Niagara Falls 



1800 In his journal he "confined himself to memoranda penciled on the spot 



Maude anc j wr itten down on the evening of each day." The result is a charm- 



ingly intimate narrative which reveals well the quick sympathies and keen 

 appreciation of the author. 



5 a. m. Friday, August 22d. 



I pursued the course of the River by a very excellent road. 



This River possesses features, which, though frequently seen 

 in Tide-water Bays, Inlets and on the Sea-Coast, yet rarely 

 characterizes a running stream. Instead of the banks partaking 

 of a straight or easy flowing line, they are a continuation of long 

 points of Land making into the River, and as the Road follows 

 the same line, the present travelled distance between Fort Erie 

 and Chippawa might be lessened one half. 



The Niagara is certainly a very noble Stream, but its banks 

 are tame and void of all interest. The United States Shore was 

 hid by La Grande Isle, covered with wood and unsettled. 



On the Canada side, the whole distance to the Falls, with little 

 exception, is settled; and that principally by emigrants from the 

 United States since 1 792. I only passed two boarded Houses, 

 and those little larger than log-huts. I observed King-fishers, 

 Pigeon-Hawks, Moths and Grasshoppers, but no Mosquitoes, 

 and few Flies. During my approach to Chippawa, I had, for 

 many miles, observed a heavy smoke arise on the Canada side of 

 the Niagara, which I attributed to the burning of logs on a piece 

 of Land then clearing ; but when within two miles of Chippawa, 

 I evidently perceived that what I considered as smoke, arose 

 from the River, and it then occurred to me that it was the Spray 

 of the Falls. I stopped my Horse and could distinguish the roar- 

 ing of the Waters, which I had not previously been enabled to 

 do from its gradual introduction upon my ear, the noise of my 

 Horse's feet, and the absorption, as it were, of all my other senses 

 in that of vision. 



8J/2 A. M. . . . Having breakfasted, I set out on foot 

 for the Falls; the distance is three miles by the Road, but not 



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