Niagara Falls 



1858-61 somewhere exist a power capable of crushing them in their birth. 



Troiiope yj^ new ob^^ or picture-building at Niagara, is one of such. 

 And now we will cross the water, and with this object will 

 return by the bridge out of Goat Island, on the main land of the 

 American side. But as we do so, let me say that one of the great 

 charms of Niagara consists in this: that over and above that 

 one great object of wonder and beauty, there is so much little 

 loveliness — loveliness especially of water I mean. There are 

 little rivulets running here and there over little falls, with pendent 

 bows above them, and stones shining under their shallow depths. 

 As the visitor stands and looks through the trees, the rapids glitter 

 before him, and then hide themselves behind islands. They glitter 

 and sparkle in far distances under the bright foliage, till the remem- 

 brance is lost, and one knows not which way they run. And 

 then the river below, with its whirlpool — but we shall come 

 to that by-and-by, and to the mad voyage which was made down 

 the rapids by that mad captain who ran the gauntlet of the waters 

 at the risk of his own life, with fifty to one against him, in order 

 that he might save another man's property from the sheriff. 



The readiest way across to Canada is by the ferry ; and on the 

 American side this is very pleasantly done. You go into a little 

 house, pay twenty cents, take a seat on a wooden car of wonderful 

 shape, and on the touch of a spring find yourself travelling down 

 an inclined plane of terrible declivity, and at a very fast rate. 

 You catch a glance of the river below you, and recognize the 

 fact that if the rope by which you are held should break, you 

 would go down at a very fast rate indeed, and find your final 

 resting-place in the river. As I have gone down some dozen 

 times, and have come to no such grief, I will not presume that you 

 will be less lucky. Below there is a boat generally ready. If 

 it be not there, the place is not chosen amiss for a rest of ten 

 minutes, for the lesser fall is close at hand, and the larger one is 

 in full view. Looking at the rapidity of the river, you will think 

 that the passage must be dangerous and difficult. But no accidents 



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