Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-08-21
No. XIV.

Return TO Niagara-ArriUai Of M. de BOdisco and
iady-Ihe Falls by Moonigh alton
ruth the Spirits of the Cataract TVhat they said
Moonlight raik around Iris Island.
am again within the magic circle Of the cataract.
The voice of Niagara saates mine ear, and lis cool
ing atmosphere fans my cheek. l returned last
evening in the cars from BufiaiO-and, passing the
picturesque ruins.of Rabbi Noah's holy city of re-
fuge took last farewell of its obelisks and tow
ers. On reaching this holy land Of nature, took
up my residence at the Eagle Hotel-fornerly i
stopt at the Cataract House-but thought change
would be agreeable. The Eagle is new house, and
its apartments large and airy-a most important
point in spending a few weeks in the country. Its
tables are good-its accommodate very good, and
there il air and spirit of enterprise about its
proprietor that resembles the u. S. Hotel Sara
toga.
Onour arrival here we found his Excellency M
de Bodisco, the Russian Minister, with his be auti
u lady, besides several other fashonables, all the
way from Saratoga, New York, aud Washington
The weather has now become settled-ths sky
clear, the moon at her full, aud all nature in her
higbest perfection for enjoying the unrivalled
merry ofthis neighborhood. Accordingly, last night,
the company visiting here, all made their appear
ance on Iris Island, at 10 o'clock at night, to look
at the falls and admire the splendid arch or bow
formed by the bright moonlight falling upon the
spray that rises mp from the chasm below. For a
long hour his Excelleacy and his lady stood the
brink of the high cliff that overlsoks the grand
falls and gazed on the radent bow that spanned the
heavens before them. For myself went alone
down the steep bank-across the bridge by the pre-
cipice-moupted the Round Tower in the rapids,
and there stood for half hour amusing myself in
various ways.
On the balcony or cupola of the Tower, you are
elevated above the rapids full thirty feet, aud ac-
csrdngly the falls are beneath and around you,
forming with the rapids species Of panoramic
view, the hign banks being its boundaries. In this
position, one hears and see. to great advantage
The voice Of the mighty cataract rose mp in holsw
sounds of thunder TO heaven, mixed with the rush
ing and rolling of tho rapids The effect produced
on the magination standing in such a position is
remarkable. The wild roaring, deafsning, rushing,
laundering sounds Of the rapids and cataract pro-
duce in one irresistible propensity to whoop and
below like an Indian. could not resist the savage
mpuse-and, accordingly, 1 sent forth as loud an
Indian r-whoop or token, ms my lungs could emit.
NV voice seemed to blend with the thousand voices
Of the cataract-and almost fancied that some un-
earthly being called out 10 me from the mighty gull
below, a" whs the devil are you ~ ] replied in
another whoop, "I am the man what destroys the
morals Of Wall street, by publishing a newspaper
called tho Herald" In reply to this, l imagined l
heard thousand voices coming from the very bot
tom Of the thick, white, silvery cloud, from which
rose the lunar bow-a sort Of an unearthly chorus,
like that Of Der Freischutz, but far louder
Morals Of Wall street, hs ha.ha
Morals Of Wall street! he, he. he.
Morals of Wall street! no! no! no.
mighty, varied, confused voices put forth by the
cataract, are extraordinary and ilimtabls. con-
tinued the conversation for half an hour, the moon
shining with great srlliancy, AID the spray rising
with great brightness. all the time seemed to ask
Of the spirits Of this Vastly deep" to tell nae the
secrets Of the fu,ure-and they did so-thcy talk
when you talk TO them. thought heard some oi
those thousand hoarse voices telling me distinctly
who wa. TO be next president--who next governor
Of New York, and who next collector; but they are
secrets mean to keep as vet to myself At last
fancied heard a whistle beneath the horseshoe
fall put up the two fore fingers of both hands to
my mou,h--doubfed up my tongue, and gave one Of
the shrillest and widest Whistles could give. My
war whoop was not heard the high bank 81 the
cataract for the mighty of the latter drowned
the power; but my whistle, singularly enough rose
above the thunder Of Niagara ITSELF and was heard
distinctly in the pavilion on the island then de
scended the gloomy stair csse--teok parting view
Of the silvery rapids, the shining cloud Of spray
and the splendid lunar bow, and traced my way up
wards On returning through shower Of the hn'
sprav. for the north wind blew u high above thu
cliff, Joined my party on the steep bank, and agar
started on our moonlight excursion round the island
The walk around the upper end Of Iris Island, in
calm brilliant moonlight, is the most delicious have
vet seen or felt The footpath is not densely enve
Hoped in high gloomy trees, IS round the lower end