History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 862

USA > New York > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 15

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

" The rest of the day was spent in making observations at ' S' and in fishing. We changed our clothing completely, and dried our effects.

"Sunday, October 20 .- Bad weather detained us till eight o'clock, when M. Brunel took the helin, and we steered to double the point 'T,' which we passed by rowing, although with a strong head wind. At ten, the sky being still overcast, we landed upon our traet, at a high bank, and breakfasted. Ifere we informned M. de Zeny that we were on our own territory, and at the mouth of Black river. Left at eleven. The shore is composed of flat limestone, with bowlders of granite here and there, which appeared to have been brought there by the stormns of the lake or the current of the river. The soil is thin on the bauks, but further in it becomes deep, and bears a fine growth of timber. Sailing with a south-southwest wind in a northeast course, at a quarter-past twelve the dark-colored water apprised us that we had met the current of the Black river, aud following this as our guide, we came to a place where the water was quite shallow. The passage here enlarged, forming a large, almost circular basin, full of reeds and shoals, where we saw great numbers of cranes and dueks; but after passing the bar we found twenty feet of water in the channel, with a bottom of red sand sprinkled with grains of iron, and presently the true entrance of the river came in view. We saw two small, high, rocky islets, forming three openings like the ancient ruins of a natural bridge, which formed a very striking view in con- trast with the obscurity of the woods, the dusky hue of the waters, and the romantic barriers of rock. We landed at one of these natu- ral piles, and climbed to the top to view the hay, the lake, and the river; and after enjoying this majestic prospect, we re-embarked to continue up the river. A little beyond we met with an island covered with the trees of this region, and saw the land on our left shaded by a young copse, while a little beyond the river becomes narrower. The banks are formed of beds of flat limestone with shells in the cleavage, and the bed of the river is paved with the same. We noticed on the left a channel which we took at first for a creek, but found to be one of the arms of the river, that forins n large island at this place, it being actually dry in some places and worn in the same rock. The bottom, along which we walked, is perfectly level. The vigorous vegetation indicated an excellent soil, and we measured a maple-tree more than. twelve feet around. Opposite this island, ou the right, is a small stream. Further on the river is bordered with low grounds without rock, but the cliffs reappear beyond, and then appears a basin with a little plat of earth before the month of a dry creek, and an island ent in two by a fissure filled with gravel, which heeomes a channel in high water. Each side of this islet has a strong rapid, which we tried to pass on one side by drawing, but failed. aud finally, with mueh difficulty, succeeded on the other side in drawing our boat up into the basin above, and found there fifteen feet of water. At the head of the island we found n mass of trees and rocks, which by lodging there had probably caused the rapid. In the basin we saw another islet opposite the mouth of a ereck, which had considerable water. This double basin formed a very agreeable spot. From this basin we entered the channel of the river, which a little way off hid itself between steep masses of rock, overhung with evergreens, forming a very gloomy passage. As night came ou, we encamped on a little intervale of abont an acre, which we found among the cliff's, and having secured the boat, arranged our tent, and canght some catfish and lake-bass,-an excellent fish, much resembling

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the sea-bass. Finally, we supped, and slept for the first time on our own domains.

"Monday, October 21 .- Left at eight and ascended half a mile, sur- mounting a difficult rapid, but with plenty of water, and half a mile further found a very strong rapid, and after landing upon the rocks and trying in vain to drag the boat over it with ropes, gave up the attempt, lest the ropes should break and let the boat dash against the rocks, leaving us alone in the wilderness. We then mounted on foot, climbing from roek to rock in order to see as much as we eould of the river, which continued still deep, and walled in between great masses of limestone rock. This stone is of a bluish tint and excel- lent for building, and, although hard, it cleaves handsomely. We found some stones which gave indications of iron, and the sand itself is reddish, and filled with particles of iron, which tends to render the water still darker. We found some pyrites, brown within and black outside, which gave sparks with steel, and emitted a bituminous odor. We walked about a mile along the rocks with much difficulty, and eame to an island, and a dry creek on the right, and saw many violent rapids, and finally a fall, which entirely barred our passage.

