The American patriot. (Clinton, La.) 1854-1???, 1855-03-21

Fallardeau's Rock.
"REMINISCENCES OF THE OTTAWA
Much has been written and spoken Of the
grandeur and sublimity Of Niagara Falls; and
the beauties Of Montmorenci, Trenton, St. An
thOny, Kauterskills, PassAic and Seneca, have
been extolled in prose and verse; but the inn
posing magnificence Of the Ottawa has not
called forth the admiration Of thotravcler or Of
the poet, with the exception of one whose late
death will be long mourned by all the lovers Of
sweet $ song who On its bosom c0mR0sed-
''Ottawa's tide! the trembling moon
Shall see us float DER thy surgcs soon. ~
Saint Of this green isle, hear our prayers io
0, grant US cool heavens and fivoring Mrs. .o.
Blow, breezes blow; the stream runs fast; N
The rapids are near and the dayllghts pas" VA
The falls of the Chaudiere $50 called by the
first Canadian r0yagcurs, from the circular
form, resembling an immense cauldron) present
those imposing views which awe the mind with
the greatness Of tho Creator. The river, d,yi-
ding a few, miles above, among beautiful
group Of small islands, convergcs here with
fierce impctuosity, crashing and foarning, and
with roar nearly equal to Niagaro's. plunges
in boiling torrents into the Chaudiere. In the
spring Of the year, when the daring and fear
less raftsmcn are bringing down their ribs of
TIMBER they are particularly cautious to hug
the shore as close MS possible, to enable them
to get within the slides on either side Of the
river. To those unacquainted with the difficuls
ty of conveying timber in safety over falls,
will mention that slides are inclined planes,
over which certain number Of logs, tied to-
gether, and called crib, are conveyed through
a dam. Before the construction Of these slides,
IL Al. -
philemon Wright,) timber was allowed to
run over, or was almost destroyed in the falls
Of the Chaudierc. have seen large RATS,
broken loose from their moorings in storm,
drawn within the vortex Of the current, dash
cd amidst the rocks of the falls, and come up
in splinters, like bundle Of lathe under the
pressure Of cart wheel. .-.'---51 rF,a
Ovcrhanging the cauldron is bare rock,
whose foundation. worn out by the rushing
waters, seems as If every moment to give way,
and thereby be plunged into the gulf beneath,
and on the other side is an impossible torrent.
A few rods below the falls swings securely q
beautiful suspension bridge, tho first one, If
mistake not, that ever was built on architec-
tural principles on the continent Of America,
and from its centre can be had perfect view
Of the terrible and sublime scene. tT
was residing in the spring of the year 1S47,
at the village Of Hull, opposite the Chaudiere
Falls practicing law; a poor practice found
in that beautiful but desolatc region Ono
morning was willing away my ennui by look
ing at the majestic spectacle before mo, when
my attention was attracted to two men on a
crib Of timber, working with might and main
at their oars, l at once perceived that they
had got without the channel Of the dam leading
to the slides and were endeavoring to prevent
themselves from being drawn into the current
ofthc falls. But vain were their efforts. Swift
ly and impetuously were they dragged towards
apparently an inevitable doom. l gasped for
breath! my eyes grew dim! ''Safe! safe!'
cried I, as saw ono Of the men making des.
perate leap towards n projecting piece Of land.
But the treachcrous distance Of the waters had
deceived him, and his body, dashed in an in.
stant on the rocks below, had given up its souA
to its creator. looked at the other. With a
GOODNESS and presence Of mind unparalleled he
still grasped his oar, and could see him, with
almost supernatural strength, ondcavoring to
direct the crib towards the rock have men.
toned. Another instant, and with cras, his
frail conveyance struck the rocks A moIncn-
tary swell of the waters carried him away, and
Jeane Baptiste Fallardeau stood still like liv-
ing man, on bare rock. Yet who could ina
gine the feelings, who could fathom tho
thoughts Of this man in his present position.
on the one side was IN abyss, wherein TO
plunSe was CcTCAlu ueutIi, Huu vi Tue OCnCr q
raging impossible torrent of water.
The whole population of Bytown and vicin-
ity had been aroused, men, women and chill
dren, came in crowds to the scene. Various
were the projects proposed to rescue the un-
fortunate man from his perlous position when,
at last, Scotchman present suggested as the
only feasible mode, the construction Of a
Peruvian bridge. To this end of the object
was to have hawser passed over the rock.
To effect this. q gun was loaded with ball, to
which was attached small string, but after
many Intellectual discharges it was found that
the ball, in passing out Of the barrel, cut the
string. The Scotchman, seeing this. took up
with precision within few feet Of Fallardau.
He perceived the object, and, drawing the line,
soon grasped large rope. after which came q
strong hawser In the clehs of the rocks the
broken crib had beep plunged, and some of the