6i 



Eddy basin remains, because, after the older cataract had 

 suddenly ceased the cliff line was driven back by weather- 

 ing and was notched by a smaller stream, so that the 

 renewed attack of the modern falls missed the ledges now 

 forming the reef, and began their excavation just south 

 of these ledges. Sinclair point is on the edge of the old 

 drift bank of the river. 



The Whirlpool from Thompson Point. — The best 

 view of the whirlpool is from this point, where it is distinct- 

 ly seen that the great current does not turn the sharp 

 angle directly from the inlet to the outlet, but that its 

 momentum carries it onward to the north side of the pool, 

 where it strikes against the rocky wall of the older gorge 

 and is deflected to the west or left in a great swinging 

 curve. Continuing around the north and west sides of 

 the basin, the whole great current turns toward the south- 

 east and at a point opposite the outlet dives under the 

 swifter current and reappears at the surface in the mouth 

 of the outlet. Thus, substantially the whole volume of 

 the river makes a great loop in which it turns backward 

 and downward in order to find a way of escape. 



From this point a better view is obtained of the upper 

 reef and of the Eddy basin. The influence of the reef in 

 producing a short, sharp rapids is clearly seen. The view 

 down the river from this point is also fine, showing Foster 

 rapids and the terraced slope on the left. 



Wintergreen Terrace and Foster's Flats. — At 



this point one may descend into the gorge from the old 

 drift bank of the river, first going down 15 or 20 feet (5 to 

 6 m.) to a flat area of limestone with almost no soil and only 

 thinly covered with trees, a remnant of the old river 

 bottom, which was scoured clean of drift before the falls 

 had passed this point. At the north side of this terrace 

 an overhanging cliff of limestone marks approximately a 

 part of the crest line of the falls as they were at one time. 

 Huge blocks have fallen from this cliff, but it still overhangs 

 on the north, east and south sides enough to suggest the 

 old crest of the falls. This part of the old river bottom 

 was abandoned because a deeper channel was cut, more 

 rapidly around the east side of the terrace. 



Descending the stairway the path goes southward under 

 overhanging cliffs, winding amidst great fallen blocks, 