" The rain now began to fall, which caused us to return to the boat at the last night's camp, where we arranged the tent more substan- tially, intending to make some sojourn at this place. We felled trees, unloaded the boat, and built a shelter as a magazine, and opened our easks of biscuit, which had become mouldy, to dry them by the fire, as also our clothes and effects. In this little nook in the rocks we were quite sheltered from high winds or the falling of trees, which the tempests overturned on the high lands around ns. During the night the river arose about six feet, and we got up frequently to look after the boat, which, without this care, might have been swept away.

" We caught several white-fish, and M. Brunel killed two American pheasants, which resembled the wood-hens of Europe. We also caught a kind of salamander, much larger than the European, being a foot long, including the tail. This amphibian had four paws, and a head much like that of a lizard, and fastened itself so firmly to the rock that our men could scarcely pull it off with the line, and thought they had taken a very large fish. We found in the vicinity some moose- wood, so called because the elan, which the Canadians call the ori- ginal, and the Americans the moosc-deer, is very fond of it. It is a very pliant bush, mucilaginous like the mallows, and its bark will make cords of great strength, and impervious to water. We made one of it for our boat. The wood, which is very soft and spongy, made good floats for our lines from lack of better.

" Tuesday, October 22 .- A heavy rain in the morning, with hail, so that we could only go and reconnoitre in the intervals of fair weather. The upper part of the soil is sandy, and the country was burned over some thirty years ago, so that the timber is all of about that age, except the maples and walnuts, which escaped the flames. The sand is fer- tile, and the humus is at least a foot deep in some places, so that it is capable of yielding as good crops as a soil more compact, while it is easier to cultivate. Beyond the evergreen-trees which thickly cover the banks, the land becomes better, and we found groves of maple, interspersed with ash, walnut, etc., of great size; and, contrary to the usual order, the poorest soil was along the river-banks, where the rock not only comes to the surface, but is full of dangerous crevices, con- cealed by mosses and woody plants.

" From ten in the morning until one in the afternoon we were ex- ploring the basin that we traversed on Sunday, and the location of which appeared to us favorable for a city, if the bar would allow a passage for vessels, the depth of Black river-from seventcen to twenty feet-being sufficient to bring sloops and schooners as far as the foot of the rapids of the upper basin. We took notice of all the advantages of this location, its quays cut from stones by the hand of nature, the surface entirely of rock, and raised a dozen fect above the water; and in the interval between the upper and lower basins the city might receive from the upper the products of the mills on the falls and rapids, while from the lower they could bring the pro- duets of the lake, and send off their exports. The dryness of the soil promised salubrity, while the land rising in hills around the har- bor would display the city to advantage. On digging pits we found stone suitable for building and for lime; and clay is not distant for brick ; but all these advantages are nothing unless the passage is practicable, because the commerce of the lake requires keeled vessels, and if need be we must place it on the bay, or some of the natural coves, of which there are several.

" Wednesday, October 23 .- Early in the morning we decided that

M. Pharoux should start with one of the men, and some provisions, to follow up the Black river for a couple of days, in the hope of reach- ing the settlements of the Baron Steuben, which we believed to be thirty miles distant, or of finding some log houses, where the inhab- itants might give some information. In the mean time we were to examine the environs of our camp, and make preparations for return- ing. We accordingly made several excursions into the woods, while the men were busy in mending the boat, and in making a new mast and a large stecring-paddle. M. Pharoux left at seven o'clock, with Briton, one of the boatmen, loaded with three days' provisions, and armed with a gun, a hatchet, a flint and steel, and blankets. At half- past seven he came to the great fall, as far up as we had been, and at eight he reached the head of the rapid. Beyond this, crossing a dry creck paved with flat rock, he went up the stream a quarter of an hour, and found the soil good, with young timber of lofty growth. The fall on the river was a succession of rapids. Saw a rapid pass- able by a boat, and a little above a fall, with the banks of rock from thirty-six to forty-two feet above the water. At 8.20 another fall, and at 8.30 another, and then rapids. At 8.36 a fall of about ten feet, the banks here showing the débris of great disturbances. At 8.45 a larger fall, in three sections, the middle one narrowed by broken rocks, which broke up the current. At 9.05 a large and long fall. The gen- eral course of the river in ascending was eastward, but it is quite crooked in places. At 9.15 descended the rock in a convenient place, on the right of a fall, where the sides are less steep, the rock sloping under the stream so as to give it greater swiftness, with a sheet, or cas- cade below. The gutters worn in the rock have also a cascade. The banks on our side are low, as also on the other, with masses of timber lodged by the waters. The easterly course has changed to the south- cast. At 10.5 another fall, or violent rapid, with receding banks, and large masses of flat stone on the left, and a little further on the right the river turns towards the southeast and then east. It then forms a succession of rapids, in the middle of which is a mass of rock. At 10.40 the river was about fifty toises wide, southeast turning east, and a small rapid. A fine stony beach, and pleasant basin of still water; at 10.45 a small stream of running water, and beds of overhanging rock. The land low, with a fine vegetation. At 10.50 another beach. The river turns southeast, with moose-wood on the banks, and large maples, ash, oak, and walnut trees. The river is wide and rapid. At 11 a hill, then a valley, and low grounds, and a large stream with flat, rocky bed. A little beyond the current is stronger, and trees fallen in numbers.

