14 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



The gorge below the falls 



The gorge of the Niagara river should be seen from both sides. 

 Here as elsewhere the pedestrian with abundant time has the best 

 opportunity to see the numerous interesting and attractive -features ; 

 but, since distances here are considerable, it is perhaps more ad- 

 visable to avail one's self of the conveyances afforded. 1 



The best view of the gorge is afforded by going down the river 

 on the Canadian side and returning by the gorge road. In this 

 way the passenger on the cars gets nearest to the river, particularly 

 if the right hand seats are selected. If the visitor however prefers 

 to go down the river on the gorge road, and return by the Canadian 

 line, let him choose the left side of the cars as nearest to the river 

 in both cases. 



After passing Clifton on the Canadian side, and the last of the 

 bridges which here span the gorge, the observer begins to have a 

 view of the whirlpool rapids, which even from this elevation have 

 a threatening aspect. It was through these rapids and through the 

 whirlpool below, that the first Maid of the Mist was safely navigated 

 in 1861, having at the time three men on board — a feat which has 

 never been repeated. Through this same stretch of rapids Capt. 

 Webb made his fatal swim, paying for the foolhardy attempt with his 

 life. After passing the rapids we reach the whirlpool, of which good 

 views are afforded from many places along the top of the bank. After 

 crossing several small ravines, that of Bowmans creek is reached. 

 This ravine is a partial reexcavation of the old drift that filled St 

 Davids channel. 2 From the upper end of the bridge which crosses 

 the ravine, a path leads down to the water's edge, the ravine being 

 one of singular attractiveness to the lover of wild woodland scenery. 

 A short distance beyond the bridge is the Whirlpool station of the 

 electric road. Here, from a little shelter built on the extreme point, 

 fine views of the whirlpool and the river above and below it are 

 obtained. The river here makes a right-angled bend, the whirlpool 

 forming the swollen elbow. In the rocky point projecting from the 



1 The visitor will do well to purchase a belt line ticket, which entitles 

 him to make the circuit in either direction and to stop at all important 

 points. The Canadian scenic route will take him along the top of the bank, 

 while the gorge road, on the New York side, takes him close to the edge 

 of the water. 



'See map, and chapter 1. 



