Nashville daily patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1855-1857, 1856-12-12

DANIEL wEBsrEE 10 MRS eEoReE BLAKE.

were not with Us, to partske and increase our
pleasure. This is the third day of car being
here; the weather has been uniformly fne, aud
we have seen the Falls uuder al advantages.
You have of course read many accounts of
this Fall. to which no account can do justice;
and although ] am disposed 20 say something
on the subject, expect ne better success than
Others who have undertaken the description.
The Niagara River, NJ the moment OF leaving
Lake Erie, is one mile 10 width. IL runs near
liz directly north with rapidity of six miles
aud half an hour. We crossed II rom the
east side TO the west, aud at the village OF
Black Rock, two miles and half below tho
end OF the lake. Here its current Is less rap
Ia. running probably about four miles an hour
This river, being fed from such vast reservoirs
above, is subject 10 little variation In the
height of It's waters. Its annual rise does not
exceed a FOOT and 1t may give some idea OF
the immense distance through which lie waters
have flowed, to mention that the spring fresh"
is not felt here till July. II is now Just about
the time OF high water. II is truly noble
river; rapid, but smooth aud classy always
foil, but never overhowing:-
Tho deep, yet clear; tho gen he, yet not da;
Strong, without rage; without o'e, lowing IAN y
We pass down its western shore, along the
bank close to the waters edge, aud over a lew
el road Lake Erie is $50 feet higher than
Lake Ontario; but in descending the river from
Lake Erie, one perceves no very considerable
or great descent, although the current is all
the way rapid, till we get nearly down to the
Falls. A little below the village of Black
Rock perhaps about five miles from Lake Erie,
the river divides into two channels, forming a
large Island 10 the CENTRE called Grand Isle,
about twelve miles long, and in some places
six or seven broad This island terminates,
and the two channels unite again, just st the
head of what are called The Rapids, mile or
a mile aud half above the great Falls. These
Rapids are a succession of cascades, spreading
over the whole river, of different and various
heights and appearances, rendering the whole
breadth of the stream, which is here not less
than two miles, white with foam. They would
+ form fine object, if there were nothing near
which called the attention another way.
Midway of these Rapids is Goat Island, which
divides the river into two unequal parts, about
oue.thrd in breadth being on the Eastern, or
American side, and two-thrds on the Western
! or British This island runs down to the very
brink of the Falls, and the Q terminates in a
perpendicular precipice, or wall OF rock, which
is part of the same great declvity over which
the river pours This island thus divides the
river, so that it falls over the precipice in two
sheets. The length of the Fall on the Ameri-
can side is estimated at $50 yards,-then the
distance across the end of Goat Island, $50
yards-and the length of the Fall on the Brit
sb side, 700 yards. On the east side of Goat
Island, is another small island; | know not its
| name, but it is separated from Goat Island by
twenty or thirty yards of water, which pOurs
over here and makes q beautiful object by it
self, being wholly separate and distinct from
the two great Falls. The Fall is reckoned to
be highest on the American side, being there
165 feet; and on the British side $50. Vastly
! the greatest portion of water, ! should think
three>fOurths or even more, runs over Oh the
British side.
have seen no description which correctly
represents the line of these Falls. l. also shall
fail in attempting to describe it to you; but,
nevertheless, | will make the attempt. But,
in the first place, you must remember that the
land, or country, does not descend, or fall off,
at the Falls From the end of Lake Erie TO
Lewiston, which is seven miles below the
Falls, the surface of the earth is unoommOnly
level; but here, at Lewiston, is great descent,
from the level of Lake Erie to that Of Lake
Ontario. Therefore, rs you come along down
the river from Lake Erie, when you get to the
Falls, the river seems TO fall away from your
feet, and to pitch right down into the earth.
Many miles before you reach the Falls, yon
see the mist or spray rising up like a cloud.
But this does not seem to be rising from the
earth into the air, 50 much as from the centre
of the earth to the surface 1t appears to be
coming ont of the ground. From the bottom
of the Falls to Lewiston, seven miles, the
whole channel of the river is one great trough,
100 or $50 feet deep, with sides of perpendi,
op1ar rnak This has civ m The
| opinion that the Falls were once seven miles
lower down than they now are; and that the
Z force of the water, in time has worn away the
rocks and forced the Falls back to their pres
ent position.
Now, as to the line of the Falls, as it appears
to me, at the moment of writing this, from
the upper rooms in FOrsyths Hotel The
American fall may be said to be straight
There are some little inequalities in the line
bat on the whole it is very regular; next comes
the little island, near Goat Island a little ad
vanced beyond the great American Fall; then
the little separate Cascade, little more ad
vanced; then the end of Goat Island, about on
line with the little Cascade; and then the
great British Fall. The line Of this Fall, lea
wing the point of Goat Island, advances, makes
a bend forward, o sort Of gentle sweep OF
graceful arch, perhaps two hundred yards in
length, then retreats again till it gets little
farther back than the point of the island
where it set out, and making now an angle OF
rather q curve, it goes downward, and across
the river, and joins the western bank at Tabl,
Rock, which is good deal below the end o
Goat Island. This aforementioned bend OF
curve in the line of the Falls, is commonl,
called the Horseshoe; for no reason, that
know of, except that horseshoe is q ready
figure TO express any cursing line. On The
earth at the bottom Of the Falls, among tht
rocks, | succeeded, with a walking stick sil
feet long, in drawing pretty accurately the linz
of the Falls. | cannot do it on paper. Th,
enclosed is as near as ! can come.
But wish now to state something which
have seen mentioned in DO printed account, bu
which is absolutely essential to any correc
understanding of the subject. At the very foo
of the Falls the whole river turns suddenly t
8 the right; and runs off in that direction. S,
that the water which falls over on the British
side, runs along at the foot of the American
Fall The American Fall faces, exactly anC
! completely, the western bank N the river
As you walk along down from the Tbale Rock
you have the American Fall precisely in front
/ Just at the bottom Of the American Fall i tn,
ferry. We land at the very edge of this Fall
| But, ON the other side, we set out near half
mile below the Table Rock. The whole,
think, may be understood, by bearing in mine
that, at the very Fall, the river makes suddeI
turn to the right, so that all the Fall, out o
the Horseshose, and especially the American
Fall, fronts not down the river, but direct,
across IL.
am afraid, after all, my dear lady, that yor
are little the wiser for this attempt at descrp
tien. | can draw nothing; bat If | find you il
the dark on the subject when | get home,
think, with piece OF shingls and penknife
! may explain my Ideas.
The Falls are seen from many differen
! points, and the views are very various.