p. 2

-2-

1824.

these combined double locks. These plans were scatter-
ed far and wide over the country. I remained a short
time in Rochester, tending a petty grocery for, Timo-
thy Miller.

March 7. Thirteen years old; went to Lockport and cut stone for
the locks; here I found my first fossils and began my col-
lection. The beautiful specimens I found in the deep
rock cut at this place gave me my first ideas of mineral-
ogy and initiated a habit of observation which has con-
tinued through all my life. I found amusement and
pastime in the study of nature, leading to long walks in
the country and as I found no others of similar tastes,
those rambles were usually without companions. Dur-
ing this year I got employment under Alfred Barrett, Esq.
President, engineer of Erie canal, as rodman at ten dollars a month
and fifty cents a day for subsistance; which situation I
held until the completion of the canal. My older broth-
er Darius was employed as assistant engineer at the same
time and place.

1825. I was present when La Fayette passed through Lockport
on his "tour of welcome;" and when the completion of the
canal was celebrated, Oct. 1825, and well remember the
sound of the telegraphic cannon stationed along the
route from Buffalo to New York which announced the im-
portant fact that the first boat had left Lake Erie on
her way to the Atlnatic [Atlantic].
The following is the inscription at the foot of the
locks: