Northern New York, although it has within it, and along its borders, ten populous cities,* and villages without number, is still mostly covered by its primeval forests. Of a truth, it may be said to be a vast wilderness, surrounded by a narrow fringe of settlements. And although in great part a gloomy solitude which is seldom trodden by the foot of man, yet it is completely surrounded by the world's great routes of travel, over which the business and the pleasure of half the continent yearly pass under the very shadows of its aboriginal woods. Northern New York not only has a Great Wilderness within its borders, but it has also within it a Lesser Wilder Albany, Troy, Cohoes, Schenectady, Utica, Rome, Syracuse, Oswego, Watertown, Ogdensburgh. 2 ness.* The Lesser Wilderness would itself be a famous one, were it not lost sight of in the overshadowing grandeur of the Greater. Northern New York abounds in grand, beautiful and picturesque scenery, unsurpassed anywhere. It teems with undeveloped mineral wealth and forest products. It has been for centuries the theatre of stirring events-the pathway of contending armies-the battle-ground of nations. It is therefore rich in historic incident and legendary lore. In a word, it is one of the most attractive and interesting parts of our country. II. ITS ANCIENT NAMES. As long ago as the year 1570, Abraham Van Ortelius was the distinguished geographer of Philip II. of Spain. In that year Ortelius published his "Universal Geography." It was a work of such rare merit that it won for him the title of "The Ptolemy of his Age." In this work was a map of New France. As then known to Europeans, New France comprised almost all that had been discovered of North America. In this map New France was divided into nine provinces. What is now known as Labrador was called Terra Corterealis. The district which lies between Labrador and the Saguenay River was named Saguenai. The country along the St. Lawrence between the Saguenay and the Ottawa *The Lesser Wilderness lies at the head waters of the Mohawk river, on the highlands that rise northerly of Oneida Lake, and between the eastern shore of Lake Ontario and the upper valley of the Black river. |