NIAGABA. 187 



through this channel. The tugging was quick and 

 violent, but we made little way. At length, seizing a 

 rope, the principal oarsman made a desperate attempt 

 to get upon one of the boulders, hoping to be able to 

 drag the boat through the channel ; but it bumped so 

 violently against the rock, that the man flung himself 

 back and relinquished the attempt. 



We returned along the base of the American Fall, 

 running in and out among the currents which rushed 

 from it laterally into the river. Seen from below the 

 American Fall is certainly exquisitely beautiful, but it 

 is a mere frill of adornment to its nobler neighbour the 

 Horseshoe. At times we took to' the river, from the 

 centre of which the Horseshoe Fall appeared especially 

 magnificent. A streak of cloud across the neck of 

 Mont Blanc can double its apparent height, so here 

 the green summit of the cataract shining above the 

 smoke of spray appeared lifted to an extraordinary 

 elevation. Had Hermepin and La Hontan seen the 

 fall from this position, their estimates of the height 

 would have been perfectly excusable. 



From a point a little way below the American Fall, 

 a ferry crosses the river, in summer, to the Canadian 

 side. Below the ferry is a suspension bridge for 

 carriages and foot-passengers, and a mile or two lower 

 down is the railway suspension bridge. Between ferry 

 and bridge the river Niagara flows unruffled ; but at 

 the suspension bridge the bed steepens and the river 

 quickens its motion. Lower down the gorge narrows, 

 and the rapidity and turbulence increase. At the place 

 called the c Whirlpool Kapids ' I estimated the width of 

 the river at 300 feet, an estimate confirmed by the 

 dwellers on the spot. When it is remembered that the 

 drainage of nearly half a continent is compressed into 