"At 11.25 the river fine and wide. Soil good, but better on the right. Course S.S.E. Banks straight, rocky, and a hundred toises apart.

" At 11.40 a wide rapid. Course east. The still water forms a little cove on each side. At 11.50 a great rapid, with rocky islets in the middle, uprooted trees, and heaps of sand on the shore, where it is overflowed in freshets. At noon we saw a great cascade in the distance, broken rock, forming an island, through which the water flows. The smaller channel on the right, a rocky cliff on the left, and narrowing of the river above, where it turns to the northeast. Low ground on the right and high on the left. Two ravines, with banks, then another ravine, obstructed with masses of trees. At 12.50 the great cascade, of which the torrent is on the left side, with a branch on the right, and a large rocky island, covered with pines. Land low on the right, but steep at the bottom of the fall, and high on the left. The cascade forms a cloud of mist. At 1 we gained the head of the fall, where the swift water announces the upper falls. At 1.15 the river turns, and the land is steep on our side. Course east, turning southeast, the land forming a very high hill, and the vegeta- tion fine. At 1.25 the stream is parted by an island, with two falls at the head. The rocks are much broken and fissured on our side. A little above, a great fall of ten feet, with a little bar at the side of the island. At 1.34, the branches of the river very swift, and the course east, turning southeast. A large and fine island ; land good and low, with a fine vegetation. At the end of the island is another cascade, stronger and higher on the right than on the left.

" At 2 o'clock, about a hundred steps above another island, cov- ered with trees, the largest channel being on our side; soil good and low. Dined here. Before reaching the other end of the island a long sheet of water. At 2.45 a large fall and rapid, with two flat masses

# The falls at Watertown.

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

of rock. At 3 a rapid fall; eourse east, and the point of the island not yet in sight. Observed another branch towards the north, and this meeting of the waters forms a great uproar and disturbance. The land beyond this junction appears low, with no more rock. The other braneb has a northeast course, and what I took for a river is only a small branch of Black river. Soil good upon both sides and on the island, to which one might pass from rock to rock, across tho little branch. Beyond this the river becomes smooth. At 3.45 turned along the branch, which has a course almost north. A light rapid he- yond the first islaud. The river is wide and the land on both sides low, with a fine vegetation. At half-past five, the river still smooth. Made a fire. Took a light supper and slept in my blanket. It froze during the night. This place is very fine.

" Thursday, October 25 .- Resumed labors at half-past seven, fol- lowing the left bank of Black river, which still continues about as wide as the Seine at Point Royal, the water flowing very quietly. Tbe land is low and the soil good on both sides. More rocks and strong vegetation. At 7.35 three large trees, cut with an axe, and in- dications of a fire lately made. Course of the river northeast. At 7.45 a small island, with trees piled up by the current at the upper point. Another smaller island, the larger branch on our side. A dry creck and good land along its course. At 8 a little island on the right. At 8.15 a wooded island on the right side, and at 8.30 a large wooded island, the larger brauch on the left. A little further, a dry creck, with the adjoining lands a little elevated. It runs in at the wider branch. Course of the river more easterly. Ascended the creek, which has a northeasterly course, in a line of water and swamps. At 8.55 the river narrows, and high lands are met. Heard the noise of another fall. The river flows over flat rock ; course northeast. At 9.30 the channel narrows, with the same kind of banks of rock.

