J^iagara Falls. 449 
NIAGARA FALLS— ITS PAST, PRESENT AND PROSPECTIVE 
CONDITION. 
BY DR. E. EMMONS. 
Among the phenomena of waterfalls and river gorges the Cata- 
ract of Niagara is justly regarded as holding the first rank, and 
as standing an index in the path of time, by which the influence 
of numberless ages upon the surface of our planet may be record- 
ed. Its present, its former and its prospective conditions have 
engaged the investigation and speculation of many philosophers. 
The possible consequence of its entire reduction, and the drainage 
of the upper lakes have excited the wonder and apprehensions of 
many. The estimated time of its recession has sprinkled grey 
hairs among the fresh locks of the young and blooming earth, 
and alarmed those who would consider her still youthful in years. 
But amid all these speculations, Niagara still remains; the 
thunder of its cataract still reverberates through its deep chasms, 
and its ocean of waters still rolls on as, unknown to the white 
man, it rolled a thousand years ago. When we come to the in- 
vestigation of facts, we find that, except to travellers and the 
aborigines, Niagara was unknown until within the last fifty years; 
and that even during this time no accurate observations have been 
made, no monument erected to determine whether the falls are 
retrograding or not. The testimony of living w' itnesses and histo- 
rical evidence unite in confirming the opinion that the water is 
wearing away the rock, and that the outline of the falls has 
changed. From these general observations, it has been estimated 
that they have receded at the rate of about forty feet in fifty years. 
Without pretending to question the accuracy of this or any other 
estimate of the kind, or to establish any rate of retrogression in 
the falls, we may examine its present, and from numerous facts 
infer its past condition, and from these we are entitled to draw an 
inference for the future, though without specifying time. 
Both in relation to the former condition and to the future reces- 
sion of the falls, we may regard the problem as undecided with 
respect to time. So many disturbing causes -^re constantly pre- 
senting tlicmselves, that, although the great principles may be 
regarded as established, still it is impossible to calculate accurately 
the effect of these minoi- influences. The recession of every mile 
changes the whole aspect: new elements are brought into opera- 
tion; the nature of the strata varies; the relative height of cer- 
tain portions, and the elevation of the whole cascade is altered; 
and we have had time to observe only one of the phases, and to 
reason from that to the future, before the condition is changed, 
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