114    UNITED STATES GAZETTEER.

and kindred, and tongue, on the face of the globe, are now among the moving masses of this
most populous state in the western hemisphere. New York city, the commercial capital,
in an especial manner exhibits an example of this aggregation of “ all sorts and conditions of
men." And the interior is also receiving daily its contributions of settlers or -wanderers from
every quarter of the old world. Among these, the most impoverished districts of Ireland pre-
sent, perhaps, the largest number of representatives. Every other European country has
furnished also a sufficient quota. Asia and Africa, even, are not without their delegates; nor
are the two Indies, nor the foreign provinces both north and south of the boundaries of the
republic. The ease with which emigrants may attain to all the privileges of citizenship,
the facilities afforded for trade of every description, and the rewards procurable by the
exercise cf every species of active industry, are the chief causes and provocatives of this vast
influx from abroad. VV ithin the ten years ending with the census of 1850, the population of
New York has increased from 2,428,021 to 3,097,394.

Climate. — There is, in this state, a considerable variety of climate. In the southern sec-
tion, it is mild, but mutable, both in winter and summer. In the northern, the winters are more
severe, but uniform, and the summers are pleasant. Westward of the mountainous ridges,
the climate is more equable and salubrious than in like latitudes on the eastern side. At
Albany, the temperature varies between the extremes of heat and cold generally more than
100°; that is, from 15° below zero to 90° above. At Canandaigua, there is nearly the same
difference, the mercury sinking lower in winter, and rising to a less height in summer. On
Long Island, near the Atlantic Ocean, the thermometer indicates a difference between the
two extremes of about 90°; namely, from 4° below zero to 87° above. But, with the excep-
tion of occasional epidemics, not imputable, however, in general, to local causes, the climate
of New York may be considered as one of the most healthy in the world.

Religion. — Every variety of religious doctrine prevalent in other parts of the United States
has its disciples in this state. The different Christian denominations may be classed, accord-
ing to numbers, as follows: Presbyterians, Baptists, Methodists, Dutch Reformed, Episcopa-
lians, Associate Reformed, Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Universalists, and Unitarians. There
are also sundry congregations of Jews, Quakers, Shakers, &c.

Curiosities. — Among several remarkable phenomena, in various departments of nature,
existing within the State of New York, the cataract of Niagara stands most prominent. A
detailed description of this world-renowned prodigy would require an amount of space incon-
sistent with the general object of the present work. But the subjoined extract from an
account of the Falls of Niagara, written by Father Hennepin, who visited them in 1678, and
published in London twenty years thereafter, presents a picture, the fidelity of which, notwith-
standing its antiquity, will be recognized by all who have viewed the wonderful original in
more modern times. The accuracy of the statistical facts therein presented is, of course^ not
assured; but the delineation is expressive of the impressions of almost every one who beholds
this awfully grand object for the first time, and would undertake to describe it without actual
admeasurement.

“ Betwixt the Lakes Ontario and Erie," says Father H., “ there is a vast and prodigious
cadence of -water, which falls down after a surprising and astonishing manner, insomuch that
the universe does not afford its parallel. 'Tis true, Italy and .Swedeland boast of some such
things; but we may well say that they are but sorry patterns, when compared with this of
which we speak. At the foot of this horrible precipice we meet with the River Niagara,
which is not above a league broad, but is wonderfully deep in some places. It is so rapid
above this descent, that it violently hurries down the wild beasts, while endeavoring to pass it
to feed on the other side, they not being able to withstand the force of its current, which
inevitably casts them headlong above 600 feet high.

“This wonderful downfall is composed of two great streams .of water, and two falls, with an
isle sloping along the middle of it. The waters which fall from this horrible precipice do foam
and boil after the most hideous manner imaginable, making an outrageous noise, more terrible
than that of thunder; for when the wind blows out of the south, their dismal roaring may be