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FALLS OF NIAGARA. 



of Niagara are not more wonderful. * The 

 measurement of the Falls is stated at about 

 one hundred and sixty feet in height, and 

 the whole extent of the concave, following 

 the line of cataracts, both on the American and 

 British side, is very nearly four thousand feet, 

 or about four times the breadth of the river 

 half a mile below. It is supposed that twenty 

 four millions of tons of water, daily rush over 

 this tremendous precipice, making one million 

 to fall every hour. As the spray ascended in 

 clouds, I was much gratified at observing from 

 the calmness of the day, a perfect, rainbow un- 

 broken from end to end. This is only to be 

 seen in particular positions of the sun, and 

 when the air is perfectly serene. The noise of 

 the Falls is seldom heard at a very great dis- 

 tance, as has been sometimes mentioned. We 

 heard it distinctly on a calm evening at the 

 distance of seven miles, and at the same time 

 saw the spray ascending in a cloud of vapour, 

 which may occasionally be seen at the distance 

 of near fifty miles, but generally the sound of 

 the Falls is not heard farther than about the 

 distance of two miles. Niagara is an Indian 

 term, and is said to signify the thunder of 

 waters. The Indians pronounce it Niagara, 

 but Americans and Canadians generally Niagara. 



