and Physical Structure of the adjacent Country. 119 
the most intense cur iosity, every turn and opening in the road 
{which continues close to the river side all the way), to catch 
a glimpse of any thing which might serve to convince us of 
our drawing near to the object of our journey. As we ad- 
ranced, the river became broader, and is divided by islands, 
one of which is six miles in length. When within eight miles 
of the Falls, a mist was observed to be rising from the river, 
and a deep dead sound was faintly heard ; but still the face of 
the country appeared unchanged. No Goeles rose in the dis- 
tance, to mark the rude conv nlsions of Nature, which the ima- 
gination had conjured up as forming portals to the cataracts 
ef Niagara. The noise, on appro oaching, eradually increased ; 
the mist rose in dense volumes, and formed clouds in the air. 
Through the openings in the wood, we soon came in sight of 
the rapids, and the verge of the precipice over which the waters 
rush. 
It will be seen, by a reference to the map, that the road 
from Waterloo runs by the Canada side of the river, and is 
nearly on a level with Lake Erie: it brings you to the back of 
the Falls, and, therefore, not a glimpse of them is any where 
visible until you reach the cataract itself. 
Inn nediately after our arrival at the hotel (fg. 1.4), we 
proceeded to what is called the Table Rock, over which 
the mighty flood pours down. From the inn there is a gradual 
descent to a very steep bank of red alluvial sand, about 140 feet 
high, which caps the limestone rock. This bank (4) is thickly 
al beautifully wooded with oaks, sycamores, pines, and other 
forest trees. "Having descended it, we walked over planks 
laid down on the marshy ground, to the extent of 200 yards, 
which brought us to the Gaal of a precipice (c), where the 
whole scene bursts at once on the sight. We were here on a 
level with the river, immediately before it rushes down the 
dreadful abyss. ihe loud, solemn, all-pervading roar of the 
waters is indescribably awful: The great commotion of waters 
at the base is concealed by thick clouds of mist, which, on 
ascending to a certain height, are borne away by the winds. 
‘The water, from violent agitation, is per fectly_ white for some 
distance below the Falls, and tilts wp and down like a little 
sea, producing a thick cream-coloured foam, which is seen 
floating down the stream in large beds. The sublimity of the 
scene ‘cannot be exceeded. We find ourselves suddenly i in 
the presence of a superior power, and feel an impressive con- 
sciousness of our own nothingness. This Fall (from its con- 
cave form called the Horse-shoe Fall) is 600 yards wide, 
and 158 feet perpendicular. The descent of the rapids imme- 
diately above the Falls (i) is 58 feet, making the whole 216 feet. 
I 4 
