The French Period 



exactly at the place which M. de Joncaire has chosen for his 1721 

 residence [that is at the present Lewiston]. It should by right CJiarIev01 ^ 

 be equally unnavigable above it, since the river falls perpen- 

 dicular the whole space of its breadth. But besides the island, 

 which divides it into two, several rocks which are scattered up 

 and down above it, abate much of the rapidity of the stream; 

 it is notwithstanding so very strong, that ten or twelve Outaways 

 trying to cross over to the island to shun the Iroquoise who were 

 in pursuit of them, were drawn into the precipice, in spite of all 

 their efforts to preserve themselves. 



I have heard say that the fish that happen to be entangled in 

 the current, fall dead into the river, and that the Indians of those 

 parts were considerably advantaged by them; but I saw nothing 

 of this sort. I was also told, that the birds that attempted to 

 fly over were sometimes caught in the whirlwind formed, by the 

 violence of the torrent. But I observed quite the contrary, for 

 I saw small birds flying very low, and exactly over the Fall, 

 which yet cleared their passage very well. 



This sheet of water falls upon a rock, and there are two 

 reasons which induce me to believe, that it has either found, or 

 perhaps in time hollowed out a cavern of considerable depth. 

 The first is, that the noise it makes is very hollow, resembling 

 that of thunder at a distance. You can scarce hear it at M. de 

 Joncaire's, and what you hear in this place, may possibly be 

 only that of the whirlpools caused by the rocks, which fill the 

 bed of the river as far as this. And so much the rather as above 

 the cataract, you do not hear it near so far. The second is, 

 that nothing has ever been seen again that has once fallen over 

 it, not even the wrecks of the canoe of the Outaways, I men- 

 tioned just now. . . . Besides I perceived no mist above it, 

 but from behind, at a distance, one would take it for smoke, 

 and there is no person who would not be deceived with it, if 

 he came in sight of the isle, without having been told before 

 hand that there was so surprising a cataract in this place. 



35 



