Thursday, October 2nd, 1823 - At 4 o’clock I started for Bucks,
where I arrived at 7 o’clock. I left the stage and went in the country for four
miles to Lockport, for the purpose of calling on David Thomas Esq., chief
engineer for the western district of the Erie Canal. Governor Clinton spoke of
him in the highest terms of respect. My meeting with him showed him to be a
gentleman of great attainments. Mr Thomas is, in America, looked on as a
mineralogist of the first standing. He [also] possesses knowledge of birds and
botany. In the afternoon we walked along the canal and saw the operation of
forming and building.
Lockport, Friday 3rd – In company with Mr Thomas, who
kindly offered me “the use of his person” as he said, I visited woods north of
Lockport, which were almost all beech. At 2pm I got my things packed and
prepared to return to Bucks to catch the stage. Left Lockport at 4 o’clock and
got to Bucks at 6, where I remained for the night
Saturday, October 4th, 1823 – Today I went by stage to
Rochester, where the line of canal boats starts from. Fifteen miles of this
route is through a swamp and trees laid crossways, which rendered it very
unpleasant.
I'm not entirely sure about the purpose of
Douglas's excursion to Lockport. Certainly he did some botanising in the woods
thereabout but that seems to be a bit opportunistic. He appears to have been
there mainly to see the progress of the Erie Canal. Lockport itself seems, in
1839, a full 16 years after his visit, to still be a bit rough and ready.
A slightly snide comment from Douglas about Mr
Thomas, I thought - "Mr Thomas is, in America, looked on as a mineralogist
of the first standing." By implication, does Douglas mean that Thomas
would be regarded as, at best, a gifted amateur in British circles? Perhaps
it's just careless wording.
Douglas has had previous experience of corduroy
roads on his route north, and he likes them no better on the way south. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corduroy_road
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