standing this and various other dangers, to which all are equally exposed, who venture to sail any considerable distance under the rock, the native fishermen frequently continue there for hours together, apparently without any apprehension of danger. The river, immediately beneath the Falls, affords a greater quantity of fish than are to be found in any other piece of water of the same extent in the world. Snakes of different descriptions also abound upon the banks: These, when combined with the other terrors of the place,—the frightful roar of the cataract, and the troubled aspect of the river,-tend powerfully to augment the fearful propensities of the astonished visitor.

The whole breadth of the precipice, or Falls, including the islands which intervene, is 1,335 yards. The greatest body of water falls on the Canadian side of the river, and on account of the form assumed by the waters before they are dashed from the top of the rocks, is designated the HORSE-shoe FALL. It extends from the shore to the interme

vation must, I think, be at least six feet; for the river, though more rapid, is scarcely half so wide as at the efflux. On the contrary, whenever the wind blows from the North-east, the only easterly wind which in this region is of any importance, the waters of Lake Erie must recede of course, and fall considerably below their usual level. Whenever this is the fact, the river also will be necessarily lower than at any other time.”

In the latter case, travellers may advance dry-shod along the banks behind the immense sheet of water; but the attempt must be dangerous, whenever the wind blows from any point between the North-west and South-west.

diate island, a distance of 600 yards. FORT SCHLOPER FALL, which is on the American side, presents a sheet of water 350 yards in width; and the Little Fall extends across a ledge of rocks for upwards of 140 yards. The quantity of water, which pours over all three, in every minute, is estimated at 169,344,000 gallons.

Many stories are told of the melancholy fate of persons, who, at various times, have been carried down the rapids in attempting to sail across the river which flows above; but, I believe, the only well-authenticated anecdote of this kind, relating to the disasters of former days, is that of an Indian. This unfortunate child of nature, having become intoxicated with liquor after a fishing excursion, made his canoe fast to a rock a few miles above the Falls; and, reclining on the bow, fell asleep. By some unknown accident, the canoe was loosed from its moorings, and immediately floated down the current. While the surface of the water continued to be smooth, the slumbers of the unconscious man were undisturbed; but when his frail bark entered on the rapids, and became agitated by the eddies, he suddenly awoke as if from a frightful dream, terrified with the roaring of the cataracts, to which he was then fast approaching. On perceiving his perilous situation, and recovering a little from his first astonishment, he laid hold upon his paddle, and used the most violent exertions to escape from the impending destruction. When his repeated failures to avert the

swift course of the vessel had convinced him, that all endeavours on his part would be unavailing, he laid aside his paddle, composedly rolled himself up in his blanket, and putting the whisky bottle for the last time to his lips, quietly lay down as if all danger was over. In a few moments, he and his bark were precipitated down the Falls, and no one ever more saw or heard of his remains, or those of his canoe.

In the summer of 1822, a similar accident befel two unfortunate white men. It appears, that for some time past a part of Goat Island, which separates the Falls, has been inhabited and under cultivation. Some of the residents who were on the point of quitting their perilous abode, were engaged in conveying their moveable effects to the Canada shore. The day was exceedingly boisterous, and the current of the river consequently more violent than usual. Four men, with two boats, were engaged in taking away the furniture; and when the first trip had been accomplished, two of them, being apprehensive of danger from the fury with which the wind blew in the direction of the stream, resolved to venture no more until the storm should abate. They communicated this determination to their companions, who, laughing them to scorn, boasted largely of their own freedom from fear, and returned to their hazardous employment: But, in a few moments afterwards, they were carried down the cataracts, and dashed to pieces. A short time after this event, a table which had been in

the same boat, was discovered in the river at the foot of the Falls, apparently uninjured.

The noise of the Falls is said to be heard, on a calm evening, as far as Burlington Heights, † a dis

✦ This is given as a fact by Professor Dwight: "The noise of this cataract," says he, " has often been the object of admiration, and the subject of loose and general description. We heard it distinctly when crossing the ferry at the distance of eighteen miles; the wind blowing from the north-west almost at right angles with the direction of the sound. Two gentlemen, who had lived some time at York, on the North side of Lake Ontario, and who were my companions in the stage, informed me, that it was not unfrequently heard there. The distance is fifty miles.

"The note, or tone, if I may call it such, is the same with the hoarse roar of the ocean; being much more grave, or less shrill, than that which proceeds from other objects of the same nature. It is not only louder, but seems as if it were expanded to a singular extent; as if it filled the atmosphere, and spread over all the surrounding country. The only variety, which attends it, is a con tinual undulation; resembling that of long musical chords, when struck with a forcible impulse. These undulations succeed each other with great rapidity. When two persons stand very near to each other, they can mutually hear their ordinary conversation. When removed to a small distance, they are obliged to halloo; and, when removed a little farther, cannot be heard at all. Every other sound is drowned in the tempest of noise, made by the water; and all else in the regions of nature appears to be dumb. This noise is a vast thunder, filling the heavens, shaking the earth, and leaving the mind, although perfectly conscious of safety, and affected with a sense of grandeur only, lost and astonished, swelling with emotions which engross all its faculties, and mock the power of utterance.

"The strength of this sound may be illustrated in the following manner: The roar of the ocean on the beach, South of Long Island, is sometimes heard in New-Haven, at the distance of forty miles. The cataract of Niagara is heard ten miles farther."

tance of nearly fifty miles. But I must confess, that I do not believe this assertion, unless the wind, which is an excellent transmitter of sound, blow exactly in that direction. The waters make a report which might be heard at a much greater distance, if, instead of falling into a profound gulf, surrounded on every side with hills of at least 350 feet perpendicular height, which confine the sound,—they fell upon a horizontal plain, of sufficient altitude to allow the sound to pass without interruption into the circumjacent country.-As an illustration, consider these two facts: If a stone, of given dimensions, were let fall from the surface of the earth into a well 100 feet deep, the noise would not be distinctly heard by a person standing twenty yards from its mouth; but if the same stone were dropped from the apex of a steeple, of only half that height, into a cistern of water, the surface of which was on a level with the earth, the noise, occasioned by its splashing in the water, would be distinctly heard at above five times the former distance.

The perpendicular height of the Horse-shoe Fall, -from the edge of the rock over which the water pours, to the surface of the basin below,-is 150 feet; and from the surface of the river to its bed, is 65 feet, making in the whole a depth of 215 feet; which, added to 58 feet, the difference of level in the stream for half a mile immediately above the Falls,-gives a descent of 273 feet, in this short distance.