NIAGARA FALLS. 
391 
declines to the westward from Queenston. Such being the case, it is possible there may 
have been a rent in this situation previous to the period when the river began to flow in that 
direction. From all that appears along the present river course, there was probably an ancient 
shallow valley extending in the direction of the present Niagara, which gave the first direction 
to the waters. This will be made apparent by the following transverse section of the river 
valley, which shows that the present square cut gorge is in the bottom of a previously formed 
valley. Along the whole course of the river this gradual ascent from the edge of the gorge is 
manifest, and, together with other circumstances, is evidently of the origin we infer. 
187, 
From analogous facts, which have before been stated, we learn that it only requires an 
elevation of drift or other superficial deposits greater than the rocky strata, in order to give 
the water this direction, and cause it to excavate a new channel. In the present case it 
only requires the depression before noticed, whether in the superficial deposit or in the 
rock, to give the river that course; and, when it had once commenced flowing, no power 
would divert it. Even if we suppose the channel to have been previously in any other 
direction, if it became obstructed, the water would seek the lowest point along the terrace. 
In the present instance this appears to have been in the direction of Lewiston, and here 
the water commenced its work of excavation, cutting down the higher strata, and rapidly 
undermining and removing those below. It is only necessary to refer to the accompanying 
section, in order to discover what materials the river had to work upon at this period. 
It is impossible that there could ever have been a perpendicular fall of the whole height of 
the cliff at Lewiston, for the limestone at the top, being so much thinner than at the present 
falls, would soon be broken down by the pressure of the immense body of water precipitated 
over its edge upon the shale below. It may even be doubted whether the shale would be 
excavated fast enough to form a perpendicular fall, and it is probable that the water would be 
projected over a declivity of the upper shale (No. 7), to the limestone below, which, together 
with the higher layers of the sandstone, would form the crest of a second fall. From this, 
again, the water would be precipitated as far as the sandstone (No. 2), where a third fall 
would be formed. Thus, instead of a single fall of three hundred and fifty feet, we should 
