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Jacob Lindley's Account, 1793

SW_JL1793_Page_153

not daring to stand by trees, for fear of lightning. It lasted near three hours, then cleared away. After this dreadful storm was over, we renewed our fire, which was almost extinguished by the rain, lay down on the wet ground in our wet clothes, contemplated the wondrous beauty of our spangled canopy, and rested some, having rode forty miles the preceding day. 2nd. Resumed our journey through a swampy, dreary wilderness, for above twenty miles, inter-spersed with some ridges of very rich land. Passed over a fine stream for water works, where the water pitches off a fine limestone rock, six or seven feet at once. The banks are low and rich. Sometime after, passed over about ten miles of plains, in which is a curious spring, covering an acre and a half; the fall from it is rapid; — the stream as large as Whiteclay creek. Then passed through an Indian village, on the flats of the Genessee river: which exceeds any land I have seen for richness — the grass, pea vines, and thistles, higher than a man's head, on horse-back. Thousands of acres fit for mowing — of which a great deal is cut, and makes excellent fodder, the pods and peas contributing thereto. We forded the river, now about as large as Brandywine. This place is thirty miles south of Ontario. Lodged at Berry's, on the bank of the river, having rode thir-ty-five miles. 3rd. Here we were refreshed, refitted, and pre-pared to pursue our journey. Here many Indians resort — one old woman, supposed to exceed one hundred years — I admired her gray head. She said she was always kind and good, and always against