The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1824-06-29
NIAGAn

i der the inlls we must walk upon the. H., al
where they spread their fury, aud within
arms length of the torrent; but IL il mol ~
our path lrs upon thu top of bank NJ least
| thirty feet above the bottom of the abyss,
and rs Far in horizontal line from the
course oi the ialls, and elnsr under the i'm
mcnse rock which supports them. This
bank overhangs ~, rs Que side Of m ire
gulNr arch, Of which ihe corresponding sid,
Is formed by the sheet If water, and thns,
instead of cropping our way AT The foot of u
narrow passage, WE stand mounted IN a stu
pendons cavern.
Dn fine morniug in August last, soon
after SUM isr, set ont wld, friend and
guide 10 visit TIM sublime scene. The first
thing ~ bc done, after descending the tow
er "i steps, Is III strip oursrlv.s of all clo-
thing except "A slngle covering Of hn.n and
silk handkerchief tied tight over III. ezra.
This costume, with the addition of u pair
of pumps, Is the tuurt dress of the palace
of Niagara.
We passed about fifty rods under the
Table rork, beneath Whose brow and crum-
bling sides we could mt stop In sl,udder,
ouI minds were nj onre 81 excited aud OPP
pressed, rs we appromhpdthr eternal gate
way, which Nature has built Of the mo.
tioniess lork and the gushing torrent, ~
fitting enirane. ~ her most awful magn-
hccnee. We ,nrncd II in,Ung corher of the
iDck, and the chasm yawuea npnn sm.--A
The noise of the cataract was most deaf
ming its hradlong grandeur rolled ffnm
The very skies we were drenchcd by the
ovcrfowlngs Of the stream ;unr breath was
checked by the violence oftie wind, which
for moment scattered away the clouds
Uf spray, when full view ri the torrent
raining down its diamonds In infinite pro
fusion opened upon us. Nothing could q
quail thu flashing briisney Of the spectacle.
The weight nj the falling waters made the
very rocks beneath us ilemblc, and from
the cavern that received them issued
roar, as If the confined spirits of all who
had ever been drowned joined IN united
scream for help ! Here we stood, in the
very Jaws of Niagara, -=dtalened by nm up
roar, whose tremendous din seemed Ia fall
upon the ear III tangible and ccaselss
strokes, and surrounded by an unlmagi-
nable and oppressive grandeur. My mind
rccoiIcd from the immensely OF III. inm.
hline tide and thought OF Tim. aud OF
eternity. and Eel, that nothing but its own
Immortality could rise against The force Of
such an element.
The guide now rtopped 10 take breath
He told us by hnlouiog in our ears at the
top 0f his voice, " that we must turn our
lit ads away from the spray when IL blew
against us, draw The baud downwards over
the face if we felt giddy, aud not rely too
much on the loose pieces of rock" With
these instructions he began TO conduct us,
one BY one, beneath the sheet few
A. a H,t If tb. ann
longer shonc upon as There was y grave
like twilight which enabled us 10 see our
way, whrn the irregular blasts of wind
drove the water from us hut most Of the
time it was blown upon us from the sheet
with such fury that every drop seemed a
sting, aud IN such quantities that the weight
WAS almost insnppor,able. My situation
was distressing II grew DARKER AZ every
step, and in addition 10 the general trrmOr
with which every thing IN the nrighbor-
hood Of Niagara is shuddcrlng, could feel
the shreds aud splnters Of the rock yield
AZ | seized them for support, and my feet
were continually slipping upon the shiny
stones. WAS obliged more than once 10
have recourse 10 the prescription of the
guide IN cure my giddlnrss, aud though
would have given the world to retrace my
steps | felt myself following his darkened
figure, vanishing before mo, rs the maniac,
faithful TO the phnnlon's 10 his illusion,
pursurs il 90 his doom. All my faculties
of terror seemed strained To th,ir extreme,
aud my mind los, all sensation, except the
sole idea Of an universal, pr0dlgious aud
uubroken motion.
Although the noise exceeded by far the
extrasagauce Of my anticipation, was in
spmc degree prepared for this. expect
ed too, the loss of breath from the com
preston OF the air, though not the sufloca.
ton of the spray but The wind, the sio
hence of the wind exceeding, as | thought,
in swiftncss and power the most dcsointlpg
hurrcane--how came the wind there
There, too, in such violence and variety, As
lift were the cave of Eoius M rebelllon.-
One wouki think that the river above, fear
FIJI Of the precipice Ii which IL WAS rush
ing, IN the folly OF It's desperation had, seiz
ed with giant arms upon the upper air aud
in lis halt way course abandoned IL in ago
ny.
We now came opposite part OF the
sheet which WAS thinner, aud of course
H., liter. The guide stopped, and pointed
upwards | looked-and belIcld the sun,
4" sh0rn of AL his beams" indeed, and 50
uueuched with the muititudin1ns waves,
that hrs faint rays ohed bat pale aud sill.
yer hue upon the dragged aud ever humid
vale Of the cavern,
Nothing can be Hooked nj steadily be-
Meath Niagara. The hand must constantly
guard the eyes against the show which are
forced from the main body vi the fall, and
the head must be constantly ayerted from
n steady posiiion, To escape the sudden
and vehement blasts of wind. CLe Is con
s,antly exposed to the sudden rising of
I'M, spfay, which bursts up like smoke from
furnace, till il fills the whole cavern, ana
then, condensed with the rapidily of
steam, IS precipitated in rain IN addition
10 which, there is no support but lakes oi
-. ......E ,,Iirn an. constantly urnnnIng