SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 397 



alone upon the island, and being apprehensive that his com- 

 panions would not return in that direction, but would 

 cross below the fall, he determined to regain the western 

 bank ; in this he met with great difficulty. Twice he at- 

 tempted to cross, but before he had reached the middle of 

 the stream, finding his strength failing, he was compelled 

 to return to the island ; at last, the recollection that he 

 would not recover it by a longer stay there, and the con- 

 viction that the waters of the stream would probably con- 

 tinue to roll on undiminished to the end of time, induced 

 him to make a final effort to reach the shore, in which he 

 succeeded. Some time after, Messrs. Say and Colhoun 

 were seen returning with difficulty, and one of the stoutest 

 of the soldiers went over and assisted them ; their strength 

 was nearly exhausted at the time they reached the bank. 

 However fatiguing this excursion may have been, it was 

 very gratifying, as it afforded them a fine view of the fall 

 under all its aspects. None of the party had seen a water- 

 fall for some time past, and to this may probably be attri- 

 buted the great pleasure which they derived from it; for 

 it bears no comparison to many which they subsequently 

 met with. Concerning the height of the fall and breadth 

 of the river at this place, much incorrect information has 

 been published. Hennepin, who was the first European 

 that visited it, states it to be fifty or sixty feet high. It 

 was this traveller that gave it the name which it now 

 bears, in honour of St, Anthony of Padua, whom he had 

 taken for the protector of his discovery. He says of it, 

 that it " indeed of itself is terrible, and hath something 

 very astonishing." This height is, by Carver, reduced to 

 about thirty feet; his strictures upon Hennepin, whom he 

 taxes with exaggeration, might with great propriety be re- 

 torted upon him, and we feel strongly inclined to say of 

 Vol. I. 38 



