Excellent provision for promulgating the laws-History of the tract of the Genessee countrySale of six millions of acres of land-Purchase money, eightpence sterling per acre- Same land now worth fifty dollars per acre-Arrival at Rochester on the Genessee river-Embark on the Erie canal for Buffalo-Statistics of the Erie canal-Names of ancient and modern cities along its banks-Description of the boats on the canal-Locks of the canal at Lockport-Arrival at Buffalo on lake Erie-Journey to the cataract-house at Niagara.

THE Village of Geneva contains at present about 650 buildings, with a population of 4,000 persons—a public college and an academy, with 8 churches: but the chaste style of architecture observed in the buildings, the many agreeable shrubberies and gardens, and the charm thrown over the whole by the beautiful lake, make it one of the most inviting places of summer residence I have ever seen; seen; and when America comes to possess a class of men of fortune retired from business, who will seek a beautiful country residence in which to spend the remnant of their days, Geneva cannot fail to be preferred for such purposes and to be abundantly peopled with such a class of inhabitants.

The villages around and near the lake are many of them remarkable. One of these on the eastern

borders, is called Ovid; and nearly opposite to it, on the western shore, is another called Dresden. It was near to this that once resided one of the long line of religious pretenders, of which the world has been so prolific, and of which America has produced her full share. This personage was a woman named Jemima Wilkinson, and she pretended that she was the saviour of the world.

Like other religious impostors, from Mohammed to Johanna Southcott, she found it easy to obtain believers; for mankind seem in every country to present a large number of persons ready to entertain any absurd belief that is offered to their acceptance. The trial which this pretended saviour of the world made of the faith of her followers is sufficiently ingenious to be recorded. She caused it to be announced to them, that on a certain day and hour she would start from a given point of the lake, and exhibit her divine power, by walking across its surface to the opposite shore. Crowds were of course attracted to the spot by mere curiosity; and many also came believing. These strewed her pathway with white handkerchiefs, for her to walk on, from the carriage in which she came, to the edge of the water-in imitation, probably, of the multitude spreading palms in the way when Jesus entered into Jerusalem.

Surrounded by these faithful followers, she advanced as far as the water's edge, and ventured about ankle-deep into the liquid element. Seeing, however, that this yielded to the pressure of her foot, as it would do to that of any ordinary mortal, and that it would be dangerous to go further, she adroitly turned round to her adherents, and asked them, with

a loud voice, whether they really had faith in her power to walk on the lake; for if they had not, it would be impossible for her to do so. They exclaimed, with one voice, that their faith was complete, and without a shadow of a doubt. Upon which she cunningly replied, that if they really believed in her power, it was for that very reason wholly unnecessary to exhibit it; and returning to the carriage in which she came, she left the deluded multitude to reflect on their own folly. The wonder is, that in this country of Lynch law, where tarring and feathering for mere difference of opinion is so often practised,* the said Jemima was not ducked, which in her case might really have been beneficial, as putting her floating powers to the test, and helping to cool her fervour.

We left Geneva, after dinner, admiring the prospect of the town and lake from the height above, as we quitted it, quite as much as when we entered; and proceeding on our way to Canandaigua, a distance of about fifteen miles, we arrived after a drive of three hours, so that it was dark when we alighted at the hotel.

In the morning we had a fine prospect of the town and lake, which was almost as beautiful as that of Geneva. Immediately in front of our hotel was an open square, in which the public buildings were

* In a late American newspaper, which I regret to have mislaid, an extract is given from one of the journals of the Crusaders in the Holy Land, showing that the practice of pouring boiling pitch on the shaven head of an offender, and afterwards covering him with feathers, was used by order of Richard Coeur de Lion, the king of England, during his wars in Palestine, as a punishment for convicted thieves.