38 EMIGRATION, OR 



parativcly narrow space, when it pours down over the 

 rock in a sheet, with great force and noise, amongst the 

 masses of broken rock in the gulph below, forcing up the 

 spray to a great height, at a distance looking like steam 

 rising from an enormous boiling cauldron tixed in the 

 bowels of the earth ; sometimes, in clear weather it con 

 denses into a thick cloud, and is seen more than sixty 

 miles. The sun shining on the misty spray, forms beautiful 

 rainbows. The water, on rolling from the abyss below, down 

 the comparatively narrow but deep chasm it has formed, is 

 white with air bubbles, similar to the effervescence of soda 

 water. There is a similar Fall on the American side, 

 running round a piece of land called Goat Island. There 

 are occasional instances of people in boats crossing the river 

 above the rapids, venturing too near them; and, unable 

 to stem the rapidity of the current, are consequently forced 

 over the Falls. There are three large and elegant hotels, 

 one on the American and two on the Canada side ; the 

 latter standing on a small rise of ground, on the bank 

 of the river, 150 or 200 feet above the top of the falls, 

 commanding a fine view of the rapids and river above. 

 Met some Indians to day on horseback ; saw numbers of 

 them at Buffaloe yesterday, some in almost every store, and 

 sitting and loitering about the doors; numbers of them 

 wear large ear-rings. Saw one with a wooden leg, and 

 another with one arm : many of them at a little distance 

 have the appearance of gypsies ; their colour and hair 

 being nearly the same, but features and dress different. The 

 features of the Indians rather more broad, and have stronger 

 expression, more grave in their manner, and less fire in 

 their eyes, both equally straight in their persons and active, 

 which arises probably through intermitting exertions and 

 absence of hard labour. Walked on towards Lake On 

 tario, along a nearly level country, for seven miles, through 

 two small villages, and came to the edge of a mountain 

 three or four hundred feet high, overlooking a considerable 

 extent of country on both sides the river, and the Lake 

 .Ontario. The village of Queenston is situated at the foot 

 of this mountain or ridge, where the Falls evidently have 

 been, seven miles from the present one ; the river here is 

 amazingly deep at the foot of the mountain. This village 

 is situated at the head of the Ontario navigation, and 

 though small has been a thriving place, but now in a state 



