On the Falls of Niagara. 63 



We cannot suppose that it was thus formed by the 

 interference of the Deity with his established laws, 

 unless to accomplish some great design ; and if this 

 design is not made manifest, the opinion is without 

 the least degree of probability. What, then, I would 

 ask, is the end obtained by it? If the answer could 

 be, that it is the draining of the extensive country 

 covered by Lake-Erie, I would stop short, and desire 

 no better. But this it cannot be, for Lake-Erie still 

 exists, and ever will, until the rock between it and 

 the Falls has shared the fate of that below the Falls. 

 In short, it appears, that if your author has rejected 

 one opinion, on account of its extravagance, the one 

 he has embraced is by no means unexceptionable. 



I shall now endeavour to show, that the Falls were 

 originally at the slope, nine miles from their present 

 situation ; and that, by the operation of the laws of 

 matter, they have acquired their present appearance. 

 Perhaps, the nature of this slope will be better under- 

 stood, by comparing the country to a cube, cut per- 

 pendicularly through its middle, and one half slipped 

 over the other, answering to three hundred feet. The 

 lower half will then represent the country below the 

 slope, on which Lake- Ontario is spread ; and the 

 upper half the country above the slope, on which 

 Lake-Erie is situated. This slope extends as des- 

 cribed in the paper to which I refer (in your Jour- 

 nal) ; and although it cannot be called a mountain, it 

 is somewhat more elevated than the country back of 

 it, thereby forming Lake- Erie. 



