Description of the Falls of Niagara. 39 



XIII. Description of the Falls of Niagara. Extracted 

 from the Journal of a Gentleman, ivho visited them, 

 a few years since. 



THE Falls are formed by a general descent 

 of the country between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, 

 of about 300 feet, the slope of which is generally very 

 steep, and in many places almost perpendicular. 

 This general descent of the country is observable for 

 about 100 miles to the E., and above 200 miles to 

 the W., or rather N. W., of the Falls. 



The slope is formed by horizontal strata of stone, 

 great part of which is lime-stone. At Fort-Erie, 

 which is 20 miles above the cataract, the current is 

 sometimes so strong, that it is impossible to cross 

 the river in the ferry-boat. Proceeding downwards, 

 the rapidity of the stream increases. It may, how- 

 ever, generally be crossed by hard rowing in a boat, 

 opposite to the mouth of Chippewa-Creek. As we 

 rode along the St. Laurence (viz. from Fort-Erie, 

 on the Canada side), we heard the sound of the Falls, 

 at the distance of ten miles. The wind was N. E. 

 and the air clear : had it been N. W., we should have 

 heard it at a much greater distance. In heavy wea- 

 ther, and with a fair wind, the sound is sometimes 

 heard 40 or 50 miles. 



The Rapids, or First Falls, begin about half a mile 

 above the great Cataract. In one instance has a man 

 been saved, who had been carried down to them. 



