DEATH OF A CHILD. 403 



formed me that I should be searched. The officer, how 

 ever, was very civil, and taking a slight glance at my 

 effects, was satisfied, and I passed on. In crossing the 

 bridge to "Groat Island," which is an American possession, 

 and which divides the Falls, a country and county man 

 accosted me by the name of Hicks, whom in former times 

 and at elections in the western division of Gloucestershire 

 I well remembered, and I gave him all the news I could. 

 Having left my carriage, I was also spoken to by a man 

 who was once a farmer near Cheltenham, but now a fly- 

 driver at the Falls, and of course I gave him a trifle, 

 the receipt of which was not unbecoming his present state 

 in life. 



A more lovely spot than Goat Island could not possibly 

 be, but alas, oh, for American taste ! right in the middle 

 of the otherwise picturesque river, on a rock washed on 

 either side by the stream as it rushed by, Yankeeism had 

 once more gone ahead and perverted a portion of the 

 stream to coin its dollars through a mill! " Oh for a 

 cannon," I cried, "to knock that citizen up to the top of 

 some high hill, where the wind might play on him instead 

 of the water for him ! " I now inspected the magnificent 

 American Falls from the foot of the island, and stood on 

 the spot where an indiscreet man had swung a child, by 

 way of amusing it, over the terrible cataract, and then let 

 it jump out of his arms to be dashed to pieces. From the 

 foot of the island I repaired to its head, and walked out 

 and ascended the American pepper-box-like tower before 

 alluded to, much like a nasty pimple on a man's nose, to 

 render as hideous and unnatural as ingenuity could make 

 them the rest of the features. While up in this tower I felt 

 ashamed of myself in having sought the view by such a 

 means, and hastened back again. By the view from this 



