the group reached albany, new york two days later, where joseph darrow was hired. hudson also bought $46.50 worth of goods in albany and nearby schenectady. a few members of the group, including ira hudson, left to drive cattle to the settlement. the others then traveled across new york along the mohawk river valley, passing through fort schuyler in utica (where jonah meechum was hired on april 29). the group then arrived at onondaga (near present-day syracuse) on may 2, where richard blin was hired. they reached east bloomfield, where birdsey norton lived, on may 5. the party replenished its supplies and hudson met with benjamin tappan, who was on his way to a settlement near hudson's. they agreed to travel together by boat, while another small group herded livestock overland, to their respective settlements. on may 16, 1799, the group, consisting of hudson, darrow, blin, mckinley and tappan, traveled north to lake ontario. departing in several boats from oswego, they traveled west towards lake erie.