103 Geology and Topography of Western New York. 



nomena are presented perfectly incompatible with that theory. 

 To enable the reader more clearly to comprehend the features of 

 this singular spot, and also of the Devil's Hole, one mile further 

 down the river, the following wood cut is mtroduced.* 







I wish to call attention, particularly, to the dry ravine which 

 enters the Whirlpool from the northwest. It has a gradual as- 

 cent from the bed of the river to the level of the surrounding 

 country, and disappears east of the road from the Falls to Q,ueens- 

 town. It is similar, in all respects, to those which indent the 

 general line of the escarpments from Hamilton, U. C, to Lock- 

 port, N. Y.,f and was evidently produced by the same means. 

 Had this ravine been excavated by a branch of the river, which 

 discharged its waters into the basin of the whirlpool, we could 

 surely trace its bed a greater distance than one mile ; and instead 

 of a gradual ascent, we ought to find the limestone ledge pro- 

 jecting over the whirlpool, as it does over the basin, into which 

 the river now tumbles. It will also be observed, that the direction 

 of this ravine is a continuation of the course of the river where it 

 enters the whirlpool. It is manifestly impossible, therefore, by 

 any position of the cataract, to bring the action of the river to 

 bear upon its upper extremity, where it is wholly within the 

 limestone ledge. If the cataract was placed across the river 

 from A to C, the current would be drawn in that direction ; if 

 from A to B, it might undermine the bank where the ravine is 

 situated, but the more violent its action, the steeper would have 



* Taken, (but somewhat corrected,) from a map of a contemplated ship canal 

 around the Falls of Niagara, by Lieuts. T. F. Drayton and J. G. Reed, U. S. Army. 



t American Journal, Vol. xi. See wood cut, p. 215. Also Vol. xiv. See map 

 of Welland canal district, by William Hamilton Merrit. 



