Flora and Fauna 



In America, no person is ever refused entrance to the inns, at 1820 

 least far from cities. We know too well how many poor creatures Audul,on 

 are forced to make their way from other countries in search of 

 employment or to seek uncultivated land, and we are ever ready 

 to let them have what they may call for. No one knew who I 

 was, and the landlord looking at me with an eye of close scrutiny, 

 answered that breakfast would be on the table as soon as the 

 company should come down from their rooms. I approached 

 this important personage, told him of my avocations, and con- 

 vinced him that he might feel safe as to remuneration. From 

 this moment, I was, with him at least, on equal footing with every 

 other person in his house. He talked a good deal of the many 

 artists who had visited the Falls that season, from different parts, 

 and offered to assist me, by giving such accommodations as I 

 might require to finish the drawings I had in contemplation. He 

 left me, and as I looked about the room, I saw several views of 

 the Falls, by which I was so disgusted, that I suddenly came to 

 my better senses. ' What! " thought I, " have I come here to 

 mimic nature in her grandest enterprise, and add mp caricature 

 of one of the wonders of the world to those which I here see? 

 No. — I give up the vain attempt. I shall look on these mighty 

 cataracts and imprint them, where alone they can be repre- 

 sented, — on my mind ! 



Had I taken a view, I might as well have given you what 

 might be termed a regular account of the form, the height, the 

 tremendous roar of these Falls; might have spoken of people 

 perilling their lives by going between the rock and the sheet of 

 water, calculated the density of the atmosphere in that strange 

 position, related wondrous tales of Indians and their canoes hav- 

 ing been precipitated the whole depth ; — might have told of the 

 narrow, rapid, and rockbound river that leads the waters of the 

 Erie into those of Ontario, remarking en passant the Devil's Hole 

 and sundry other places of objects ; — but supposing you had been 

 there, my description would prove useless, and quite as puny as 

 my intended view would have been for my family; and should 



443 



