Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1817-10-23
width, from &c to 600 yards, appears as

width, from &c 10 0Ou yarus, appears as
if dug out by human lahour. Its walls
or 81 les are either perpendicular or she'v-
irg over. bat in 40 place :loping-so tina,
on looking over the brink, you would
suppose person at The bottom could have
bu, small hoves OF ever arriving upon the
surface of thc earth again. N1ou'let ap.
pears bus that Uf the rive, ami that offers
only the last consolation TO misery
death But fear and astonishment de-
form obicsts. After the first impressions
have subsidized. and the dizziness caused
from looking down from such height,
has lett the head steady, the view Is OF a
different character. At the upper ex-
tremiiy, towards the country, the per-
pendicular descent is no. more than 40
or so feet, after which the angle of the
slope to the river side is about d de-
grees. In field at the distarce OF 4 ~
500 Yards frsm this point, small brook
suddenly leaves its course and silks ,nt'
the earth, and is seen no more tail 1t
emerges in foam and bubbles in the cen
tire OF tksDDcviPs Hole, and whence it
pursues arough precipi,ous channel int
the Niagara.
+. A deed OF horror was acted at the De-
Wis Hole o. which it was proper thea
trc. Tradition tells tn, story and as
cribes TO that the OF gin of its name Oh
certail. night during the last French
war, as a patty of Engiishmen were 20.
ing from he head 10 tae foot OF the por-
lage, with Wagons loaded with mcrcha"-
disc and under an escort Of soldiers, a
parity Of Indians in alliance with the
French sprang from ravine just in the
rear Of the Devils Hole, where they had
laid in ambush, and cut them of from
retreat in every direction but into the
Hole. The dreadful yell breaking upon
the sill goom Of midnight, and resound-
ing through the dark cavern and the for.
rest, announced their fate, and was alone
sufficient to deprive item Of all power OF
resistaIce-They surrendered therefore
without a struggle, expecting the t"ma-
hawk soon to put an end TO their terr"rs
and their e.lsttnce. But nn--they were
mistaken. The savsge seems here to
have risen above himself in b rrors. They
conducted their victims to the edge q 1
cliff which hangs over the Devils licle,
and with ere sweep plunged them I'll
into the profound ABYSS. Men, beasts
and Wagons, all fell together, and were
dashed to pieces on the button, except
ing one man rhn escaped in aiost eX-
trsortlinary manner by lodging in the
branch OF tree z owing near the prrcI-
pice. lie is said to 5e living now some
where in this stare.
There may be some eyagseration in
this story, but ! give the facts as re-
crised them--In evidence OF the truth oi
the story, there hive rieces OF If, n be-
longing To :: Wagon been found on the
>pOI where they tell. Travellers Tho have
visited tie IslIs, have, heretofore, looked
n,u tie Devils Hole and retired, WITH
out induiging their curiosity Iuit err, but
several Of ..e inhabi ants in the vicinity
han veniured dow. bel re we undertook
10 pN UIbi Z II W WI btFScHl
with ut much hazard. but not brig pre-
,ared with TOOLS and iabou'srs 10 oig fur
re,naibs, we merely pas ed thr' nsh to
the river, and returned. Ine view Of
The river at this spot is really te' riiic.-
!trolls aud tumble, along With inconceH.
acle force, Gashirg aeairS its rugged
banks and r,aring like hurricane. In
some places it piles itsclfints hug waves,
which tumble into foam and are succeed.
ed BY others. Up,n the whole think
ihis s. enc. including The immense pies
| Of rucSs which bound il on every side,
must b. ere q The most sublime that ma
ture aT rds, lie tails Only excepted -
Large cakes Of ice are fourd anrng tie
rock. along the riyu'ct that runs through
the Devils Hole, at al! tines ct the yea.
The hanks Of this liver Tor the extent ~
IL miles are one continuation Of natural
wonders. # which the falls aud the De-
Wis Hole, are the prircra.'
Winchester, Ky. Sept. 90.