“ On Friday night the 7th, waggons filled with country people rattled through the town all night; and on Saturday morning, Buffalo itself seemed to be moving in mass towards the grand point of attraction. To accommodate those who could not find a passage in carriages, five steam boats had advertised to leave here on Saturday morning, and great numbers chose this conveyance; they were the Henry Clay, William Penn, Pioneer, Niagara, and Chippewa being all the steam-boats in Luke Erie, except the Superior. ”

“ But this courageous youth followed the boat upwards of six hours, making incessant efforts to get on board, sometimes on one side, sometimes on the other, while those who had thrown him over endeavoured with their swords to keep him off. But that which appeared likely to accelerate his end preserved it. The young man snatched at a sword, seized it by the blade, and neither the pain, nor the exertions made by him who held it, could make him quit his hold. ”

“ A few years ago, one Brothers predicted in London that the world was to end with the year 1799 which grave prophecy many respectable men seriously believed, among whom was a certain member of parliament, who, strange to tell, strenuously defended this fanatic and his doctrines! Very lately, too, we heard of a poor man being shot dead by a person in London, who mistook him for a ghost, that had for some time past been terrifying, chasing, and beating the good people of Hammersmith! Honest John Bull is steady and brave against his enemies ”

“ In this season of distress, many wretched families must have perished by cold and hunger, had not those of opulent fortunes been inspired with a remarkable spirit of compassion and humanity. Nothing can redound more to the honour of the English nation, than did those instances of benevolence and well-conducted charity which were then exhibited. ”

“ The two bears left the vessel shortly after she began to descend the rapids, and swam ashore, notwithstanding the rapidity of current. On reaching the British shore they were taken. The buffalo was seen to pass over the Falls, but was not visible afterwards. What became of the other animals is not known. Those who had glasses could see one of the bears climbing the mast as the vessel approached the rapids; the foxes, &c., were also running up and down, but nothing was seen of them after after schooner passed over. The only live animals of the crew that passed over the falls were two geese ”

“ The greatest body of people were on the American side. Goat Island for a considerable distance exhibited a dense column of persons, and the bridge erected from Goat Island, which is upwards of a hundred feet over the rapids, was also crowded, and temporary booths, made with the boughs of trees, skirted both shores. ”

“ The river Thames was covered with such a crust of ice, that a multitude of people dwelled upon it in tents, and a great number of booths were erected for the entertainment of the populace. The navigation was entirely stopped; the watermen and fishermen were disabled from earning a livelihood; the fruits of the earth were destroyed by the cold, which was so extreme, that many persons were chilled to death ”

“ In vain did the poor man point out that he had purchased them at a valuation, and had a large family to bequeath them to; the priest told him, if he did not, he would be d-----d and go to hell! The poor man replied, he would not give up the land, but take his chance. In a few days he died, and was refused the rites of the church, or Christian burial, on account of his having died without receiving EXTREME UNCTION; and the priest told the family that he was certain of going to hell, and that the devil would come that night and take away his body. ”

“ The sun shone in full splendour, the waters of Erie were placid, there being scarcely a ruffle upon its surface, and a a few miles astern of us, four steamers crowded with passengers, and hands of music on board, were plowing their way down the rapids of Niagara. Our little boat towed the Michigan as far as Yale's landing on the British shore, within 3 miles of the Falls, where she anchored ”

“ On being repeatedly asked to state who they were, and no answer given, the fears of the inmates can be more easily felt than described. Eight stout athletic men who belonged to the house stood on the floor, almost immovably fixed, and, like the earth stopper, with their hair standing on end with fear. ”

“ The sailor remarked that even he who had been accustomed to climbing all his life, would have felt uneasy in a hammock swung almost topmast high; that a man who could perform such marvellous feats, prostituted his talents by sitting cross-legs; that one good turn deserved another and that if ever the press-gang visited the Nith (illegible text) he would insist on their seizing the tailor as his substitute to serve on board a man-of-war. At this suggestion the tailor, it is said, looked rather blue ”

“ A farmer's servant, while about to go abroad in the morning, was surprised to observe what looked like the body of a man, coiled up in a true hedge-hog fashion, in the clift of a tree 25 or 30 feet high. ”

“ By their courage and exertions the fire was at length totally extinguished."
The magazine, it seems, contained 200 barrels of gunpowder, besides charged bombs, caissons, and other combustibles. Had an explosion taken place, the loss of lives and of property would have been great and melancholy. An action of this sort requires more cool intrepidity and inflexible courage, than the most daring and resolute attack of an enemy; for, in the one case, the more daring the attempt, the more, it is to be presumed, an enemy will be confounded and panic-struck ”

“ In fact, so much larger was the assemblage of persons than was anticipated, that notwithstanding the proprietors of public houses had laid in an unusual supply of refreshments, they had not provided sufficient for one half the people, and thousands were unable to obtain a mouthful of any thing. ”

“ This notion was propagated among all ranks of people, by a fanatic soldier, who preached up repentance, and boldly prophesied that the next shock would take place precisely a month from the last, and totally destroy the cities of London and Westminister. "The churches," says Smollet, "were now crowded with penitent sinners: the sons of riot and profligacy were overawed into sobriety and decorum. The streets no longer resounded with execrations, or the noise of brutal licentiousness ”