WESTERN PARTS op PLNNbYLVAiNlA. 227 



tains, has never yet been afcertained. The horizontal 

 pofition of the ftrata on that hike has a pleafing effedl ; 

 the fofter lamina are worn away by the beating of th; 

 waves, the harder remain projedled, and at a diflance 

 refemble wainfcoting or mouldings. 



From the horizontal difpofition of thefe ftrata the fol- 

 lowing conclufions may be deduced ; firft, that the coun- 

 try has never been difturbed by thofe terrible convulfions 

 which a great part of this globe muft have experienced 

 at fome remote period of antiquity ; and fecondly, that 

 thofe naturalifts are deceived, who fuppofe that the flrata 

 were originally parallel to the axis of the earth. 



Before I conclude my obfervations on this fubje£l, I 

 fliall take the liberty of adding an account of the falls of 

 Niagara which are in fome meafure conne£led with the 

 horizontal difpofition of the ftrata in the Weftern and 

 North Weftern Country. 



This ftupendous catarad of water infinitely excels all 

 other natural curiofities of the country, and exhibits a 

 fpedtacle fcarce equalled in grandeur by any objeft in the 

 phyfical world. Lake trie is iituated upon one of thofe 

 horizontal ftrata in a region elevated about three hundred 

 feet above the country which contains Lake Ontario. The 

 defcent which feparates the two countries, is in fome places 

 almoft perpendicular, and the immenfe declivity formed 

 by thefe ftrata occafions both the cataraft of Niagara and 

 the great falls of Chcncfeco. This remarkable precipice 

 generally runs in a fouth-weftem diredlion from a place 

 near the Bay of Toronto on the northern fide of Ontario, 

 round the weftern angle of the lake ; from thence it 

 continues its courfe generally in an eaftern dirc£tion, 

 crofting the ftrait of Niagara and the Chenefeco river, till 

 it is loft in the countiy towards the Seneca Lake. 



The waters of this cataract formerly fell from the 

 northern- £de of the flope, near the lanfjing place 5 but 



th e 