"Started at 9.55, after breakfast. At 10 a very strong rapid. Stony on the right and broken rock on the left. At 10.10 another rapid; turns east. At 10.20 a rocky bauk and sheets of rock on the left, torn up by the torrent, which here bends towards the south, and then to the east. At 10.25 another rapid, announcing a fall. At 10.35 a large fall. Course northeast, Banks quite high. At 10.45 another fall on the left. For the space of 300 toises it is rapid, and other falls are heard. I went no further than to get a view of the fall in the distance. I then directed my course towards the northwest, through the woods. The most of these lands nre level, with some swamps. I observed trees cut with an axe. At the right of the great fall the land is more broken, with the banks and rocks covered with evergreen- trees. Supped and slept before a rousing fire, near the great falls," and about ten miles from camp.

" Friday, October 26 .- Started at half-past six with Briton. The road was terribly rough over the rocks and among the junipers and hemlocks. Arrived at the tent at half-past nine. We had begun to be uneasy about our explorers, and, finding ourselves together and everything ready for a start, we took breakfast and set out at eleven. Passed again the basin suitable for the site of a city. Passed with difficulty the rapid which separates the two basins. The island is on our side. Arrived at the entrance, and the wind proved so contrary that we were forced to lay by among the rocks of a little peninsula which the river there forus. It came on to rain heavily, and we re- gretted our uook among the rocks, where we had been so well shel- tered. Pitched our tent among the red cedars. The rain having slackencd, we penetrated with some difficulty among the rocks and fallen trees till we came to the other side of the peninsula, where we fouud quite a large hollow, doubtless the remains of a bay, filled in by the debris of the river and lake, piled into this nook by the north- west winds. There was also an enormous mass of trees, forming a barrier which closod up the valley, and they were scattered along from the peninsula to another point, about a mile distant. M. Bruucl crossed it in going to a treo on the other side. These fallen trees were covered with blackbirds, who appeared to have chosen this spot as a rendezvous and point of departure. We saw, from this place in the bay, some flocks of herons, white as snow, ranged in a lino along the shoals, and busily engaged in fishing. We also saw some storks, wild geese, and ducks of several kinds. This bay, being well stocked with fish and full of shoals, is attractive to aquatic birds. We returned along the beach to our camp, thus making the tour of our little penin- sula, and discovering that the Black river, instead of entering directly into the bay, flows along the shore about a muile, kept in bounds by

shoals, and makes a curve in reaching the middle of the bay. In the bright sunlight the dark color of the river flowing through the bay enabled us to trace its course for some distance out. Meanwhile, since M. de Zeny was urging our return, we decided, instead of ex- ploring tbe passage, to improve the little time we had by steering across the shoals to reaeb the shore on our own territory. We had had since morning a dry, electrical fog, which, as M. do Zeny in- formed us, indicated frosty weather with certainty ; and, if we did not wish to winter in Canada, we must hasten to return, lest the ice should close the passage against our boat. Not knowing the country, we were cautious, and resolved to set out on our refurn to-morrow, with as little delay as possible."

NOTES FROM THE "CASTORLAND JOURNAL."

The first account on record of the appearance of the Black river at Carthage is given in the " Castorland Jour- nal," under date of July 21, 1794 :

" Monday, July 21, 1794 .- After finishing the translation of Mr. Webster's Field Book, I set out to visit the head of the falls, at 10.28, taking two men along, and two days' provisions in the canoe. I ar- rived at the head of the falls at about twenty minutes past one. The river is here quite wide, but somewhat encroached upon by rocks of a reddisb color on the right bank. The river above the head of the falls forms a great basin, which narrows at once at the place where the rocks first appear. The falls arc, from first to last, only a kind of rapid, with a slope of ahout two feet [in a chain], with rock on both sides and in the middle. At this place the current divides into two branches, and forms an island in the middle. The falls then enlarge into a vast basin, sprinkled with an immense number of rocks and rocky islets, the soil of which is strong, and covered with evergreen- trecs. The hasin has a wide contour, with a direction, at first, towards the north, and then to the west. The whole appears to be inundated at time of high water, from above, and the overflowing waters find passages and form currents in low places, where the channels are now dry. The surface is very unequal, cut up and broken with granite rock, and covered with cedars and bemlocks.

