and Physical Structure of the adjacent Country, 121 



cipating much pleasure from looking at them when some 

 thousand miles distant, but, for the first day or two, I felt so 

 dispirited with the magnitude and grandeur of the subject, that 

 I had nearly given up the attempt. As my mind became more 

 familiar with the objects around me, I gained courage, and 

 rambled about in search of situations from which the best 

 general view of the scene might be taken. The grandest 

 point of view is, perhaps, at the foot of the limestone rock 

 on the Canada side, about 100 yards from the bottom of 

 the staircase, the top of which is seen {Jig.^2.f)i but the 

 subject is too vast for the pencil. The wind, the state of 

 the atmosphere, the time of the day, &c., produce most won- 

 derful changes on the scene, and on the mind; the transi- 

 tions of sunshine and shade are the most remarkable. One 

 afternoon, whilst standing on the Table Rock (c), contem- 

 plating the scene before me, never shall I forget the effect 

 of the sun's rays, darting from beneath a dark cloud, when 

 within 15° of the western horizon. This sudden burst of 

 golden light flashing on the picture, spread an ethereal charm 

 that was quite enchanting. I could scarcely believe that I was 

 gazing on the same objects. How exquisitely beautiful was 

 the iris * which, in an instant, started into being, and encircled 

 this sublime scene with its loveliness and splendour ! The 

 varied but subdued tints of vegetation, the evanescent and 

 floating appearance of the grey-tinted rocks on the opposite 

 side, as seen through the thin veil of mist, the deep long- 

 drawn shadows from the setting s^un, and the hollow sound 

 of that mysterious voice that thundered from the gulf, gave a 

 spirituality to the whole which it is impossible to describe. 



Early one morning, I went with the guide to pass under 

 the water of the Canada Fall : we took off" our clothes at a 

 hut built at the bottom of the staircase, and equipped our- 

 selves with strong shoes, large loose cloaks, and strong, 

 broad-brimmed, white painted hats. We had not proceeded 

 far over the loose slippery stones, before the guide stopped to 

 wash his head at a sulphur spring, which came down in big 

 drops : what its virtues were I did not enquire. On turning a 

 sharp angle of the rock, a sudden gust of wind met us, com- 

 ing from the hollow between the Falls and the rock, which 

 drove the spray directly in our faces, with such force that, in 

 an instant, we were wet through. When in the midst of this 

 shower-bath, the shock took away my breath ; I turned back, 

 and scrambled over the loose stones, to escape the conflict. 

 The guide soon followed, and told me that I had passed the 



* It was not a segment of prismatic colours, like a rainbow, but an entire 

 circle. 



