The English Period 



SUMMARY OF THE ENGLISH PERIOD 



A conspicuous feature in this chapter is the absence of priestly 

 accounts. The descriptions quoted are those of interested and 

 curious travelers or of literary men. There is a notable increase 

 in the number and length of the accounts given, especially towards 

 the end of the century. And yet we have not mentioned or 

 quoted from all the sources available. The chapter has been 

 more or less strictly limited to popular descriptions and first-hand 

 accounts. Other aspects of the subject properly falling within 

 the dates of this chapter are treated under other headings. 



Generally speaking, there is a noticeable improvement in the 

 character of the accounts. The descriptions given are far less 

 fantastic than some of the earlier ones. As might be expected, 

 not only has much new information been added but far greater 

 accuracy prevails. In a word, the " true Niagara " is slowly 

 but surely being revealed. There is, however, not nearly so much 

 new information as there might be. There is, in fact, much 

 plagiarism. It would seem that in some cases whole accounts 

 were borrowed and presented to the public with but slight modi- 

 fication. Witness the account cited under date of 1 764. It 

 would appear, from such cases as this, that Niagara information 

 was regarded as common property. 



It is interesting to notice that just as our first period was pre- 

 dominently French so this, our second period, is, broadly speak- 

 ing, English. True, some famous French names appear, such as 

 Chateaubriand and Liancourt. The majority of the accounts, 

 however, are from English or American writers. Of the descrip- 

 tions of this period those of Kalm, Liancourt, and Weld, not to 

 mention any others, were especially well known. 



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