Constantine republican. [volume] (Constantine, Mich.) 1836-1838, 1836-08-31
I,IvrRpooL. July 18th.

VWtcu DuHhS " Wc Au CuWc'-OuT
great country contains much of the wonder
full in natural scenery which has not recei-
we'd merithe attention. Almost every one
has heard the thunders of the Niagara, and
feasted his eyes on the romantic beauties Of
the Hudson; and the praises of these have
been written and sung by all classes Of tour
lists from the literary aristocracy down to the
exquisite and blue stocking.
My object is not so much TO inquire why
those who would fain be admirers of Nature,
crowd year after year, like insects to can
die, to the same great focus of sightseers;
as to point out a neglected but very remar-
kable spot, which | can confidently recon-
mend to the attention Of the tourist.
If my reader has ever sailed through the
length of lake Champlain infeither of the ad-
mirable steamboats, which daily ply between
st. Johns and Whitehall, he cannot fail to
have been delighted with the extraordinary
beauty of each shore; but may very possibly
have failed to learn that he should quit the
steamboat at Port Kent, small village in Els.
sex Co. N. Y. opposite Burlington, for view
which would pay one for a passage across
the Atlantic.
Four miles enthusiastically from Port
Kent is the village of Birmingham, through
which flows the Au Sable river, forming
here most beautiful cascade of 10 feet fall
About half a mile from Birmingham, in the
bosom of deep forest, is the wonder of
which ! have been speaking. 1t consists in
the perpendicular banks of the river which
rise like walls on each side of the stream to
the height Of 200 feet. The river, which
at Birmingham, may be 80 yards across, is
here narrowed to the breadth of 20 feet, and
rushes furiously along at the bottom of this
enormous chasm. To stand on the banks
and listen to the torrent dashing and foam
ing along its narrow way, is terrific-abso.
lutely appalling.-Thcre are several lateral
assures branching from the channel, as deep
as the chasns itself, and SO narrow that YOU
may step across. One of these affords
the only access to the bottom of this pas
sage. You enter at the extremity and pass
down dark narrow way, which admits but
one person at time, until descending part
ly by steps in the rock, and partly by a rude
ladder you reach sort of Table Rock,
nearly on level with the water. Here
you are first sensible of the great depth of
the chasm. You look up with astonish.
ment at the almost endless height of the
walls which enclose you; and you are fill
led with admiration at seeing the regularity
and symmetry which art can never sur.
pass, combined with vastness which it may
not dream of emulating. The walls of this
specimen of Natures Masonry, are as &C.
curately perpendicular as the chisel and
plumb could have made them, and the nu.
merous strata are laid with faultless regu-
larity and exactness. Adjacent to the Ia
BILE Rock of which have spoken, is an an.
gle of wall remarkable for being protected
by round column of mountainous size
and 200 feet high.
Tho whole length of this extraordinary
rock passage is nearly mile. The walls
are highest at the place of descent, but in
no place is their height less than one humid.
red feet, except perhaps at the extremities.
My reader is assured that should he visit
the Wall Banks of the Au Sable, he will
view scene of rare and wonderful inter.
est, scarcely inferior in the opinion of ma.
ny, to Niagara itself--Rochester IntelK.
gencer. 4.