Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1856-09-05

whirlpool at much less distance to the
right. The upper or rail track is 25S
feet above the surface of the river (mis-
takenly stated at 200 feet in my last, )and
as the water below is estimated to be over
200 feet deep, the current is SO strong
that a pointed four pound sounding lead,
with long twine attached to it, and
hanging loose so as TO make no obstruc-
ton, when let fail from the top Of the
bridge, would not sink, but after mo-
ments disappearance, was tossed to the
surface, and bobbered on down stream,
sometimes on, sometimes under the sur
face, until brought to its tether. Whether
a train of passenger cars, sent down there
in hurry, would do any better, has not
yet been tried and from the apparent
strength of those enormous cables, ten
inches in diameter, and looking like a
white washed stove pipe, suspect will
not be tried very soon. Nervous people
need have no apprehension while crossing
on what appears, at distance, to be a
mere spiders web.
Changing again 20 another train, we
passed back from the river by a semi-cir-
culur route to the Canadian village of Nj.
agara at its mouth, ten miles from the
! Falls; with Fort George on the British
side, and Fort Niagara-memorabl for
its vigorous defence in the last war, against
superior odds-at the point on the Amer
lean side. On the way, passed back Of
Queenstown Heights half mile, crowned
by monument to Gen. Brock, the Brit
ish Governor and Commander-i in chief, who
fell there in 1872 The monument is a
white column l26 feet high, and its top
500 feet above the level of Niagara river,
which is close at hand and could plain
ly see it, like a needle against the sky
when more than half way across the lake.
1t stands just where the high, rocky
heights of Niagara suddenly terminate,
and leave low alluvial fat from thence
to the lake.
A large party of Norwegian emf grants
had just been landed, bag and baggage, on
the wharf, from Montreal steamer, on
their way to our western territories, in
search of Cheap lands, a free government
and light taxes. They appeared to be Of
the better class of peasantry, comfortable
in their circumstances, with stout, healthy
look, and half English, half German
cast Of countenance. They were quite de-
cent in appearance, yet with free-and-
easy independence in some of their nur-
sery affairs, and other domestic arrange.
ments, that indicated their transatlantic
origin, and excited no little merriment
amongst the spectators. In looking at
this Scandinavian colony, l could not but
think of the wild mountain homes from
which they had expatriated themselves;
abandoning their he arth stones, the scenes
of their childhood, and the graves of their
fathers, to find refuge in our western
wilds, from the civil and religious re-
straints and hurdops IF European desPot-
isms. All. when you attempt to analyze
the prompting motives of such neigh
borhood migration as this, you probe the
very heart strings, and touch some of the
deepest springs of human action.
Our medium sized, ship-shaped steamer
arrived in few minutes, from the little
town opposite, and we were soon under
way The lake was somewhat rough from
the gale of the previous day, but the
waves did not seem large enough to dis
turb anything bigger than sail boat. But
when fairly out from shore, the steamer
began to heave slowly up and down with
their rolling motion, that was quite exhil-
Grating, and occasioned considerable rejoi
cling at this unexpected feature of the ride.
In twenty minutes, however, some Of the
ladies left the stern guards and sough the
cabin sofas, adjoining. Presently, the cabin
maid distributed suspicious number of
wash-bowls at differen: points; and before
| had time to conjecture what it might all
mean, half a dozen of ladies began to
repent of their breakfast with most despe-
rate energy. My wife Joined me, at first,
in the inevitable laughter that followed
this singular state of affairs, but hardly
done so, when she needed helping hand
herself, doing penance as grievously as
any of them 1 bore up, bravely, for some
time against the general panic, and tho't
to vary the exercises by walking about.
But the deck was treacherous, and | sud-
denly got tired; and sitting down with my
elbows on my knees, and hand en- each
side of my head, got into a rery brown
study! But by sitting perfectly still, ,and,
like the owl, keeping up "divel Of
thinkin," it was finally agreed, after long
and uneasy conference, that it was not
worth while for my breakfast and l to
part company. So l ultimately came off |