Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-08-16
letters from the LOcal--Eo. 5.
INTERNATIONAL HOTEL,

There is Vastness, grandeur, and
. sublimiiy here that surpssses all force
of language. No description of it ever
written mo description ever to be
-writsen-wiH approach the reality, ex-
cept in mere outline, and yet no doubt
many perfect descriptions Of its geo.
graphical, geological, typographical, and
hydrostatical characteristics may hare
been and are hereafter to be written;
bat the manifestations of the Divine
omnipotence, ss here manifested, can
only be partially realized BY seeing and
contemplating them, and that not in 8
day or week, but in months and years
The God of Nature has nowhere dis
played his power in q grsnder form.
Mountains may tower into the clouds,
presenting in the various gradations all
the varieties of seasons and climates;
they may beIch forth their molten lava,
bearing destruction aud desolation to
the valleys below; but man manages to
climb their Fock-ribbed sides, to scale
their Hottest peaks, to burrow through
their very centre, or to look With safety
or impunity down into their seething
cauldrons; but Niagara rules supreme
and irresistible. p
No mortal power can change or i'm
pede it. As Byron says of the Ocean,
aMsn marks the earth With ruin;
. His control stops with thy shore
And yet we were disappointed on first
approaching and behOlding this wouder-
full display of the power Of the Al
mighty.
We had read much of their mighty
roar, shat may be heard on still day
to the distance of twenty miles" as an
cient geography has it; and yet we
stood on their very brink, moistened
With the spray, and could hear distinctly
conversation in an ordinary tone all
about Us. And so, too, when We stood
at their base, almost wi hin arms
length of their ceaseless pouring. =
Their vast height can only be real
lied By heightened contemplation and
by comparison. They do not look high
at frst, and it is only after gazing for .
long time that you begin to realize the
vast depths to which this mighty river
pluuges. These were our first impress
sions on beholding the falls. But am
moralising rather than describing.
When we woke up this morning We were
impressed with the idea that tremend-
Gus rain was falling, but realizing where
we were we rose up and upon looking out
of the window we found it was indeed
raining, but very gently. Yet it was
sufficient to deter all but the most
eager, or those who wish only to see
Niagara from soft cushioned and we'll
covered hack, from starting out oG
After breakfast, however, the rain
nearly ceased, and we started forth, I'M
attended, to make the tour of Goat and
Lune Islands, the Terrapin Tower, Cave
of the Winds, &c.
But before crossing the bridge we
visited prospect Point" This is q
projecting point of the American Falls
on the main land, from which we have
a magnificent perspective view Of allthe
Falls, for there are really three separate
and distinct falls--the American, the
Central, and the Horse Shoe or Canadian
Falls. Here we stood and gazed with
unspeakable admiration. l..
These falls are nearly 700 feet wide,
and 100 feet high, and over these Jagged
rocks this mighty river pours, and th g
volume Of water, almost smooth sheet
as it leaps from the rocks, is dashed to
fragments and almost changed to foam
before it reaches the rugged rocks be-
low.
Some times the spray arising from
these falls is very heavy, but generally
to-day it was thin and light. 9
From this point we proceeded up the
shore which rises very gently from the
waters edge TO the firm iron bridge that
stretches from the shore to Bath Island,
aud which Is 800 feet long, composed of
four spans of 80 feet each, resting on
two abntments, and three piers, all built
very solidly. At the end Of the bridge
we found the toll house where We pay
Is cents, and proceed, Notwithstanding
the rich display of Indisn curiosities
within. m hla ga uuea ,9o1
On Bath Island is one of the largest
paper mills in the United States, ovne d
by L. G. Woodruff, of Buffalo From
this island bridge about 100 feet long
stretches to Goat or Iris Island. @
Here We found another shop Of In
dian curiosities, but we pass on, and ia
king the road that leads directly across
the island, We proceed to the farther
side of Goat Island. +s 49,
The whole island isodensely covered
with trees and under brush, with an
abundance of sugar naples among the
former, and arbor vita among the lat
ter. d1 sss.f =f bsaos
Reaching the point of the island We
descend by rathsr steep path to the
bridge leading to Terrapin Tower, Sew.
eral persons are On the observatory, and
we mount its spiral staircase, and pass
out upon the observatory or balcony.
From this the sight is grand and aw-
full Above are the rapids of the main
channel of Niagara river, the waters
dashing madly over the rough rocks,
leaping in wild and broken pillows, cast
ting their spray almost as high as the
tower. In the repids are many falls of