August 1st, Wednesday. The brig Ontario, of ninety tons, belonging to Porter, Barton & Co., being on her way to Oswego, we took our departure in her about ten o'clock, on a visit to Fort Niagara, having previously apprised the officers of the garrison of our intention. This is a handsome vessel, cost $5,000, can carry 420 barrels of salt, and is navigated by a captain and seven men. The monthly wages of a sailor is $20. We saw six British and American vessels, five of which were square-rigged, ascend the river at the same time. The business transacted here is principally on the American side, and is the transportation of salt. There are two merchants and a lawyer in this village; also a spacious warehouse, and a good wharf belonging to this company: the road to the wharf is down a steep hill, and is badly contrived, as only one team can load at a time. The color of the river is a beautiful sea-green, and its depth from 40 to 100 feet; the current descends at the rate of thre! e miles an hour. The banks of the river are steep, and principally formed of a stone, composed of indurated red clay, which is friable on exposure to heat or frost. About two years ago, the ice accumulated some two miles below Lewiston, to the elevation of seventy feet, from bank to bank, and created a rise of water above, which swept away with the besom of destruction everything between the banks of Lewiston and Queenstown. We landed at the Fort from the brig, which hauled close up to the dock, and were received with a national salute, and other military honors. Capt. Leonard and Dr. West and families reside here, and Lieut. Gansevoort, a single man. The garrison consists of an artillery company. We dined with the commanding officer, in the large stone house, which is 105 by 46 feet. It is in itself a complete fortification, has a well, prisons, and only one door. It had iron window shutters, which were taken away by the British, when they surrendered the Fort, under Jay's treaty. There are marks of shot in the rafters from a six-pounder, and which were fired at the siege under Sir Wm. Johnson. It is said that the French asked permission of the Indians to build a trading-house, and that they erected surreptitiously this work; it is further stated that the stone were brought from Fort Frontenac. Considering the distance, and the monstrous mass of stones, one would think this impossible. As the s! tones about the windows are different, and more handsome than those which compose the building, the probability is, that the former only were brought from Fort Frontenac, and that the latter are the common stones of the country. [Fort] Niagara is in a ruinous condition. There are two block-houses at the east and west end; and an old stone house, which was built by the French, constitutes the magazine. The only pleasant thing to the feelings of an American are the new barracks which are building. The bar of the Niagara River at its entrance into the lake is twelve feet. From the north room in which we dined, we had a superb view of the lake. We understood here, that Gen. Dearborn, the late Secretary of War, had represented as an excuse for not erecting a fort at Black Rock, that the State had asked twelve dollars an acre for the ground - an assertion totally destitute of truth. We returned via Newark in our carriages, which we had sent to that place for the purpose. The river here is about thirty chains wide. It was formerly the seat of government of Upper Canada, which has been transferred to York, and Newark is now called Niagara. It contains about eighty houses, a court-house, and two churches. As we walked through the town we saw a dozen people, whom we were told were the principal men of the place, looking at us. Some years ago I got acquainted with Dr. Ker, Deputy Grand-Master of Upper Canada, whom I was told resides in this place, and intended to pay me particular attention of he saw me. The British fort is a little farther up than ours, and is said to be fourteen feet higher. Its condition is not much superior; it is under the command of a Major. Jackson was received at this place with military honors, and complimented with a ball. I observed an uncommon number of musquito hawks flying over the plains adjacent to this town; they were in pursuit of insects, and their cry was squab, in a sharp note. The road from Niagara to Queenstown is pleasant and well-cultivated, and the country has plenty of young orchards of apple and peach trees. I am told, however, that improvements are stationary, and that the country does not look better than it did eleven years ago. The difference between the American and British side, in every attribute of individual and natural improvements, must strike the most superficial eye. It is flattering to our national pride, and to the cause of republican government; indeed, Mr. Morris insinuated that Jackson recognized with no little spleen. The politics of Upper Canada are tempestuous. A great majority of the people prefer the American government, and on the firing of the first gun would unite their destinies with ours. The Irish and emigrants from the United States are opposed to the Scotch, who have monopolized the government. There are two newspapers printed in the province. The editor of one is an Irishman of the name of Willcocks, whose paper is called the Guardian. It is printed at Niagara, has an extensive circulation in Canada, and a limited one in this State. He is bold, but not possessed of great talents. He leads the opposition, and is a member of their parliament as it is styled, and has been prosecuted by the Government. Jackson sent for him and was closeted some hours with him. He complains bitterly of the abuses of government, particularly in exacting oppressive fees. The other press supports the Government. Queenstown contains about forty houses. I saw two square-rigged vessels taking in salt. It does but little business, when compared with its opposite rival. Eighteen thousand barrels of salt were conveyed by the portage at Lewiston last year, and but four thousand on this side. We crossed the ferry at Queenstown, which affords a curious phenomenon. An eddy runs up on each side, and facilitates a passage against a very impetuous current in the center of the river. In passing the river here, we had a full view of the great ridge, which passes to the banks of the river on the American side, is interrupted by the river, and is renewed on the British side, bending off towards the west, and running to the north end of Lake Ontario. The large rocks where the break of the great ridge opens, and the whole aspect of the water and the surrounding country, evidently show that this was the ancient seat of the Great Cataract. We again availed ourselves of the hospitality of Mr. Barton. (The above was published in the March 2004 edition of "Fortress Niagara," the Newsletter-Journal of the Old Fort Niagara Association, editor Harry M. DeBan, pgs. 9-14. Permission to post it has been granted. To view the entire journal on line go to http://www.history.rochester.edu/canal/bib/campbell/Chap06.html. )