Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1840-10-01
AN EXTRAORDINARY FEAT.

SNffIfoNItHtG ~ "t nun a. -tHtfFffsF
MONTREAL, Sept 10, lS40.
You have more than once taken notice Of Il- enter
rise of ihe Hon. john Hamilton, the owner Of the
popular steamboat Great Britain, and several other
hpIis on Lake OLiIrIo and the river ST Law renee.
This gentleman IL extensively enVaSed in the fprward
ing business, and Is now the oldest Steamboat proprietor
Ia this county. lie became the ownerof The Froniinac,
the FIRST boat built onthe British side of the 81. Ltwrcncc
| well recuNect making n ir.p IN this boat twenty years
ago, when we were nine days in performing the route
from Kingston 10 Iitl- York. now the city Of Toronto
just the sane number Of days that the Britannia
was running ncr,ss the Atlantic from Halifax To Liv-
"rpool. Mr.. Hamilton hs for some years boon un.
der the impression that 4 steamboat might he consiruc-
led for the nayIg iii"I ofihe ~. Lawrence. up those
tr, IN ,nduus rapids called the Long Salt. Sc. Thoar
beri acquainted with ilis navigation could MT be
brought tn belrve thai the obstacles ahIch presented
themselves could be overcome. However. the enter.
prising gentleman of whom nm speaking determined
10 make the experiment. Lnl large boat Qargcr thar
the BnrlIngton, Captain Shctmin's boat on Lake Cham.
plninl was built under tie immediate iTIspec1nm at
MIR. Hamilton. The boat. and all It's machinery. were
completed at the dock yard At niagara. and when
launched she was named the Ontario. aud is perhaps
as fine n model M can be found. Unfortunately. the
machinery proved To be ton slight. and, when making
her first trip from Toronto DOWN the lake. one of her
paddle wheels dropped or broke oil. and was never
seen. Al the same time one Of her engines val. rem.
dcred entirely useless. She afterwards made two or
three attempts TO overcome the rapids. but u wa,
FUND that the mach merry was too slender To accom-
phsh u. She. however. with one wheel. proved that
her speed was greater than that Of any other boat on
these waters.
IL was finally deie rmincd Ia make an attempt to
transfer her to ihe line running between Montreal and
Quebec. Although Ihi. attempt wa. thought nv SOME
To be about rs feasible ~ sailing down the falls Of the
Niagara, Mr.. Hamilton was willing TO risk hrs splen
dtd vessel. a rev Of bold spirits was selected. the
most experienced pilots procured-French Canadians
for the Long SaHlt. and the other rapids 10 The cas-
cades. md nm Indian, of the CaughnawHga tribe. 10
guide her over the LaehiIe. Previous 20 making tho
attempt, Capt L Hillisrd. tho commander OF the boat
a wel-ined Yankee navigator, who has had much Ell
Perience on TIE 81 Lawrence, went down on several
rats Of iubcr, aud made all the examinations and
preparations which were practicable.
On the morning Of tho 18Th of August the boat left
Prescott. and In less than nine hours she has passed.
over all those Rapids which are 50 appalling 60 the
sight nnd was safely mOored at The wharf in Nioutre,
al-as great an exploit a. was ever performed by a
steamboat Of such q class. In conversation with Cap.
tain HIlliarJ, no stated to me that NJ ono period his
Canadian pilot would gladly have given up The Job,
and gone on shore-but he behaved nohly. Another
individual told inc that after the boat had safely
made the leap of the Lncbine. the Indian who had
guided her through the passage threw up his cap and
made three astonishing leaps along the deck. manifest
ing the greatest triumph nj he success.
inquired OF Captain billiard whether any prspa.
ration had been made for their preservation IN case ri
accident; he SAID thcrc had not. There was no life.
preserysr. nor even an extra plank or slar. as he fear
el that had any thing ofIhe kind been seen by the
c'cw the white feather might have been shown.
But low persons knew lin. IT was intended b. bring
the boat down the Rapids. aud the inhabiiasi- of ihr.
city were asionishcJ when hey learned the G.r whrt,
bad been performed! and had the boat passed down To
Quebec instead oi remaining IN Montreal. many would
not have believed that the voyage had been made.