Niagara Falls 



1796 seventy-two thousand tons of water are precipitated down the 

 falls every minute, the quantity will not probably be much 

 overrated. 



To return now to the Table Rock, situated on the British 

 side of the river, and on the verge of the Horse-shoe Fall. Here 

 the spectator has an unobstructed view of the tremendous rapids 

 above the falls, and of the circumjacent shores, covered with 

 thick woods; of the Horse-shoe Fall, some yards below him; 

 of the Fort Schloper Fall, at a distance to the left; and of the 

 frightful gulph beneath, into which, if he has but courage to 

 approach to the exposed edge of the rock, he may look down 

 perpendicularly. The astonishment excited in the mind of the 

 spectator by the vastness of the different objects which he con- 

 templates from hence is great indeed, and few persons, on coming 

 here for the first time, can for some minutes collect themselves 

 sufficiently to be able to form any tolerable conception of the 

 stupendous scene before them. It is impossible for the eye to 

 embrace the whole of it at once; it must gradually make itself 

 acquainted, in the first place, with the component parts of the 

 scene, each one of which is in itself an object of wonder; and such 

 a length of time does this operation require, that many of those 

 who have had an opportunity of contemplating the scene at their 

 leisure, for years together, have thought that every time they 

 have beheld it, each part has appeared more wonderful and more 

 sublime, and that it has only been at the time of their last visit 

 that they have been able to discover all the grandeur of the 

 cataract. 



Having spent a considerable time on the Table Rock, we 

 returned to the fields the same way by which we had descended, 

 pursuant to the direction of the officer of engineers accompanying 

 us, who was intimately acquainted with every part of the cataract, 

 and of the adjoining ground, and was, perhaps, the best guide 

 that could be procured in the whole country. It would be pos- 

 sible to pursue your way along the edge of the cliff, from the 

 Table Rock, a considerable way downwards; but the bushes 



102 



