about 10,000 reams of paper annually; and there are some saw-mills, flour-mills, and a hat manufactory on the bank; but the village is very insignificant, and derives all its importance from the visitors to the Falls.

On the Canada side, there is at present no town, though a place has been mapped out on paper, in the American fashion, called "The City of the Falls;" but not a single house of the projected city has yet been erected. There are three hotels on this side, the Clifton, the Pavilion, and the Ontario. The last is at present occupied as barracks or quarters for the officers of the 43d regiment of the British, the troops being encamped on the heights; and the second is occupied chiefly also by the officers for their mess, so that the Clifton is the only one now much frequented by visitors.

The hotels on both sides, like all those we had stopped at in our journey across from Saratoga to Niagara, are all built on too large a scale for comfort. There are spacious drawing-rooms, vast dining-rooms, ample piazzas, and large bar-rooms and halls; but the bed-rooms are all miserably small and ill-furnished; and the provender, though abundant enough in quantity, is worse in quality, badly cooked, carelessly served up, hacked and torn to pieces rather than carved, and handed about by disgustingly dirty waiters. From the great length of the tables and the number of dishes to set on, and from the absence of covers and warm plates, the first dish is always cold before the last is brought on; and the miserable quality and fewness of the vegetables, and the greasy mixtures and messes scattered over the table, are 2 L

VOL. II.

calculated to take away the appetite by their very aspect. Yet the great majority of the guests are evidently satisfied, and appear wholly insensible to the defects mentioned—so effectually does habit reconcile men to all things.

CHAP. XXVIII.

Excursion to the Tuscorora settlement

History of this tribe of Indians Council of the sachems, chiefs, and warriors-Object of the meeting-Women and children present at the council Description of the mixed assembly Terms proposed to the Indians Translation of the English speech into the Tuscorora tongue Opposition made to the treaty - Final assent of the chiefs Signature and ratification by witnesses Statistics of the tribe in numbers and lands-Mode of government and state of property-Missionary labours, religion, and education-Difficulty in teaching the women and children-Return to Niagara along the banks-Extensive forests towards Lake OntarioBrock's Monument Outlet of Niagara - Description of the Devil's Hole, and whirlpool-Finest distant view of the CataractPassage of the ferry after sunset Grandeur of this night-view of the Cataract Last look at the Falls from Table RockIncreased beauty and sublimity of the scene.

DURING one of the days of our stay at Niagara, we were invited by General Gillett and Mr. Allen, two of the Commissioners of the United States' government for Indian affairs, to visit, with them, the settlement of the Tuscorora Indians, at a distance of about seven miles only from the village on the American side of the Falls, as they were going there to hold a council of the sachems, chiefs, and warriors of that nation, to present to them an amended treaty, as approved by the Senate, and awaiting only their ratification. We readily availed ourselves of so favourable an opportunity of seeing Indian life and manners; and, accordingly, left Niagara at noon on

Tuesday, the 14th of August, in company with these gentlemen, and Mrs. General Gillett, for the spot, in an extra-coach and four, and reached the settlement in little more than an hour.

The Tuscorora Indians were originally a northern tribe, and very powerful; about three centuries ago, and consequently long before the visit of any settlers of the white race, they were led by their wars and successes as far south as the Carolinas, but, after remaining there some years, they were driven out by a more powerful enemy from that quarter, and returned to the north again, as their original home. Since then, they have always lived within the State of New York, having formed the sixth tribe of that powerful confederacy of Indians, called "The Six Nations." In process of time, the State government and the general government, acting in concert, prevailed upon them to part with the greatest portion of their lands, but kept for them a certain tract, which is called the "Tuscorora Reservation," induced them to put aside many of their Indian habits, and become agriculturalists. They have now followed this mode of life for nearly fifty years; but so slow is the progress of the Indians in acquiring the habits of more civilized people, that they are a full century behind all their surrounding neighbours, both in the condition of their lands, their cattle, their dwellings, and themselves.

Impressed with a belief that the removal of all the Indian tribes to the new lands west of the Mississippi river, will be beneficial to the tribes themselves, and place the lands now occupied by them here in the hands of white settlers, who will bring

them to a much more productive state of cultivation, the general government have prevailed on those who remain, of the Six Nations settled in the State of New York, to enter into treaties with them for their removal, and they have now almost all acceded to the terms proposed.

The object of the council to be held to-day was to ratify this treaty, by the signatures of the chiefs of the Tuscorora nation. The meeting was held in the church, built on the reservation lands for the use of the Indians, over which a Christian missionary presides as minister. The number present did not exceed 100, of whom about 60 were men, and the rest women and children. The men were seated on one side of the church, the women on the other. The costume of the men was a singular mixture of the Indian and European-their garments mostly of the latter, their ornaments entirely of the former. The costume of the women was entirely Indian; and it has been remarked, that while the men willingly adopt the European mode of dress, so long as they can retain their Indian belts, feathers, and trinkets, the women cannot be prevailed upon to make the least approach to it; but continue to wear the garments, and exhibit the ornaments of their ancestors, without alteration.

The women take no part in the public councils of their Indian husbands generally; but on this occasion, General Gillett had requested their attendance in the church, that we might have a good opportunity of seeing them. They brought with them various kinds of work, such as small baskets, reticules, and mockasins, or slippers, all of which they orna