90 The Wilson Bulletin — No. 71. 



' 'Tis all an April err,' and answered Leech. 



' Men to make books a thousand tales devise, 



And nineteeu-twentieths are a pack of lies. 



Here, three long weeks by storms and famine beat, 



"With sore-bruised backs, and lame and blistered feet; 



Here nameless hardships, griefs and miseries past, 



We find some mill-dam for our pains at last.' 



Heavy and slow, increasing on the ear, 



Deep through the woods a rising storm we hear ; 



Yet the blue heavens displayed their clearest sky, 

 And dead below the silent forests lie; 

 And not a breath the slightest leaf assailed. 

 But all around tranquility prevailed. 

 'What noise is that?' we ask, with anxious mien, 

 A dull salt-driver passing with his team. 

 'Noise! noise! — why nothing that I hear or see, 

 But N'agra falls — Pray, whereabouts live ye?' 

 All look amazed ! yet not untouched with fear, 

 • Like those who first the battles thunders hear, 

 'Till Duncan said, with grave satiric glee, 

 ' Lord, what a monster mill-dam that must be !' " 



Wilson views the stupendous cataract with awe and his pen 

 picture of the Bald Eagles floating- in the sky above the mad 

 waters, Ord pronounces poetical and sublime : 



" High o'er the watery uproar, silent seen, 

 Sailing sedate, in majesty serene. 

 Now 'midst the pillared spray sublimely lost. 

 And now emei'ging, down the rapids tost. 

 Swept the gray eagles ; gazing calm and slow, 

 On all the horrors of the gulf below ; 

 Intent, alone, to sate themselves with blood, 

 , From the torn victims of the raging flood." 



Wilson attempted to sketch the falls, but owing to the tm- 

 favorable weather during his short stay, it was not completed 

 and subsequent engagements prevented him from returning as 

 he had designed to do. The two drawings were finished by 

 Sutcliffe, engraved by George Cook of London, and published 

 in the Port Folio to illustrate "The Foresters." The return was 



