Preservation of ihe Falls 



and on either side, and touched the foaming waters of the 1853 

 cataract, that we were gazing on some strange and wonderful ingson 

 picture rather than on an actual object in nature. My wish is to 

 make my readers understand what Niagara really is, as far as 

 pen and pencil can do so, rather than to fly into ecstatic raptures 

 and to utter oft-repeated notes of admiration on its grandeur and 

 sublimity, or to enlarge on our own sensations of wonder and awe. 



• • • • • 



An excellent road runs along the top of the cliff, as far as the 

 end of the Horseshoe Fall, and along this we bent our 

 steps. . . . 



The road we took is lined with a collection of 

 museums, curiosity shops, refreshment booths, and raree-shows, 

 where guides and cicerones congregate; but fortunately, as the 

 season was over, most of the tribe had taken their departure, and 

 we were but little persecuted by their offers of service. A number 

 of Chinese pagoda-looking edifices and other incongruous build- 

 ings have been erected on the Canada bank, and others are rear- 

 ing their ill-shaped forms wherever a spot can be found whereon 

 to perch them. But it matters little; the puny efforts and bad 

 taste of man, in his attempt to adorn nature, can do little towards 

 spoiling Niagara. Its might and majesty can scarcely be 

 blemished by his Lilliputian efforts 



October the 8th was a lovely day, and late as was the period 

 of year, the air still retained the genial warmth of summer, 

 at the same time that it was pleasantly mixed with the briskness 

 and freshness of autumn. Not to give cause of offense to the 

 American side of Niagara, we had determined to devote the fore- 

 noon to an inspection of its beauties; as soon, therefore, as break- 

 fast was over, with waterproof cloaks on our arms, we descended 

 by the winding-road which leads down the cliff from the hotel to 

 the ferry directly facing the American Fall. 



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