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 



Mr 



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 Qiieenston. 



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 

 view 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 

 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 

 superincumbent limestone falling on this hard pavement would 

 cause a great impediment to the escape of the water, which 

 would give rise to the rapids. 



From the whirlpool to what is called the Devil's hole, and for 

 a considerable distance below, the river rushes with great impet- 

 uosity, when it gradually subsides, and then moves on in silent 

 grandeur towards the lake. On crossing the river at Lewiston, 

 and ascending the hill near Brock's monument, I was agreeably 

 surprised on beholding the singular and furrowed appearance of 

 the ground. It was smooth on the surface, but shaped into 

 knolls and ravines, having the appearance of a mountainous coun- 

 try in miniature — hills and valleys — but without water ; and this 

 all excavated out of the hard limestone rock. This appearance 

 gave me satisfactory evidence that the waters of the lakes once 

 rushed over the ground on which I was walking. 



The whirlpool as seen on the Canada side of the river, pre- 

 sents many more points of interest than on the American, inde- 

 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 



