6 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [ Vou. INE 
with the Niagara. He instances falls on the European and African con- 
tinents, particularly one described by Livingstone on the Zambesi. The 
waters of that immense river have fallen into a rock crevice about 60 feet 
wide, and the full span of the river, over 3,000 feet. For untold ages the 
waters have beaten the wall rock of that fissure, and erosion has not 
taken place ; yet under such an erosion theory as set up by the scientists 
the waters should have increased the opening, even under a recession 
rate of three inches per annum, at least 7,000 feet ; in other words it 
should have formed a similar gorge to the Niagara of that extent. The 
rock was “ Basaltic,” therefore much more friable and easier to erode 
than the limestone rock forming the bed of Niagara river and its gorge. 
This river was certainly coeval with the Niagara, and, at a recession of 
one foot per annum, it should have presented a gorge far in excess of 
the length of the Niagara. He claims the instances in our own country 
should have presented corroborative evidence of erosion, yet they do not. 
Speaking of the recent report of the engineers of the New York State 
Geological Survey of the cliff of the Falls, and its recession, Mr. Smith 
places it in many peculiar ways. For instance: The report states that 
the total superficial area of rock which has disappeared between 1842 and 
1890 is, at the American Falls, 32,900 feet, or 755-1,000 of an acre, and 
at the Horseshoe Falls 275,400 superficial feet 6 32-1,000 acres. If, 
then, such was the case, as the superficial area must be multiplied by the 
rock, depth or fall of water, 164 feet, and divided by the number of days 
in the 48 years, there should be a daily loss of rock equal to 190 tons, 
yet, as he puts it, the vertical face of the rock at the Falls, as well as 
the rock forming the cascades, presents the same old moss-grown face 
which it has done cach and every day during all time. If the rock 
eroded, how could the vegetable growth exist on any part thereof ? 
Mr. Smith argues further that Goat island “ presents a vertical face of 
1,500 feet in length and 100 high on the line of the falls. It is similar 
in appearance to the rock surrounding and lining the “gorge.” Evidently, 
then, that island was at one time produced across the chasm, and more 
than likely joined the main rock on the Canadian side. Now let these 
scientists take either horn of the dilemma. If that island joined the main 
rock, how did the waters get over the 100 feet high rock barrier to enable 
the formation of its present appearance? The American falls were open, 
therefore all waters must have flowed over at that time, the rock island 
could not have then been eroded. Extend the island even part of the 
way, and its appearance demands the production, therefore the waters 
would have flowed around to the west and over our Canadian park, mak- 
ing connection further down the “gorge.” In no way could the island 
be eroded. Mr. Smith describes the formation as due to fracture. He 
