New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-09
SUMNER NOTES OF A HOWADJI.
Niagara.
Niagara.
Correspondence Of The New-YorA Tribune.

The Rapids before Niagara are not
of a vortex of travel, Malstrom which you
scarcely suspect until you are swimming round
In It's intense swlftness and feel that YOU are
drawn nearer and closer. every moment, to
an awful and unimaglned Presence. The
summer-bird OF traveller who skins up the
Hudson dlPplngly, vending Nlagara-ward, If he
has never seen the Falls, and has heard of them
all his life, (my case loiers along his way, quite
unmpressed by the anticipation of his bourne,
the grandeur of whose image IN his mind the
household familiarity of the name has quite de-
stroyed Itlis somewhat with Switzerland
after a residence in Europe. You approach half
languidy, more than half-SusplclouS that the
fixed stare of the'world has melted the glaciers,
and the snow siited along inaccessible. rocky
crevices or at least sadly stained them, and that
even the Alps have been lionized into littleness.
But some choice evening, as if the earth had sud
denly barred her bosom TO the glowing kiss of the
diving day, YOU behold the austere purity OF the
snow Alps, incredibly lofty, majestic and awful,
and the worship of remembrance is forever liv-
ing and profound.
Sol came sauntorng along through Western
New-York, (sauntering by steam and yet the
mind may loiter, may remain fast and firm he
hind, although the body flies,) and turned aside
with nv Presidential Antinous at Trenton, nor
once paused to listen through IT'S graceful whisper
for the regal voice beyond. In the ravne at lren-
ton You meet some chance friend returning from
the Cataract and you sit down upon the SoiteSt
rock. where Won can well watch the beautiful
Amber-iall the while, and curlouSly compare at
this last moment, your own fancles with the
Daguerrean eXactneSS of his fresh impression
But after all, IT is only cunously You dream ana
wonder vaguely, and comparisons are constantly
batled by the syren.Slngng OF the falling water
that will have no divided love, and. Softened by
the exquisite loneliness of the scene, your COM
panon'> present praises are much slnceFer ana
more ineligible 10 you than ms remembered
raptures Such friend met, and We discussed
Niagara But a. he told his story was placing
his stairs here and towers there about the rock
and the great sheet and the little sheet were be-
fore us and Goat island smiled greenly IN the
bold. beautiful bank that, hike vepiured terrace,
hung toward the stream from an enchanted pa
lace IN the Pine. and when the tale was told,
had very pleasant, II somewhat mcongruouS
fancy Of Nasara, az Kind oil Suoliined ana
ftted.up -for-vlsltors Trenton
And still. with memory clinglng to the amber
skirts of Trenton. rushed along, on a day that
yeiled the outline of the landscape with scudd-
Ing gusts OF mist, through the most classical
of all American regions through Rome and
Manlms. and Syracuse, and CamllluS, and Mar
cellus ruthleSsly on, through Waterloo, TIE
neya, East-yienna Rochester, Cold alter,
Chill. natural neighbors y Byron, Atilca and
Darlen: then drew breath enough 10 wondre
that. with such wealth of resonant novelty OF
name inherited from the Indians, We so tena-
ciousv cling to the gone gloreS OF old lanes
10 cover the nakednes> OF our newneSs ana saw,
At the same moment, that we had LEFT classical
NV. that we had name peculiar 10 our continent,
and had arrived al BEf alo Why not Bison
OK or Wild-horse And this, too with the
waves audibly breaking along the shore ci Lake
Ontario, one OF the most majestic and meloalous
| of the Indian names and hitherto inappropriate.
| No wonder that the Buffalo SKY thundered and
| hch,ened all night, from sheer vexauon al It's
| loss | awoke al midnight 10 the music OF a
serenade that was vainly striving 10 >oothe the
tempest. and later, the angry clash of the tire-
bells siormed against the storm. Bur II was not
comtorted OF subdued. and STILL IN the lu!l OF the
music and the pauses OF the bells, heard II NUT
,ering and moaning Il glared-" |, that am
Buffalo. NIGH, have been Ontario"
But the storm wept itself away, and awoke
al morning 10 find myself upon the verge ct the
vortex N interest and excitement All The pre-
vlOuS day had smiled rather lofily at the idea
Of excitement m approaching Niagara. hut when
nv luggage was checked and bought ticket
for " Niagara Falls" and stepping into the cars.
knew that | should not alghi until heard the
roar and saw the spray OF the cataract, then the
sense of IL grandeur OF It> unique subhmlly
which perfectly knew though had never seen
came down upon ne and smo,e me suddenly
with awe. as when a man VINO has loliered ldl,
to s. Peters, graspS the leathern curtain 10 push
:, ASIDE. that he may behold the magnlhcencs
whose remembered lusier shall illuminate even
year Of his llis
Itis remarkable that the antl-romance OF d
railroad IS A mere sentiment The straight
lines piercing the rounding landscape are essen
nalh poetic. and the iervid desire OF sight an
ross. ssion which fires the mind upon approach