Niagara Falls 



1669 feet. In fact, we heard it from where we were. But this fall 

 a gives such an impulse to the water that, although we were ten 



or twelve leagues away, the water is so rapid that one can with 

 great difficulty row up against it. [At a quarter of a league 

 from the mouth, where we were, it begins to contract and to 

 continue its channel between two steep and very high rocks, 

 which makes me think it would be navigable with difficulty as 

 far as the neighborhood of the falls. As to the part above the 

 falls, the water draws from a considerable distance into that 

 precipice, and very often stags and hinds, elks and roebucks, 

 suffer themselves to be drawn along so far in crossing this river that 

 they find themselves compelled to take the leap and to see them- 

 selves swallowed up in that horrible gulf.] 



Our desire to go on to our little village called Ganastogue 

 Sonontoua Outinaouatoua prevented our going to see that wonder, 

 [which I regarded as so much the greater, as the River St. 

 Lawrence is one of the largest in the world.] I leave you to 

 imagine if it is not a beautiful cascade, to see all the water of 

 this great river, which at its mouth is three leagues in width, 

 precipitate itself from a height of two hundred feet with a roar 

 that is heard not only from the place where we were, ten or 

 twelve leagues distant, but actually from the other side of Lake 

 Ontario, opposite this mouth, from which M. Trouve told 

 me he had heard it. We passed this river, accordingly, and at 

 last, after five days' voyage, arrived at the end of Lake 

 Ontario. 



1669 Le CLERCQ, CHRETIEN. Etablissement de la Foy dans le Nouvelle 



LeClercq France, contenant l'Histoire des Colonies Francoises, & des Decouvertes 

 qui s'y font faites jusque a present: avec une relation exacte des Expedi- 

 tions & Voyages entrepris pour la Decouverte du Fleuve Mississippi jusque 

 au Golphe de Mexique . . . sous la conduite du Sieur de la 

 Salle ... A Paris. Chez Amable Auroy. 1691. Vol. II, pp. 

 132-163. 



Le Clercq, Chretien. First establishment of the faith in New 

 France. . . . Translated by J. G. Shea. N. Y. : Shea: 1881. 

 Vol. II, pp. 102-126. 



22 



