Meanwhile his wife and children had lived in Albany.

When the back country was thought safe to live in, at the urgent solicitation of Sir Jeffrey Amherst, he had gone to the northern valley with his herd, and prospered there.
Albany had one wide street which ran along the river-front.

It ended at the gate of a big, common pasture some four hundred yards south of the landing which was near the center of the little city.

In the north it ran into "the great road" beyond the ample grounds of Colonel Schuyler.

The fort and hospital stood on the top of the big hill.
Close to the shore was a fringe of elms, some of them tall and stately, their columns feathered with wild grape-vines.