Immediately above the falls the river is navigable for large boats, and continues so for twenty-five miles above Williarasburgh, \vhere it is again interrupted. At the village of Williamsburgh the Canascraga Creek joins the Genesee River : this creek affords good navigation for near twenty miles, to Dansville, a settlement in the north west corner of Steuben county, only nine miles from the navigable waters of the Caniskeo River. The quantity of provisions and distilled liquor sent from the mouth of the Genesee River is very considerable. Last summer a small vessel was kept in constant employment in this business.

♦Iron can be brought, by the Susquehannah, from Pennsylvania to Geneva or Bath, and afiforded at nearly the same price it is sold for i^ New-York or Philadelphia.

WESTERN NEW- YORK. 1165

The counties of Ontario and Steuben have also the advantage of being, by a particular law, exempted from all taxation for sixteen years from the year 1790 ; so that, until the year 1806, they are free of all pubhc burdens, except what may be necessary for the support of their internal regulation : and we find by a late Law for raising by a direct tax, the sum of one hundred and twenty thousand dollars, that this privilege in favour of these counties is expressly guaranted. ♦

LETTER VIIL

Dear Sir,

I Shall now Endeavour to give you some idea of the route and distance to the Genesee Country from the city of New-York.

There are shorter roads than by Albany, but this route being the best and most convenient, the additional travelling is fully compensated for. During the summer months sloops are constantly passing from New-York to Albany : they generally run the distance in two days ; and sometimes in one. The road from Albany to the westward goes by Schenectady and the Mohawk River ; but at Utica, ninety-six miles from Albany, it is intersected by the Great Genesee Road, at which place you are ninety-nine miles from Geneva, the whole of which distance you will find a well settled country j but, for your guide in making comfortable stages, I have annexed a list of the best taverns on the road, with, their respective distance from each oher.