128 HalVs Remarks on Niagara Falls 



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in proportion, than large bodies of water, which never freeze. 

 It appears to me that the indentation at Bloody run is not 

 greater than might be expected to have taken place while 

 the main channel receded to its present position. 



Whatever facts and arguments may be advanced to prove 

 the existence of phenomena indicating the former action of 

 the sea in excavating the Niagara channel, and whatever ob- 

 jections may be advanced for or against other theories, I am 

 fully of opinion that the existence of the falls and the Niagara 

 river, in their present position, is of very recent date, geologi- 

 cally speaking. I cannot resist the belief that at some previ- 

 ous period the waters of the upper lakes were discharged into 

 Ontario at its western extremity, and that subsequently, from 

 causes which at present I have not facts sufficient to explain, 

 the course was changed, and the outlet made through Lake 

 Erie. Previous to this time, there may have been a small 

 stream flowing in the direction of the present Niagara. 



We come now to consider the future recession of Niagara 

 falls, and its consequences. This is a subject on which many 

 speculations have been hazarded, but no one appears to have 

 undertaken the calculation with a full knowledge of the geol- 

 ogy of the district, or to have taken into account the many 

 disturbing influences. At the present time, the clifl" over 

 which the water is precipitated, is nearly equally divided be- 

 tween thick bedded limestone and soft, disintegrating shale. 

 It is by the action of the spray from the falling water upon 

 the shale, undermining and leaving the limestone unsupported, 

 which falls down by its own weight, fhat the falls recede from 

 their present position. Now if we believe the statements of 

 those who have resided at the falls, the recession has been 

 about fifty yards within the last forty years ; but from all the 

 data I have been able to obtain, it appears to be much too 

 great an estimate ; indeed, it is extremely questionable if the 

 fall has receded as many feet within that time. The central 

 portion of the Canada fall recedes more rapidly than any other 

 part, for here the greatest force of the river is exerted. We 

 know, likewise, from the testimony of all residents at this 

 place, that the American fall is becoming more curved in its 



