CATARACTS. 461 



giance of this scene hurries our senses into the 

 opinion, that this earth has been created in time> that 

 the mountains were formed fi-rst, that the rivers 

 began to flow afterwards, that in this pUice particu- 

 larly they have been dammed up by the Blueii idge 

 of mountains, and have formed an ocean which filled 

 the whole valley ; that, continuing to rise, they have 

 broken over this spot, and have torn the mountaiiii 

 down from its summit to its base. The piles of rocks 

 on each hand, particularly on the Shenandoah, the 

 evident marks of their disruption and avulsion from 

 their beds by the most powerful agents of nature,, 

 corroborate the impression. But the distant finishing 

 which nature has given to this picture, is of a very- 

 different character. It is a true contrast to the fore- 

 ground* It is as placid and delightful as that is wild 

 and tremendous. For the mountain, being cloven 

 asunder, presents to the eye, through the cleft, a 

 small catch of smooth blue horizon, at an infinite 

 distance, in the plain country, inviting you, as it 

 were, from the riot and tumult roaring around, to 

 pass through the breach, and participate of the calm 

 below.* Here the eye ultimately composes itself; 

 and that way too, the road actually leads. You cross 

 the Potowmac above the junction, pass along its 

 side through the base of the mountain for three miles, 

 its terrible precipices hanging in fragments over you, 



fcet^ but cojues rushing down with tremiendous iinpetuosity over a 

 ledge of rocks, in several different falls. The best view of the cata- 

 ract rs froKi the top of a pile of recks about sixty feet above the level 

 of the water, axid which,, owmg to the bend in the river, is situated 

 nearly opjiosite to the fylls.-.'Weid. 



* The fine view here alluded tO:, is only seen fron^ the top of the 

 mountain. 