" I spent two hours in going around the basin, which has cvery- where rapids, and then came to still water, on the borders of a great plain covered with hemlocks. On a bank which rises above this plain we saw many traces of Indian habitations. The river has a north- northwest course from the foot of the falls, and then bears to tho north. At the place where the Indians bad eucamped we had a very fine view of the islands in the rapids, and the course of the still water below. The islands of the Long Falls are innumerable, and at a single point of view it is impossible to form a correct idea of the basin. . . . The rock in which it is worn is a reddish granite, striking fire with steel, and with strata highly inclined. A pocket- compass on heing placed on them was attracted.

" From the basin I walked along the river for about an hour; the water all the way still; but a littlo beyond I came to a fall of some two fect, which it would be possible to ruu down in a canoe. It is formed by a ridge of rock, that retains the water, and one might here pass hy fording, following the line of rocks. The river here turns towards the north. Went still about half an hour's walk fur- ther to observe the direction, and found that it turns northwest, the water being still for quite a long distance. I judged from the ap- pearauce of the highlands in the distance that we could not be far from the furtherest poiut I had reached the year before, and it may be that this is the still water I had seen above the lower rapids.

"Set out for camp. Saw a good place to ruu the road in the hemlock plain ; but the soil is very poor. We had to cross several places that had been overflowed, and channels, now dry, which the floods have worn. The wood is principally white eedar. Arrived at night, much fatigued, at the head of the Long Falls, but found neither tent nor fire prepared by little Jacques, whom I had left for this service. I had great difficulty in starting a fire. The weather was clear, and the north wind mado the night very cold. I slept in an Indian hut, near which I found the skeleton of a beaver."

The first map of the river at Carthage was drawn by Simon Desjardines, who thus describes his adventures :

" Wednesday, August 6 .- On the Survey .- Spent the day in drawing plans of the falls and rapids, passing across the rocks, the falls, and

# At these falls Pharoux was afterwards drowned.

HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK.

the rapids ; and after slipping, and tumbling into the water, my legs were blistered. The operation was continued until nightfall. Found, but not without difficulty, a place to recross to our side, and followed the road along the falls in the dark to reach camp, when, happily, at midway, we met them coming to seek us, by the light of fat pine torches. There only remains to draw the sides at some places, and the point of the island above. I could hardly sleep, from fatigue, and the pain endured from my blistered legs."

The French surveyors of 1794 encountered great trouble from mutiny, desertion, sickness, and death. The following account of these miseries is from the " Castorland Journal :"

" Wednesday, Sept. 10 .- Continued my route, and arrived at ten o'clock at the camp above the Long Falls, where I found Mr. Frey, the surveyors, and all the men but four, declaring their intention of abandoning us, under the pretext of sickness or unwillingness to re- main. Mr. Cantine's party had arrived, having left behind and abandoned three men sick with a bloody flux. I went at once to the place with Mr. Broadhead, and we brought them in upon a kind of litter. The men and surveyors had for three days been doing nothing, and I charged Mr. Webster with both falsehood and idleness, as he had done nothing since the 28th of August. I blamed him for having left me ignorant of the alleged sickness of his men, who had, however, been well enough to devour. their provisions in advance, and I required of Mr. Frey a certificate that his hired men had left before the completion of their work, which he signed in the presence of Mr. Broadhead, who also signed it as a witness. The result of this mutiny was that all the men, on the demand of Mr. Webster for three days' provisions, left us together in the evening. I refused the canoe to Mr. Webster and paid him nothing, but agreed to settle with him on the return of M. Desjardines, and, for the expenses of his journey, came to an agreement that it should be decided by Mr. De Witt. I went with Mr. Frey to the camp above the falls, to prevent them from taking the canoes and provisions from that place, and, after passing all the men over to the other side of the river, we returned at night by the light of a flambeau, made of hickory bark. At midway we met a light that Mr. Broadhead was bringing to direct our course. Ifc informed us of the death of little Vanverkell, one of our men, who had died from the bloody flux, his comrades having given him, after the American fashion, rum, with an infusion of astringent roots. I regretted this the more as this young and excellent boy had been as docile as the others were bad. We learned that Lindsay and Warren were staying with the corpse, and watching with Ward, another man who was also sick with the flux.

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Jefferson County, New York, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co. Number of Pages: 862

Author: Durant, Samuel W; Peirce, H. B. (Henry B.)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts & Co.
Number of Pages: 862