Documentary History of the State of New York, Vol. IV
P, A Sluice and Dam to raise a head of water to float Batteaus to Fort Bull.
Q. A wood Dam made by a Prodigious number of trees thrown there Promiscuously by Freshes
R. The Oswegagie Indian Path.
be 2 bd EO bd
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The Black Mold of this Land in general goes to 4 or 5 feet deep, then for about 2 foot deep a Blew Pipe clay, then a gravelly and Sandy Bottom.
All the ground from the Mark * to the Mahawk river is of one-and the same nature and all the Ground without that to where the ground begins to rise is of a Swampy nature, but of a Rich soil, but lying so much below the Interval Lands are wet & impassible without being drained.
The part that is marked for Stoney ground is composed of Round pebble stones mixed with Gravel and Sand, till you dig 6 foot deep, then small Gravel and Sand. :
The ground where the Fort is built is 19 foot higher than the Swamps and low Lands and descend gradually to Fort N ewport.
The Land marked for level ground to the east of Oswegagie Path falls about 8 foot below the high land and is level good arrable Land, but not interval.
Thro' the Swamp O runs severall small Creeks weh being joined at P make what is called Stoney Creek, weh at midling dry Seasons is too shallow to float Batteaus to Fort Bull for which Reason a little above P there isa Dam and Sluice to Raise a head of Water in the Swamp O. TheSluice is shut 6 or 8 hours before the Batteaus are to go to and from Fort Bull, when ready, it is opened weh gives water sufficient to float them.