30 =Whirlpool and Rapids below the Falls of Niagara. 
ferred to, ‘there is great reason to believe that the erosive action 
of the water would have been very slow, and many generations 
might have passed without any sensible change; but the vast 
mass of waters breaking with inconceivable force on the softer 
shale which forms the base of the hard rock, the foundation 
is thus undermined, the harder rocks fall down for want of 
support,’ thus causing the various changes between turbulence 
and tranquillity which take place in the river in its course from 
the falls to the outlet at Queenston. 
Taking it for granted that the cataract was once at the pre- 
cipice at Queenston, it will be seen by reference to the section, 
fig. 2, that, owing to the inclination of the strata, the falls would 
be considerably higher than they are at present ; thus exposing to 
iew several beds of shale, limestones, and sandstones not found 
at the falls. The lowest (No. 1) is a very thick stratum of fria- 
ble shaly red sandstone, through which the river ploughs its 
way. ‘The river at Queenston, as we are informed by Mr. Allen, 
before referred to, is one hundred and sixty feet in depth. This 
depth is sufficient to entomb the huge fragments of the harder 
rocks, as they would gradually fall down by the erosive, under- 
mining process continually going on by the descending flood, 
without causiug any agitation of the surface. It will be seen 
from the dip of the strata, that as the falls retrograde, the hard 
quartzose rock would be at the base of the falls, and in time cease 
to be broken through by the cataract; as the retrocession ad- 
vanced, the waters would have to flow over this hard rock. The 
sents many more points of interest than on the American, 
pendently of the curiosity excited by Mr. Lyell’s discovery of a 
deep lateral valley filled with drift, which he traced from the 
whirlpool to St. David’s; Mr. Hall having first suggested the 
idea that it might ‘be connected with the opening at that place. 
