myself in making inquiries and settling my route to Niagara, the idea of
visiting which wonder became all-absorbing; the long cherished desire
was about to be gratified, the dream of years to be realized. All
obstacles of business being removed, I grew restless and impatient of
further delay; I had, however, pledged myself to make a visit by the
way, and was only waiting for a couple of friends who were to be my
travelling companions.

JOURNEY TO COOPER'S TOWN.

OTSEGO LAKE.

At three o'clock A.M. on a cloudy and somewhat chilly morning, left the
door of the Eagle in a very comfortable extra coach, which was chartered
to convey a freight of four persons to the mansion of Mr. C----e, lying
upon Otsego Lake, distant from Albany some sixty miles.

My companions were Mr. H----e, whom I had with me at starting, and Mr.
I. V. B----n, for whom we had agreed to halt at his hotel on the top of
the State House hill, and a long halt we had of it; for, having no great
confidence in our punctuality, he had very wisely, as far as his own
comfort was concerned, left orders to be called whenever we should
appear: and not a moment earlier was he in the least danger of being
roused, for we had to awaken one of the Irish waiters before he could be
come at; a task of no small difficulty. After some half-hour's delay at
the top of the hill, we set forward.

_Mem._--In future, always arrange on all early expeditions to have my
quarters beat up last.

Although the morning broke gloomily, the sun rose brave and bright, and
managed throughout the day to keep the field against both wind and
cloud, that sought to overcast him. For the most part, this line of
country is very tame, and offers little to compensate for the bad road
leading through it. The amusement, therefore, which a series of fine
landscapes affords the traveller not being found here, we had to draw
upon our own personal resources to banish weariness; happily these were
not wanting: the youngest of my friends was the son of a leading Whig,
or Oppositionist, and newly inoculated with the right degree of
political fervour becoming the time and his age; the senior was a Tory,
or of the Government party, possessed of much natural humour, and having
a thorough knowledge of the people.

Previous to starting, the young politician was bold in his assertion
that in Schoharie county,--that through which our route lay,--the Whig
interest was in the ascendant; this assertio