396 THE MIST OF THE FALLS. 



loved existence, in that it simply gave me health to value all 

 blessings and undivided appreciation of the splendour that 

 was thus offered to my view. When I say " undivided ap 

 preciation/ 7 I do not mean to assert that I did not wish for 

 other eyes that were far away to enjoy that prospect with 

 me, for I did, and had they been there the world could have 

 shown me nothing more. While looking on this mighty 

 prospect on that still, sunny, and lovely day, there was 

 around me, close above the Falls, a thick mist and a gently- 

 descending rain. The rain is called the rain of the Falls, 

 and as my soul drank in all that was offered me by Nature, 

 for an instant reflection carried me back to my published 

 opinions as to the fact that the mists which were the ex 

 halations of the water in and on the earth ascended to the 

 skies to be condensed and given back in rain, and that to 

 the same extent as man drained the earth and decreased 

 the exhalations, so would fail the amount of moisture 

 rendered back by the skies. Around me ascended nothing 

 more than a mist, over my head was a cloudless blue sky ; 

 but when the mist reached a certain height, down it came 

 condensed in very palpable drops indeed, a very suffi 

 cient shower. 



While occupied thus, a tall black man accosted me, ask 

 ing " if I liked to venture beneath the Falls?" when I 

 replied, " Certainly, but how about the falling rocks 

 above? My friends tell me that of late it is not safe to 

 do so." I said this just to hear his remarks upon it, my 

 friend, Mr H. Campbell, having strongly urged upon me 

 not to go under them, for that a piece of the table rock 

 over which the waters leaped had already gone down, and 

 it was apprehended that more would follow. I had made 

 no promise to Mr Campbell, for I was bent on seeing all 

 I could. The black then told me that a piece of rock had 



