Niagara Falls 



1807 of my own timidity, I obeyed, and, after a thousand hairbreadth 

 escapes, arrived safely at the bottom. 



In making the descent on this side, I had occasion to remark, 

 as on the other, the vast difference in the noise heard from above 

 and below. Whether it was owing to the current of air setting 

 over on this side, or some other cause, I know not; but certainly 

 the thundering roar of the waters was much greater than on the 

 other. The dread of falling while descending prevented my 

 noticing the increased ratio of the noise; but I no sooner found 

 myself at the bottom, than the mountains appeared to tremble 

 over my head, and the rocks seemed to move under my feet; 

 and, indeed, it is some time before you can free yourself from 

 these sensations. 



You may advance so near to the fall on this side as to wash 

 your hands in the falling water; but here, as on the other side, 

 in a few minutes you are quite wet to the skin. This is owing to 

 the abundance of vapour which is continually falling; for, in 

 many places, the spray rebounds from the rocks with so much 

 violence as to prevent a nearer approach; and the constant 

 humidity has covered the rocks below the falls with a luxuriant 

 growth of grass of three feet in length, amongst which are found 

 thousands of young eels. 



Immediately below the falls is a small space in the river, over 

 which a boat might cross with the greatest safety, being the only 

 place where such a passage is practicable between the falls and 

 Queen's Town. The cause I take to be this : the immense column 

 of water is hurled into the unfathomable gulph to a great depth 

 immediately above this spot, and, by its own reaction, breaks out 

 with inconceivable fury below; it causes a kind of calm eddies 

 over the surface of the intermediate space alluded to, which, 

 although it appears white from the raging of the waters under- 

 neath, yet, comparatively, may be considered as still as a mill- 

 pond. What first led me to this reflection was the manoeuvres 

 of some wild ducks, which I observed swimming backwards and 

 forwards across this space, and who carefully avoided every place 



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