A Tour through North America by Patrick Shirreff

_Journey from Detroit to New York-Western Lakes which form the River St Lawrence-Cleveland-Erie Canal-Cold Weather-Canal Packets-Sabbath School Children at Rochester-Black Children-Slavery in the United States-Agricultural Notices-Washington Hotel-Transition from Rudeness to Refinement-Travelling-Cheap Land-State Election-Inhabitants Consulted in Political Matters-Arrival at Liverpool._

After spending five days in Upper Canada, it became necessary to wend my way to New York. The weather for weeks past had been tempestuous. The trips of the steam-boats on the lakes had been interrupted, and the ferry-boat at Detroit had, on more than one occasion, ceased to ply from the violence of the wind. Had there been a stage through Upper Canada, from Sandwich to Niagara, I would have preferred travelling to New York by land, but dreading the state of the roads, and length of journey in passing round the west end of Lake Erie, I decided in going from Detroit to Buffalo by steam. Vessels were still leaving Detroit for the Western Lakes, notwithstanding the advanced period of the season, and I saw the Michigan steamer sail for Green Bay, with troops on board.