Maude 



Niagara Falls 



1800 Falls blend into one picture, the Horse-shoe Falls presenting 

 themselves in fine perspective. I here made two sketches. Though 

 I mention this as the best point of view for the painter, yet the 

 best station for the spectator is undoubtedly Table Rock. If 

 the United States side presents you a more beautiful arrangement 

 of the scenery, it is only from the Canada side that you can 

 behold it in its sublimity. It was my intention to go below the 

 Falls, but Coldrakes informed us that there was no descent but 

 by a rope; I considered this mode as too dangerous, therefore 

 relinquished my design. 



Coldrakes had frequently been upon Goat Island with Mr. 

 Philip Steadman. The manner of reaching the Island is to cross 

 the River two miles above, so as to reach the dead water occa- 

 sioned by the Island dividing the River into two Currents. From 

 the Island a bar stretches far up the River, which principally 

 enables you to reach the Island, as you pole your canoe along 

 this bar. Goat Island contains one hundred and fifty acres of 

 good Land: Mr. Steadman once raised a remarkably fine crop 

 of Turnips upon it. It takes its name from a venerable goat 

 which long resided upon it; other animals had been landed at 

 the same time with the goats, but they could not survive the first 

 winter, when every thing on the Island is incrusted with ice from 

 the frozen spray of the Falls. 



Coldrakes is assured that much of the Island has fallen down 

 since he first was acquainted with it. 



• • • • 



I gathered a few wild plums, of the size of the damson, but 

 of a reddish orange colour; they were well flavoured. We saw 

 a number of very large ant-hills, on which a Bear had left the 

 print of his paws, and other marks of his having searched them 

 for a favourite food. Their track is very similar to that of a 

 Hare. Bears live in the clefts of the rocks below the Falls, as 

 do also Wolves; and I may add Rattlesnakes, which are found in 

 great number and extraordinary size. Coldrakes assured me that 

 he had killed one having twenty-four rattles. I never heard of 



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