t>l& Mrs. Wright's Travels in the United States. 
wife, for she is as sharp as a needle.*’ 
The wife was called, and, in gown and 
cap, soon made her appearance; (lie 
candle and the papers placed in the mid¬ 
dle, wife, husband, and driver set about 
decyphering the hieroglyphics; hut 
that the wife had the character of being 
as sharp as a needle, I should have au¬ 
gured ill of the labours of this trium¬ 
virate. Whether right or wrong, how¬ 
ever, the selection was soon made, and 
the budget once again committed to the 
waggon. 
CATARACT OP NIAGARA. 
We set off in a little waggon, nri¬ 
der a glorious sim, and a refreshing 
breeze. Seven miles of a pleasant 
road which ran up the ridge we had 
observed the preceding night, brought 
us to the cataract. In the way we 
alighted to look down from a broad 
platform of rock, on the edge of the 
precipice, at a fine bend of the river. 
From hence the blue expanse of On¬ 
tario bounded a third of the horizon ; 
fort Niagara on the American shore; 
fort George on the Canadian, guarding 
the mouth of the river, where it opens 
Intothe lake ; the banks, rising as they 
approached us, finely wooded, and 
winding, now hiding and now reveal¬ 
ing the majestic waters of the channel. 
Never shall I forget the moment when, 
throwing down my eyes, I first beheld 
the deep, slow, solemn tide, clear as 
crystal, and green as the ocean, sweep¬ 
ing through its channel of rocks with a 
sullen dignity of motion and sound, far 
beyond all that I had heard, or could 
ever have conceived. You saw and felt 
immediately that it was no river you 
beheld, hut an imprisoned sea; for 
such, indeed, are the lakes of these re¬ 
gions. The velocity of the waters, 
after the leap, until they issue from the 
chasm at Queenston, flowing over a 
rough and shelving bed, must actually 
he great; hut, from their vast depth 
they move with an apparent majesty, 
that seems to temper their vehemence, 
rolling onwards in heavy volumes, and 
with a hollow sound, as if labouring 
and groaning with their own weight. 
I can convey to you no idea of the so¬ 
lemnity of this moving ocean. Our 
eyes followed its waves until they ached 
with gazing; and had not our little 
guide and waggoner startled us, by 
hurling a fragment of rock from the 
precipice, I know not when we should 
have awakened from our dream. 
A mile farther, we caught a first and 
partial glimpse of the cataract, on 
which the opposing sun flashed for % 
moment, as on a silvery screen that 
hung suspended in the sky. It disap¬ 
peared again behind the forest, all save 
the white cloud that rose far up intothe 
air, and marked the spot from whence 
the thunder came. We now pressed 
forward with increasing impatience, 
and after a few miles reaching a small 
inn, we left our rude equipage, and 
hastened in the direction that was 
pointed to us. 
Two foot-bridges have latterly been 
thrown, by daring and dexterous hands, 
from island to island, across the Ame¬ 
rican side of the channel, some hun¬ 
dred feet above the brink of the fall; 
gaining in this manner the great island 
which divides the cataract info two un¬ 
equal parts, we made its circuit at our 
leisure. From its lower point we ob¬ 
tained partial and imperfect views of 
the falling river; from the higher eve 
commanded a fine prospect of the upper 
channel. Nothing here denotes the 
dreadful commotion so soon about to 
take place. ; the thunder, indeed, is 
behind you, and the rapids are rolling 
and dashing on either hand ; but be¬ 
fore, the vast river comes sweeping 
down its broad and smooth waters be¬ 
tween banks low and gentle as those of 
the Thames, Returning, we again stood 
long on the bridges, gazing on the ra¬ 
pids that rolled above and beneath usr 
the waters of the deepest sea-green, 
crested with silver, shooting under our 
feet with, the velocity of lightning, till, 
reaching tire brink, the vast waves 
seemed to pause, as if gathering their 
strength for the tremendous plunge. 
Formerly it was not unusual for the 
more adventurous traveller to drop 
down to the island in a well-manned 
and well-guided boat. This was done 
by keeping between the currents, as 
they rush on either side of the island, 
thus leaving a narrow stream, which 
flows gently to its point, and has to the 
eye, contrasted with the rapidity of the 
tide, where to right and left the water 
is sucked to the falls, the appearance 
of a strong hack current. 
It is but an inconsiderable portion of 
this imprisoned sea which flows on the 
American side; but even this were 
sufficient to fix the eye in admiration. 
Descending the ladder (now easy steps,) 
and approaching to the foot of this lesser 
fall, we were driven away blinded, 
breathless, and smarting, the wind 
being high and blowing right against 
us. Turning a corner of the rock 
(where. 
