By Water to the Columbian Exposition | Page 5

a long walk about the town, I found that, although inferior
in size, it is a very desirable place for summer residences; being

beautifully situated on romantic slopes crowned with elegant and tasty
villas.
Canajoharie is regularly and appropriately laid out with wide, well kept
and adequately lighted thoroughfares, and many citizens reside in
spacious and architecturally ornamented houses. It is a recognized
center of trade, from which agricultural products of all kinds are
shipped.
In the first historic record, dated 1757, the place was styled "Fort
Cannatchocary," and mentioned as a prospering settlement.
Incorporated as a town in 1788, its population has been rapidly
increasing since then, and now is estimated to amount to more than
3,000.
It was a glorious morning, the 24th of July, as we left Canajoharie. The
sun rose up into a cloudless heaven and poured a flood of gorgeous
splendor over the landscape, as if proud of the realm he shone upon.
When I entered the pilot-house I found Mr. James, in the absence of the
captain, busy steering the yacht, and in the course of our long voyage I
often had opportunity to admire his abilities as a navigator. On many
occasions I observed that he was very cautious in all his proceedings;
that he took nothing for granted, and was only convinced of a fact when
properly certified by ocular demonstration.
Engaged in a French conversation with the dexterous commodore, the
time, as well as the vessel, was rapidly gliding along; the latter being
assisted by a little breeze that rippled the surface of the water. So, after
a three miles' ride, we approached _Fort Plain_, which boasts of
numerous factories, and also the largest spring and axle works of the
world. The Clinton Liberal Institute, one of the leading military schools
of the State, occupies a commanding position, overlooking the valley.
The site of old Fort Plain, of revolutionary memory, is within the
village limits.
Having passed Cox and Mindenville, a route of nine miles brought us
into the proximity of the busy town of _Little Falls_, which has a
population of about 10,000. It is romantically situated, and many
elegant dwellings stand upon steep acclivities, commanding views of
grand and attractive sceneries. The chief products of the numerous
manufactories are knit goods. Little Falls is also one of the principal
cheese markets of the Empire State. The Mohawk river supplies the

place with abundant water-power, having at this point a fall of
forty-five feet in half a mile.
Still proceeding on our voyage, the town was soon out of sight. The sun
shone with the clearest splendor from the zenith, beautifully illumining
the smiling valleys, wooded hills, sparkling brooks and dimpled lakes,
which makes this landscape scene so attractive. We were unable to
leave our seats on the stern-deck; for everything around us seemed to
have assumed the character of enchantment, and--had I been educated
in the Grecian mythology--I should scarcely have been surprised to find
an assemblage of Dryads, Naiads and Oreads sporting on the plain
beside us.
After having viewed Mohawk, eight miles from Little Falls; Herkimer,
a town of about 5,000 inhabitants; Ilion, with a population of nearly the
same number, and Frankfort, four miles from Utica, we reached the
latter city as
"The sunset gorgeous dyes, Paled slowly from the skies,"
having achieved forty-two miles that day.
Utica contains approximately 47,000 residents. At the time of the
revolution it was a frontier trading-post and the site of Fort Schuyler,
built to guard the settlements against the French and Indians.
We made arrangements to remain in this city over night.
A long walk through Utica made us acquainted with a regular and
handsomely built city, which rises from the south bank of the Mohawk
River to an elevation of 150 feet. Among the stately buildings are six
large hotels, the handsome city hall, the postoffice and the bank edifice.
There is also a State Lunatic Asylum. Utica, being in the center of a
great dairy region, has become the most important cheese market in the
United States.
Genesee Street is the principal thoroughfare lined with large blocks of
commercial houses.
The city has not yet attained its centennial; but during its history of less
than a century it has experienced a wonderful growth, especially during
the last fifty years.

At 7 o'clock the next morning we resumed our voyage, sailing on the
so-called sixty mile level; having thus the delightful prospect not to be
detained by going through numerous locks.
We were also in limine of the far-famed lake region, and soon traversed
one of the finest portions of New York State.
Passing the hamlets of York Mills, Whitesboro and Oriskany, the
"Marguerite" advanced near to the city of Rome towards 10 o'clock
A.M. In its vicinity the famous battle