Open Road — Guides — Railroads — Canals — Bridges 



destroyed by the British in 1814, The river here is about a mile 1830 

 in width, running with a very moderate current, and twenty-five Fowlcr 

 feet deep. Over this we were ferried in a boat, with paddles 

 worked by horses. On the Canada side, just as you land, are a 

 few houses, christened " Waterloo," very near the site of old Fort 

 Erie, the scene of desperate engagements between the Americans 

 and the British, during the last war, as was, in fact, nearly the 

 whole extent of the river from lake to lake. 



Continuing along the banks of the stream, we shortly came 

 opposite Grand Island, which is twelve miles long, and from two 

 to seven broad, and was ceded to the State of New York by the 

 Seneca Indians in 1815. We were about twelve miles distant, 

 when looking in the direction of the falls, I saw the spray, which 

 I at first mistook for smoke, rising in columns to a very consider- 

 able height, and the whole horizon around skirted with light 

 clouds; I also began to hear the sound of them very distinctly. 

 Besides Grand Island, the river contains a number of other small 

 islands, and independent of the influence of that excitement by 

 which, at every progressive step, the mind and feelings become 

 more deeply aroused, the ride itself, the whole distance, is one of 

 singular beauty and interest. Until we reached Chippewa, the 

 stream had been gliding along with a smoothness which left you 

 wholly unprepared for the ruffled and tumultuous scene it was so 

 soon to present. 



The Terrapin Rocfys are approached by a rudely constructed 

 bridge from Goat Island. They extend about 300 feet from the 

 shore to the Horse Shoe Fall, and, at their farthest verge, abso- 

 lutely overhang the vast abyss into which the torrent rolls with 

 all its thrilling and majestic grandeur. 



• • • • • 



I confess the impression was awful, but to me, if I may so say, 

 it was awfully) enchanting; my excitement was raised to a pitch 

 which seemed to dispel the idea of danger, and I verily believe if, 

 at that moment, I had known it to be imminent, I should have 



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