New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-08-12
SUMMER NOTES OF A HOWADJI.
Cons.pcnG,nse Il Tho Ne~ YORK Tnbuhs
WvnxPsn.v Auguef q 1851

Ny DEAR EpIToR Niagara IS no less
beautiful than sublime, although ! DO not
remember TO have heard much Of ITS beauty
until tins Summer. Nature seems TO nave
her parlalltes for places as well as persons
and a. she thrones the GOethean or wen
s,erian intellect upon "ihe front Of Jove himself
80 she is quite sure 70 adorn the ieel o. ho'
snowy Alps with the gorgeous green oil 'iheyaf"s'
The stately shades Of chestnuis or with the long,
swelling sweep of lawn-llke pastures and mere
=, NIAGARA she onamels the cliff with most del
nate yerdure, a1d the luminous gloom Of the
wood upon Goat Island invites 10 meditation WIN
cathedral s0iemnity.
No,b,ng sfruck me more than the ease OF ae-
e.ss 10 the very verge Of the Cataract. Upon
a.. ,a,,ov poin, between the large and small
American falls Sou may 81, upon the soft bank
upon tranquil afternoon, dabbllng your feet 10
the swinly-slpplng water reading the mos
dreamy Of rOrnances, and soothed by the huge
roar, quite as if you were the wcegereni OF the
Prophe,, and the flow Of the cool, smooth water
but the constant caressing of troops OF slaves,
and the roar Of the Cataract. but hushed
voices, singing their lord to sleep. But II IN
yonr reading you pause, or If the low nipple OF
talk subsidies, in which your soul was layed, az
your frame in the gurgling freshness OF wood
streams, and your eyes are left charmed upon
the current, or If your dream dis9olvcs and you
behold the water It's own fascination 10 no less
and so calm and happy it seems, so uninpatient OF
that mighty plunge, that 1t wOos and woos You
10 lay your head upon IT'S breast ami slide into
dreamless sleep.
81 have been half IN love with easefui DEATH
sang the poet to the Nightingale that sang 20
him And whoever was really so enamored,
could III resist the seduction of the stream AT the
falls For in its might subsidies all fear. 1t IS a
force so resistess, that II would claim only
slight step, the merest overture Of your will. If
Niagara were in France, | am confident the
Frenchmen would make suicide plc-1ics TO the
Cataract Unhappy lovers would take express
trans, and their "quietus make where Their
drge would be endless. The French, Of course,
would add the meodramatlc character OF such
an ending to It's intrinsic charms, and even John
Bull might forego the satisfaction Of leap from
the Duke OF Yorks column for Niaganan an
initiation
little bench at tins point, you are sure to hear
the sad romance of two years since. young
man caught up a child and swang 1t TO and fro
over the water only few feet from the preclplce,
laughing gayly and ielgnlng fright when sudden
" the child sprang from his arms INTO the rapid
He stepped IN instantly, for the water near the
shore is not more thantwo feet deep, and caught
her again IN his arms But the treacherous
stones at the bottom were slippery with the
constant action Of the water, that, although he
could ress, the force Of the stream he couldno'
MAINTAIN his foothold. and was swept with the
child IN his arms. and his betrothed mistress
watching him from the bank, directly over the
tall The man who told me the story had still
low tone of horror IN hrs voice, for he SAID that
as the young man came 70 the Point he had told
him that there was to be q dance that evening,
and that he mus, have his music ready, and they
had scarcely parted, his words Wee yet ringing
m his ear, when he heard curdlng shrek OF
terror and knew that somebody had gone over
the falls
Iife at Niagara Is less monotou0uS than at
moot Summer resorts. There IS but one inter
est. and that absorbs all attention The country
around Is entirely level, and covered with woods
and gram fields 1t is very thinly populated,
and. IN fact, civilization seems 20 have made
small nroad upon the prweNal GRANDEUR OF the
spot Standing upon the western end o, Goat
island and looking up the stream, the wooded
shores stare stcrnly back upon YOU, as IN say
age silence of folded arms and scorsiul eyes.
They are not far woods, bui frownng ioresls.
They smile YOU only with senSe OF magnificent
space, as | fancy the impression oil Western
scenery, but which s akin to that OF chaos.
From the spot where stood the Young English
hermlts cottage upon Goat leland. YOU front the
Canada shore But the name dies along your
mind almos, without echo-even IS your voice
might call into those dark forests, but melt nom
them no human response. Canada The name
Is mist IN the mind SLOWLY and very vaguely
the forms of a few remembrances shape them
selves Shadowy and terrible traditions Of hone
less and hear,less Indian wars, which tapped the
choicest VEINS OF French and English blood, but
gave no glory IN return, half tell themselves IN
the mind, like the crossing OF = heldamc IN the
chimney corner And slowly from the red mist
al that vague remembrance rIs- the names OF
Wolfe, and Montgomery. and Montcalm, heroes
where herolSm little ayalcd, Tor the Indian e.e-
men, tineed the whole tale, aud where the In
dian is, there MOBILITY and chl,alry are not. You
look across the rapids upon = country that has
made no mark IN history where few men love 20
live, except those who have little choice; WHERE
the towns are stagnant and few. upon country
whose son no man Is proud to be, and the bar
renness OF the impression somewhat colors your
feelings OF Niagara. tor the American shore Is
wild too, although the jealous activity Of the lit
tie village at the falls and the White nealness N
Iewis,own. below. relieve the sense OF desola.
lion upon the distant shereS
The heantV nj \,aeara l. a. IL imme1l,f.