188 Dr Wilsou''s Account of a Visit to the Falls of the 



clined position, from its edge ; so that, by laying himself flat upon one of these, 

 he can stretch his head considerably beyond the brink of the precipice. 



" No accurate measurement has yet been made of the height of these falls. 

 Some who have seen them declare, that their height reaches at least 1100 

 feet; others, that it does not reach 1000. I prepared a rope 900 feet long, 

 attached a stone to one end of it, and let it slip over the edge of a rock, which 

 projects several feet beyond the side of the precipice. When 500 feet of rope 

 had been let out, the stone was forcibly drawn towards the principal cascade, 

 which soon involved it among its waters, and snapped the rope. The stone 

 at this time appeared to be about 200 feet from a small ledge of rock, which 

 might be between 200 and 300 feet from the bottom. It is not improbable, 

 therefore, that the height of the fall is not much short of 1000 feet." 



I had determined to look upon the Falls, in the first instance, 

 with the greatest philosophical coolness imaginable ; and then, 

 after taking a survey of the whole scene, to allow my feelings to 

 run riot as they might please. When, after stepping over some 

 forty or fifty yards of rough and mis-shapen rocks, I had ap- 

 proached the perpendicular cliffs over which the torrents of wa- 

 ter are precipitated, as I was essaying to direct my curious 

 vision into the tremendous abyss below, my eye caught my fel- 

 low-traveller prostrate upon the very edge of the rocks, with his 

 head protruded beyond them ; and I was so suddenly awe- 

 struck, that I instinctively recoiled some yards from my posi- 

 tion, and with difficulty would my nerves allow me to resume 

 it. They were again violently agitated by one of our guides, — 

 in a fool-hardiness which he intended should gain our applause, 

 but which we did not commend, — walking upright for several 

 yards along the margin, and tossing up his body, as if threaten- 

 ing to precipitate himself, along with the rushing waters. The 

 dip of the gneiss, however, about five degrees landward, was no 

 sooner observed by me, than I concluded that my centre of 

 gravity would have a safe incHnation, and, in the exercise of all 

 my courage, I began to survey the awful chasm. My impres- 

 sions it is utterly impossible to describe. I gazed in silent won- 

 der, and not, I trust, without adoration of Him who " putteth 

 forth his hand upon the rock, who overturneth the mountains 

 by the roots, who cutteth out rivers among the rocks, and whose 

 eye seeth every precious thing." 



Owing to the advanced season of the year, we did not find 

 much water in the bed of the river. At the point of the am- 



