Niagara Falls 



1750 minutes, and I really thought they had fallen into the water: 

 Kalm they were obliged to strip themselves quite naked, and hang their 



clothes in the sun to dry. When you are on the other East 

 side of the Lake Ontario, a great many leagues from the Fall, 

 you may, every clear and calm morning see the vapours of 

 the Fall rising in the air; you would think all the woods there- 

 abouts were set on fire by the Indians, so great is the apparent 

 smoak. In the same manner you may see it on the West side 

 of the lake Erie, a great many leagues off. 



Several of the French gentlemen told me, that when birds 

 come flying into this fog or smoak of the fall, they fall down and 

 perish in the Water; either because their wings are become wet, 

 or that the noise of the fall astonishes them, and they know not 

 were to go in the Dark ; but others were of opinion, that seldom or 

 never any bird perishes there in that manner ; because, as they all 

 agreed, among the abundance of birds found dead below the fall, 

 there are no other sorts than such as live and swim frequently in 

 the water; as swans, geese, ducks, water-hens, teal, and the 

 like. And very often great flocks of them are seen going to 

 destruction in this manner; they swim in the river above the fall, 

 and so are carried down lower and lower by the water, and as 

 water-fowl commonly take great delight in being carry'd with 

 the stream, so here they indulge themselves in enjoying this 

 pleasure so long, till the swiftness of the water becomes so great, 

 that 'tis no longer possible for them to rise, but they are driven 

 down the precipice, and perish. They are observ'd when they 

 draw nigh the fall, to endeavour with all their might, to take 

 wing and leave the water, but they cannot. In the months of 

 September and October, such abundant quantities of dead water- 

 fowl are found every morning below the Fall, on the shore, that 

 the garrison of the fort for a long time live chiefly upon them; 

 besides the fowl, they find also several sorts of dead fish, also 

 deer, bears, and other animals which have tried to cross the 

 water above the fall; the larger animals are generally found 

 broken to pieces. Just below the fall the water is not rapid, 



58 



