Niagara Falls 



1796 up rocks and trees. After passing these mounds, you have to 

 Weld climb from rock to rock close under the cliff, for there is but little 



space here between the cliff and the river, and these rocks are so 

 slippery, owing to the continual moisture from the spray, which 

 descends very heavily, that without the utmost precaution it is 

 scarcely possible to escape a fall. At the distance of a quarter 

 of a mile from the Great Fall we were as wet, owing to the spray, 

 as if each of us had been thrown into the river. 



There is nothing whatsoever to prevent you from passing to 

 the very foot of the Great Fall; and you might even proceed 

 behind the prodigious sheet of water that comes pouring down 

 from the top of the precipice, for the water falls from the edge 

 of a projecting rock; and, moreover, caverns of a very consid- 

 erable size have been hollowed out of the rocks at the bottom of 

 the precipice, owing to the violent ebullition of the water, which 

 extend some way underneath the bed of the upper part of the 

 river. I advanced within about six yards of the edge of the 

 sheet of water, just far enough to peep into the caverns behind 

 it; but here my breath was nearly taken away by the violent 

 whirlwind that always rages at the bottom of the cataract, occa- 

 sioned by the concussion of such a vast body of water against 

 the rocks. I confess I had no inclination at the time to go farther; 

 nor, indeed, did any of us afterwards attempt to explore the 

 dreary confines of these caverns, where death seemed to await 

 him that should be daring enough to enter their threatening jaws. 

 No words can convey an adequate idea of the awful grandeur of 

 the scene at this place. Your senses are appalled by the sight 

 of the immense body of water that comes pouring down so closely 

 to you from the top of the stupendous precipice, and by the 

 thundering sound of the billows dashing against the rocky sides 

 of the caverns below; you tremble with reverential fear, when 

 you consider that a blast of the whirlwind might sweep you from 

 off the slippery rocks on which you stand, and precipitate you 

 into the dreadful gulph beneath, from whence all the power of 

 man could not extricate you ; you feel what an insignificant being 



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