The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1861-04-05
The Fall of Table Rock.
BY THE LAST MAN THAT STOOD on 1T.

George Wilkes writes 4 said hat
something to do with the falling of Table
Rock, that broad shell on the Canada side
which in 1850 looked over the very cauldror
Of the seething waters, but which tumblee
into it on a certain day in the month of Jun,
of that, by me, well remembered year. Abou
noon on that day accompanied young la
DIV from the Clifton House to the Falls Ar
irving at Table Rock, we left the carriage
and as we approached the projecting plat
form, pointed out to my companion a vas
J crack or fissure which traversed the entire
base of the rock, remarking that it had new
er appeared to me before. The lady almos,
shuddered as she looked at it, and shrinking
back, declared that she did not care about 90
ing to the edge 'Ah,' said |, taking he,
hand, you may as we'll come on, now tina,
YOU are here. hardly think the rock will
take notion to fall merely because We are
on it,
The platform jutteG from the mainland
some sixty feet, but, to give The visitor sill
more fearful projection over the raging wa
tiers, wooden bridge, or staging, had been
thrust beyond the extreme ed &c for some ten
feet. This terminated in a small box for Wis
itors to stand in, and was kept in its position
and enabled to bear its weight by a ponder
ols load of stones heaped upon its inner
ends. The day was very bright and hot, and
it being almost lunch time at the hotels, bu,
few visitors were out, SO We occupied the dlz
zy perch alone We gazed fearfully out up
on the awful waters, We stretched our head,
timidly over the frightful depths below, and
We felt our natures quail in every fibre by
the deafening roar that seemed to saturate
US, as it were, with indetinable dread.
This is terrible place, said |. Look un
stan !. For years and years the teeth Of the
torrent, in that jetting, angry stream, hav,
been gnawing at that hollow, and some day
this plane mu t fall.
My companion sh ,ddered, and drew her
self together in alarm. Our eyes swept the
roaring circle of the waters once again. We
gazed about in fearful fascination, when sud
denly turning our looks upon each other
each recognized corresponding fear Il dc
not like this place, exclaimed |, quickly
The whole base of this rock is probably dis
ntergra,ed, and perhaps sits poised in sue
Cession of steps or notches, ready to fall ou
and topple down at any unusual perturbation
That tissure there seems to me unusual,
wide to-day. | think We had better leave, 70
| DO not fancy such fnish and, besides, m,
paper must be published next week
With these very wordS-the latter uttere,
half joco>ely, though not without alarm
l,,,l u, l,,.
panic, We fled, as fast as our feet could carr
us, towards what might be called the Shore
We first burst into L laugh when We game
the land. and jumping into our carriage, fel
actually as If we had made fortunate es
cape. We rolled back toward the Clifton
but before We had proceeded two minutes o.
our way, laundering report, like the exDlc
sion of an earthquake, burst upon Us. an
with loud roar the ground trembled b,
neatl our wheels We turned 10 find ,ha
Table Rock had fallen. We ~e,- ,iIe Ia,
upon il, and it was doubtless the unusu;
perturbation caused by our flying footster
that disturbed the exactitude of equilibrium
and threw II from its final poise. In a mil
ute more the road was filled with hurryin
people, and during the following half hou
! We were told hundred tiL.es, in advance
the next morning journals, that a lady an
gentleman VINO were on the Table Rock ha
gone down the falls. We are told that III
trot of dog would shake old London bridg
, from end to end. when it would not be di
A turbed by the rolling wheels of heavily loa'
; c,l trains. Table Rock had not been run VI
on in the way have described for year
perhaps never, and therefore. whenever
5 hear it spoken of, always shudder and fe
, as if had something to do with its fall