June 27, 1834
We reached Dunkirk [New York] early, after navigating around a protruding point of land where the forest had been cut down and a lighthouse and house had been built. The point was rounded off and consisted of rocks, quite steep on all sides, as [if they had been] cut off. Many houses at Dunkirk have Dutch gables.
The place is not large and seemed dead and insignificant. We took on firewood there. After ten o’clock land appeared on both shores; we were already approaching the end of this beautiful lake. The coasts were quite low. At ten thirty we had a distant view of Buffalo at the end of the lake. After eleven o’clock we witnessed a race between two steamboats running out from Buffalo. This sizable city was soon [in view] before us. Magnificent steamboats—more than thirty now sail on the lake—passed us with flags flying and [crowded] with passengers. About twelve o’clock we came into Buffalo, where a crowd of porters and innkeepers, or their agents, immediately accosted us. Each recommended his house and offered his services. We proceeded to the Eagle Tavern.
Buffalo is an impressive city, full of life, trade, and business. [There are about] 1,000 houses and 12,000 inhabitants, [whose numbers have] increased exceptionally in a short time. Thanks to its location, [the city] promises to become an important commercial center. The Erie Canal begins here and [is] a fine, fast connection to the large eastern cities of New York, Boston, and Philadelphia on the seacoast. [Not far away] are the remarkable Niagara Falls, which during the summer months attract large crowds of tourists and foreigners—all of whom visit Buffalo. The city has streets that are regular and cross at right angles, many nice brick buildings, and a number of exceptionally beautiful, opulent stores with all kinds of merchandise and commodities. The canal has [side cuts] in several places where ships and boats can lie [near] the streets of the lower city and [thus] ease water traffic. The city rises over a gentle elevation, and from a few higher places, there is a magnificent view of the gleaming surface of the beautiful lake, extending far into the distance and disappearing into the haze. On the right side, there is an imposing view of the Niagara River and its opposite, Canadian, bank. Buffalo has several fine public buildings, among them nine to ten churches and meeting houses of religious sects (there are many here); large, well-furnished inns; a courthouse; and others, all enumerated in many small booklets written [to enlighten] tourists.
Buffalo was destroyed by the British in 1814, and we were told that only one house remained standing. [The city] was not rebuilt right away, and only after the construction of the canal did it supposedly increase [substantially]. Considering how short this time [has been], the growth of [Buffalo] is quite incredible; in no [other] country of the world could such a rapid expansion have been observed. Railroads are being built, [and] one of them will run right up to Niagara. Shipping is very active; approximately thirty steamboats sail back and forth—one daily has the opportunity to book a passage to Cleveland or Detroit as well as Niagara.
We stayed only half a day in Buffalo and used the afternoon to visit the socalled village of the Seneca Indians located close by, about 1 1/2 miles southeast of the city. They live in the woodlands [among] their scattered fields and plantings. They dwell in small wooden houses built in the fashion of the whites. Some of these [houses] are very pretty; all are quite dispersed. A nice little white church [is at] the approximate center of this Indian colony. The Senecas living here now are engaged in agriculture and have cattle [and] horses. They can be seen, like other farmers, driving their wagons to the city now and then. Their clothing is almost the same as that of the white man. They wear round hats—even the women frequently [do so]. The men usually [wear] a red sash over their blue cloth coats. The women generally walk wrapped in blankets, although [they] do wear, as stated, black felt hats (usually round ones) when they go out. The facial features, skin color, and hair of many of these people are still very true. In this respect they do not differ significantly from the Missouri Indians, since essentially the same facial features can be found [among] all North Americans [or?] all American [Indian] nations. Many Senecas already have some mixed blood from outsiders, so their facial features are no longer completely [as they once were] and their color [is] also paler, but the majority are still characteristic. The old ones and the women in particular show many original traits. Some of them speak English, some none at all, and all use their old Indian language when they talk among themselves.
According to the articulation of a helpful Indian, I hurriedly noted only a few words:
| Words | A Few Words of the Seneca Language |
|---|---|
| Sun | Nonduága |
| Water | Onikanúss |
| Fire | Odjḯsta (‘j’ as in French) |
| Bow | Ua-ä-änon (together, ‘Ua’ slightly separated, ‘non’ as in French) |
| Arrow | Ka-non (‘Ka’ shortly detached, ‘non’ as in French) |
Originally 900 Indians were said to have been settled here, but they are no longer that numerous. Allegedly there were some Onondagas and Cayugas among them who spoke the same language. From the government they received 49,000 acres of very fertile land [near] Buffalo. They have a clergyman and a school and also a tavern, run by a half-breed who apparently did not think too much of his Indian ancestry and wanted to be considered a white man.
We visited some of these Indians; they showed us their Bible or prayer book, written in the Indian language, and sold us pretty shoes embroidered with porcupine [quills], as well as bows and arrows that they still keep in their homes, especially for the children to shoot.
The Senecas formed one of the Six Nations that were earlier enemies of the French in Canada and, with the exception of the Oneidas, supported the British against the Americans in the American [Revolutionary] war. In Charlevoix and Colden’s works, one can find information about the history of these formerly mighty warrior nations whose places of residence were in the vicinity of the Great Lakes. The Six Nations were the Senecas, the Cayugas, Onondagas, Tuscaroras, Oneidas, and Mohawks. The latter [sic] came from the south and were later admitted to the association of the five nations.
We returned in the evening to Buffalo, mourning the destruction of all of these highly interesting native peoples of eastern North America. Dreidoppel put our live bears aboard the Erie Canal freight boat, on which he would sail on the following morning. We had booked a stage to Niagara that departed early in the morning at six o’clock. Only with much effort did we succeed to get the bears aboard a boat. Some of the skippers who knew well that we urgently needed a ship for the further transportation of these live animals stuck together and would not agree to anything at first. I nonetheless came off very well in this respect. An American took interest in our request, and I had to pay not more than 19 dollars for the transport of the bears along the whole length of the Erie Canal to Albany—a distance of 363 miles.
The bookstores in Buffalo did not have a very large selection of works, yet I found and took along a few useful pamphlets that prepared us for the imminent journey to Niagara and on the Erie Canal. With that I more than filled out our short stay in this interesting place.