Niagara Falls 



1834 whole picture has about it an appearance as if the waters had 

 Lieber k een comman c[ ec J i stand still, and had been suddenly stopped 



in their course. It is the contrast which this distinguishing feature 

 of the cataract forms with the bounding leap, and the actual and 

 known velocity of the waters, together with the many other con- 

 trasts which this phenomenon presents, the deafening noise and 

 blinding spray, with the bright rainbow, and the sparkling sur- 

 face of parts of the waters, the solemn roar and the piercing 

 single tones, the thriving cheerful vegetation on the banks, 

 and the helpless weed whipped against the rock — it is the 

 thousand contrasts which you meet here, that lend so inexpres- 

 sible a charm to this stupendous and lovely phenomenon, and 

 which cause every one to take leave of it, as of a friend you have 

 learned to love, in spite of the essential sternness and grandeur of 

 his character. 



The emerald, of which I spoke above, is not seen with the 

 Schlosser, nor Central Falls; they leap in a sheet of foam from 

 their immense height. About two-thirds of the surface of the 

 water, enclosed by the Crescent Fall, are covered with impene- 

 trable spray and mist, out of which the peculiar meteors or jets 

 I mentioned are seen to shoot up. Captain Hall calls them 

 cones, or comets. I saw them rather in the shape of a hay-stack, 

 the top of which was formed by a compact body of water, from 

 which a thick spray descending, gave the outline of the sides. 



Where the mist becomes thinner, you perceive the leaping and 

 foaming surface; a little lower down the river, the surface 

 becomes comparatively calm, yet is covered with one thick coat 

 of foam, which extends a considerable distance down the river, 

 — farther on the Canada side than on the opposite, — forming 

 what might be termed the snow-field of waters. It was to this 

 snow-field that I endeavoured to approach as near as possible, 

 and if practicable to get into it, when I made the excursion men- 

 tioned above with Mr. Ingraham. I was desirous of determining 

 the bouyancy of this foamy water by immersing my body in it; 

 but the boatmen could not take us close enough up to it. I 



536 



