NIAGARA. 185 



cave and entered it, first by a wooden way carried over 

 the boulders, and then along a narrow ledge, to the 

 point eaten deepest into the shale. When the wind is 

 from the south, the falling water, I am told, can be 

 seen tranquilly from this spot; but when we were 

 there, a blinding hurricane of spray was whirled 

 against us. On the evening of the same day, I went 

 behind the water on the Canada side, which, after the 

 experiences of the morning, struck me as an imposture. 



Still even this latter is exciting to some nerves. 

 Its effect upon himself is thus vividly described by 

 Mr. Bakewell, jun.: ' On turning a sharp angle of the 

 rock, a sudden gust of wind met us, coming from the 

 hollow between the fall and the rock, which drove the 

 spray directly in our faces, with such force that in an 

 instant we were wet through. When in the midst of 

 this shower-bath the shock took away my breath: I 

 turned back and scrambled over the loose stones to 

 escape the conflict. The guide soon followed, and told 

 me that I had passed the worst part. With that as- 

 surance I made a second attempt; but so wild and 

 disordered was my imagination that when I had 

 reached half way I could bear it no longer/ * 



To complete my knowledge I desired to see the fall 

 from the river below it, and long negotiations were 

 necessary to secure the means of doing so. The only 

 boat fit for the undertaking had been laid up for the 

 winter; but this difficulty, through the kind interven- 

 tion of Mr. Townsend, was overcome. The main one 

 was to secure oarsmen sufficiently strong and skilful to 

 urge the boat where I wished it to be taken. The son 

 of the owner of the boat, a finely-built young fellow, 

 but only twenty, and therefore not sufficiently hard- 

 ened, was willing to go; and up the river, it was stated, 

 ' Mag. of Nat. Hist.,' 1830, pp. 121, 123. 



