Delaware gazette and peninsula advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1814-1820, 1817-10-25

walls or sides are either perpendicular
or shelving ever, but in no places
that in looking over the
brink, you would suppose person at
the nottom could have but small hopes
Of ever arriving upon the surface OF
the earth again. No outlet appears
nut that Of the river, and that offers
only the last consolation to misery
death. But fear and establishment
dcform objc.ts. After the first i'm
pressious have subsidized, and the diz-
illness caused by looking down from
such heighth. has left the head stea
o,, the view is Of a different charac-
ter.--At the upper extremity. towards
the country. the perpendicular descent
is not more than 40 OF SO feet, after
which the angle Of the slope Oh the
river side is about rs degrees. In a
field at the distance Of 4 or 500 yards
from this point, a small brook sud
denly leaves its course and sinks iEto
the earth, and is seen no more till il
energes in luam aud bubbles in the
ccItr of the Devils Hole, from
whence i; pursues rough precipitous
channel into the Niagara. A deal OF
horror was acted at the Devils Hole.
of which it was proper theatre.
Tradition tells Che story and aserihes
to that The oyigion of its name. On IA
certain night during the last French
war, as party of Englisllmen We're
going from the head to the foot of the
portage, with wagons loaded With
merchandise and under an escort OF
soldiers, party Of Indians in alliance
with French sprangfrom ravine just
in rear Of the Devils Hole, where
they had laid in ambush, and aut tlIem
off from retreat in every direction but
into the Hole, The dreadful yell
breaking upon the still gloom Of
midnight, and resounding through the
dark cavern and the forest, announ-
ced their fate, and was alone sufficient
to deprive them Of all power of resis-
lance. They surrendered therefore
without struggle, expecting the to-
nIahawk soon TO put an end 70 their
terrors and their existence. But M
they were mistaken. The Savage
seems here to have risen above him.
self in horrors.--'rhey conduct tiieii
victims to the edge Of cliff which
hangs over the Devils Hole. and witt
onr sweep plunged them all into the
profound abyss. Men, beasts, ant
) wagons, all f,ll together. and wer,
dashed t0pieces on the bottom, excep
J, ting one man who Isl aped in mos
extraordinary manner by lodging il
{ the branch ola tree growing near til,
\ prrcipice. lie is said 10 be living nov
I somewhere in this State. There ma,
. ne some exaggeraiion in this story
ou, l give The facts as receive,
=. them. In evidence ofthe truth ofth
+ story, they have pieces ofiron belong
u ing 10 b Wagon been found on TIL
Il SPOT where they fell. Travellers win
|, have visited the falls haNr. heretoior,
looked into the Devils iiole and &c
: tired, without INDUCING their curios
:, ity further, hat several Of the Inhab
e itants in this vicinity had venture,
: down before lie undertook 90 eApIor,
e|it. We effected our descent withou
!, much hazard. but not being prepare,
# with tuols and lab.rers 20 di,: for re
. aaius. We merely passed through (,
J.. the river, aud returned. The view o
Y the river at this spot is really terrific
r II rails and tumbles along With inron
rrivabie force, ,lashi,g against il
r rugged banks and roaring like her
rican. Ia some places it piles iLsel
:. into huge waves, which tumhles int,
l. foam and are succeeded by others
VI Upon the WHOLE think this scene
5 inciu'Iing the immense piles Of rock
l. which bound it Oh every side, mas
t. be one Of the most sublime that ma
j. tnre affords, tie Falls only excepte,
'eI Large casks OF ice are found anon
lel the recks along the rivules that run
through,the Devils Hole, at all time
o. Of The year. The banks Of this rive
le for the extent OF AZ miles are on
s. continuation Of natural wonders, ,
49, which the falls and the Devils Hol
Stare tleprincipal." :.
q. A Gormandizer.
e On Saturday man, long distir