HARDWOOD RECORD 



~ii, aluo deer, bear, and other aoiinals which have trivtl tu itoh^ 

 .• water above the fall. The larjjer aninmls are genernlly fouini 

 >'ken to piecex. 



Just bclotr tJio fall the water is not rapid, but goes all iu oirrles 

 iiud whirls like a boiling pot, which, however, docs not hinder the 

 Indians going upon it in small cnnooa n fishing; but a little lower 

 begins the smaller fall. When you nre above the fall and look down, 

 your head begins to turn. The French who have been hero 100 times 

 will seldom venture to look down, without at the same time keeping 

 fast hold of Sumo tree with one hand. 



Two Marooned Indians 



It was formerly thought impossible for anybody living to come 

 at the island that is in the middle of the fall; but an accident that 

 happened twelve years ago or thereabout made it appear otherwise. 

 The history is this: Two Indians of the Six Nations went out from 

 Niagara Fort to hunt upon an island that is in the middle of the 

 river above the great fall, on which there used to bo abundance of 

 deer. They took some French brandy with them from the fort, 

 which they tasted several times as they were going over the carry- 

 ing place; and when they were in the canoo they took now and then 

 a dram, an^ so went along up the strait toward the island where they 

 proposed to hunt. But growing sleepy, they laid themselves down in 

 the canoe, which, getting loose, drove back with the stream, farther 

 and farther down until it came nigh that island that is in the middle 

 of the fall. 



Here one of them, awakened by the noise of the fall, cries out to 

 the other that they are gone, yet they tried, if possible, to save their 

 lives. This island was nighest, and with much working they got on 

 shore there. At first they were glad, but when they had considered 

 everything, they thought themselves hardly in a better state than if 

 they had gone down the fall, since they now had no other choice 

 than either to throw themselves down the same or to perish with 

 hunger. But hard necessity put them on invention. At the lower end 

 of the island the rock is perpendicular, and no water is running there. 

 This island has plenty of wood. They went to work directly and 

 made a ladder of strands of linden tree [basswood], wliich is very 

 tough and strong, so long that they could vrith it reach the water 

 below. 



PERnx)cs Descent 



One end of this bark ladder they tied fast to a tree that grew 

 at the side of the rock above the fall and let the other end down to 

 the water. So they went dovm along the new invented stairs, and 

 when they came to the bottom in the middle of the fall, they rested 

 a little; and as the water next below the fall is not rapid, as before 

 mentioned, they threw themselves into it, thinking to swim on shore. 

 I have said before that one part of the fall is on one side of the 

 island, the other on the other side. Hence it is that the waters of the 

 two cataracts, running against each other, turn back agaiust the 

 rook that is just under the island. 



Therefore, hardly had the Indians begun to swim until the waves 

 of the eddy threw them with violence against the rock from whence 

 they came. They tried it several times, but at last grew weary; 

 and being often thrown against the rock, they were much bruised 

 and the skin of their bodies torn in many places. So they were 

 obliged to climb up their stairs again to the island, not knowing 

 what to do. After some time they perceived Indians on the shore 

 to whom they cried out. These saw and pitied them, but gave them 

 little hopes of help. Yet they made haste down to the fort and told 

 the commander where two of their brethren were. He persuaded 

 them to try all possible means of relieving the poor Indians, and it 

 was done in this manner. 



The Rescue Party 

 The water that runs on the east side of the island is shallow, 

 especially a little above the island toward the eastern shore. The 

 Commandant caused poles to be made and pointed with iron. Two 

 Indians determined to walk to this island, by the help of these poles, 

 to save the poor creatures or perish themselves. They took leave 

 of all their friends as if they were going to their death. Each had 

 tTvo such poles in his hands to set against the bottom of the stream 



til koop them Hteady. So they went, nnd got to the island, and 

 having given poles to ttio two poor In<linna there, they returned 

 ^afely to the nmin. The two Indians who in the above- mentioned 

 nmnner were first brought to this island are yet alive. They were 

 nine days on the island and almont Ktar\'ed to death. 



Now, since the way to this island has been found, the Indians go 

 there often to kill deer, which having tried to cross tho river above 

 the fall, were driven upon tho island by the stream; but if tho King 

 of France would give me all Canada I would not venture to go to this 

 island, and were you to see it I am sure you would have the some 

 sentiment. On the west side of this island aro some small islands 

 of rocks of no consequence. Tho east side of tho river is nearly 

 perpendicular, tho west side more sloping. 



Change in Contour 



In former times a part of the rock at the falls which is on the west 

 side of tho island hung over in .such a manner that tho water which 

 fell perpendicularly from it left a vacancy below, so that people 

 could go under between the rock and the water; but tho prominent 

 part some years ago broke off and fell down, so that now there is no 

 |iossibility of going between the falling water and the rock, as the 

 water now runs close to it all the way do\vn. 



Below tho fall, in the holes of tho rocks, are great plenty of eels 

 which the Indians and French catch with their hands without other 

 means. I sent down two Indian boys who directly came up with 

 about twenty fine ones. 



Rainbows of the Mlst 



Every day when the sun shines you see here from 10 o'clock in the 

 morning to 2 in the afternoon below tho fall, and under you, when you 

 stand at the side over the fall, a glorious rainbow and sometimes 

 two rainbows, one within the other. I was so happy as to be at the 

 fall on a fine clear day, and it was with great delight I viewed 

 this rainbow, which had almost all the colors you see in a rainbow 

 in the air. Tho more vapor, the brighter and clearer is the rain- 

 bow. I saw it on the cast side of the fall in the bottom under the 

 place where I stood, but above the water. When the wind carries 

 the vapor from that place, the rainbow is gone, but appears again as 

 soon as new vapors come. 



From the fall to the landing above the fall, where the canoes 

 from Lake Erie put on shore (or from the fall to the upper end of 

 the carrying place) is half a mile. Lower the canoes dare not come, 

 lest they should be obliged to try the fate of the two Indians, and 

 perhaps with less success. 



They have often found below the fall pieces of human bodies, 

 perhaps of drunken Indians, that have unhappily come down the fall. 

 I was told at Oswego that in October or thereabouts such plenty of 

 feathers are to be found here below the face, that a man in a day 's 

 time can gather enough of them for several beds, which feathers, 

 they said come off the birds killed at the fall. I asked the French 

 if this was true. They told me they had never seen any such thing; 

 but if the feathers were picked off the dead birds there might be 

 such a quantity. 



The French told me they had often thrown whole great trees into 

 the water above to see them tumble down the fall. They went down 

 with surprising swiftness, but could never be seen afterwards; whence 

 it was thought there was a bottomless deep or abyss just under the 

 face. I am also of opinion that there must be a vast deep here. 

 Yet I think if they had watched very well they might have found the 

 trees at some distance below the fall. The rock of the fall consists 

 of gray limestone. 



Here you have a short but exact description of this famous 

 Niagara cataract. You may depend upon the truth of what I write. 

 You must excuse me if you find in my account no extravagant won- 

 ders. I can't make nature otherwise than I find it. I had rather it 

 should be said of me in time to come that I related things as they 

 were, and that all is found to agree with my description, than to be 

 esteemed a false relator. I have seen some other things in this 

 journey, an account of which I know would gratify your curiosity, 

 but time at present will not permit me to write more, and I hope 

 shortly to see you. Peter Kalm. 



