Page:Historic highways of America (Volume 14).djvu/144

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140
THE GREAT AMERICAN CANALS

by the "Seneca Chief," consisted of the canal-boats "Chief," "Superior," "Commodore Perry" (a freight boat), and the "Buffalo" (of Erie, Pennsylvania). "Noah's Ark" was the name of another craft which contained beasts, birds and creeping things—a bear, two eagles, two fawns, several fish, and two Indian boys, all traveling under the title of "products of the West."

When the flotilla set sail a signal gun was discharged at Buffalo; the announcement was taken up by each gun in a long line from Buffalo to New York and the signal was passed throughout the entire distance.

As the pageant moved along through the state it was joined ever and anon by other craft and at almost every village exercises and illuminations were the order of the day and the much-feted governor and committees were hauled to the best hotel and feasted. The "Niagara" joined the squadron at Black Rock and "fell in behind." At Lockport guns captured by Perry at the battle of Lake Erie were fired in salute to the guests and the occasion; a gunner who,