and Physical Structure of the adjacent Country, 125 



at the end of the platform is inconceivably grand, suspended, 

 as it were, over the yawning gulf; distance is concealed by 

 thick volumes of mist, and the imagination is left to fathom 

 the deep descent. I felt an indescribable sensation stealing 

 over me, which made it dangerous to indulge any longer in 

 hanging over this irresistible tide. 



It is curious to watch the vapour as it sometimes hangs 

 suspended : when it arrives at a certain height in the atmo- 

 sphere, many of its curves will break, assume a ragged 

 hanging appearance, and then dissipate into air. 



On my return through the island, I again saw the myste- 

 rious visiter, seated at the foot of a tree, with his folio laid 

 open on his knees : he did not deign to look at me on passing, 

 so intent appeared he at his studies. The only history I could 

 hear of him was, that he had lived several years at Manches- 

 ter, that he was insane, but harmless, and spent a great por- 

 tion of his time on the island. I lingered until evening in this 

 beautiful seclusion, and returned to the hotel, having passed 

 one of the most delightful days of my life. 



During a week's residence at the Falls, I was greatly sur- 

 prised, on returning to the hotel, after each day's ramble, to 

 find so few of the visiters, from different parts of the world, 

 that I had left in the morning : numbers would come and go 

 the same day, others would spend one or two days, but sel- 

 dom any stayed over the third ; yet they all came for the ex- 

 press purpose of seeing the Falls of Niagara. 



Proceeding northward from the Falls of Niagara, the 

 road continues for seven miles on the same table land, which 

 is nearly on a level with Lake Erie (see,y%. 23.), when the 

 country suddenly sinks down to a plain, spreading to the 

 shores of Lake Ontario. Descending to this plain, I came to 

 the small village of Queenstown, situated near the banks of 

 the river, where I was agreeably surprised on seeing the ab- 

 rupt termination of the opening or channel through which the 

 river flows, after its descent at Niagara, as represented in th^ 

 birdseye view. (j%. 23.) 



It is very remarkable that the river does not enlarge on 

 escaping its narrow bounds, being only 160 yards wide, and 

 continuing so, with little variation, until it is lost in Lake 

 Ontario. The current is very rapid, compared with what it 

 is immediately below the Falls. The ferryman, in crossing 

 with his boat, was obliged to ascend a considerable distance 

 by the bank side, and then glide down the current towards 

 the opposite side of the river. The waters of the Lakes Su- 

 perior, Michigan, Huron, and Erie all pass through this 

 channel, which gives a peculiar interest to the place, when 



