The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-10-12

Did any Of our readers ever hear Of the
GaiTtOppa Falls, near HOnoreI II not,
they will probably read with some pleas
ure description which has just appeared
IN the Calcutta papers. II is strange thu
iall six times the depth Of Niagara
should remain almost unknown. From
the village Of Gairtoppa, reached by q
river Of the same name, the writer was
carried for twelve miles up the MaIimuneh
Pass, and reached the Falls Bungal6w
about three hours and Q half after leaving
the top Of the pass. An ampitheatFe Of
weeds, and Q river about Eve hundred
yards wide, rushing and boiling to . GER
taia point where II IL lost in perpetual
mist, and an uneeasing deafening roar,
must first be imagined. Leaving the
Bungalow on the Madras side Of the river,
and descending to position below the
river level, you work your way up care
fully and tediously over slippery rocks
until you reach . point where . rock
about twice the size Of . mans body iuts
out over . precipice. Resting Hat upon
the rock, and looking over It, you see d.
Tecty before yOu twO Of the four princi-
pal falls; these two arc called the "Great
Fall" and 1.-THE Rocket" The one con-
tains large body Of water, the main part
Of the river. perhaps fllty yards across.
which falls massively andapparentIy slug
gishly into the chasm below. The other
contains Q smaller body Of water, which
shoots out on successive points Of rocks,
till it falls into the same chasm.
This chasm is at least nine hundred feet
in depth-six times the depth Of Niagara
Falls, which are about one hundred and
6fty teet, and near a-half-mile in width.
These are the first two falls to be visited.
Then move little below your first posi-
ton. and you will observe FIRST 4 turbid,
boiling body Of water, Of greater volume
than the Rocket Fall, rushing and steam
ing down In the same chasm this is the
third fall, The R0arer." Then, casting
your eye little further down, you will
observe another fall, the IOveliest, softest,
most graceful Of all--being broad ex-
panse Of shallow water falling like trans
parent silver lace over smooth surface Of
polished rock into the same chasm this
is " La Dame Blanche" and the "White
Lady Of Avenel" could not have been
more graceful and ethereal. But do not
contine yourself to any one place in order
to view these falls; scramble everywhere
you can, and get as many views aseyOu
can Of them, and you will be unable to
decide which Is the most beautiful.
And do ~ want to have . faint ide&'
Of the depth 81 the chasm into which
these glorious waters fallf Take your
watch and drop as large q piece Of rock
rs you can hold. from your viewing place;
il will be several seconds before you even
lose sight Of the piece Of rock, and then
even Il will not have reached the water at
the foot Of the chasm-it will only have
been lost 10 human sight; or watch the
blue pigeons. wheeling and circling In and
out Of the great Eall within the chasm, and
looking like sparrows in size in the depths
beneath you. But you have yet only
seen one, and that not perhaps the love-
liest, and at least not the most compre-
henaive, view Of the falls. You must pro-
coed two miles up the river above the
iallA and cross over ct . ferry, where the
waters are still and smooth a. glass and
sluggish as Q HollandeF, and proceed to
the wysore side Of the falls, walking 6rst
to j. point where you win see them ct .
glance, and then descend as near as you
can 70 the foot Of these, to be drenched
BY the spray, deAiened by the noise, and
awe-struck BY the grandeur Of the scene,
and BY the presence Of the Creator Of it,
in the perpetual rainbow Of many and
brilliant hUes which spans the foot Of the
chasm.