128 TRAVELS THROUGH LOWER CANADA : 
ebullition of the water, which extended some 
way underneath the bed of the upper part of 
the river. I advanced within about six yards 
of the edge of the sheet of water,justfar eno ugh 
to peep into the caverns behind it; but here 
my breath was nearly taken away by the vio- 
lent whirlwind that always rages at the bottom 
of the cataract, occasioned by the concussion of 
such a vast body of water against the rocks. I 
confess [ had no inclination at the timeto # go 
further; nor, indeed, any of us afterwards at¬ 
tempted to explore the dreary coniines of these 
caverns, where death seemed to await him that 
should be daring enough to enter their threat¬ 
ening jaws. No -words can convey an ade¬ 
quate idea of the awful grandeur of the scene 
at this place. Your senses are appalled by the 
sight of the immense body of water that comes 
pouring down so closely to you from the top of 
the stupendous precipice, and by the thunder¬ 
ing sound of the billows dashing against the 
rocky sides of the caverns below ; you tremble 
with reverential fear, when you consider that 
a blast of the whirlwind might sweep you 
from off the slippery rocks on which you 
stand, and precipitate you into the dreadful 
gulph beneath, from whence all the power of 
man could not extricate vou ; vou feel what an 
insignificant being you are in the creation, and 
your mind is forcibly impressed with an awful 
