Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-04-04
Letter from Niagara Fails.

HAN- . AZ 10 AN 50
rick's Day in the morning. By one of
those common freaks of railroads nova
days, viz failing to make connections
| am left here a few hours, and have
been improving my time in viewing the
granduer and beauty of nature above,
below and around Niagara Falls. l will
not attempt a description of the magnifi-
cence of this view, or of the impressions
which force themselves upon one while
looking at these wonders from the vari-
GUS stand points offered to the curious.
The best writers of Europe or America
come far short of the reality In their de-.
scrlptlons, and paintings, whether home
or foreign, are but daubs when one can
get the view we have had to day.
The weather is biting cold-the spray
that rises from the d4shing of those mad
dened waters and cakes of ice over the
rocks (down hundreds of feet into the
abyss below, settles back upon the trees
and shrubs surrounding, and gives them
the appearance of spangles of silver or
gold, rather than boughs and twigs COW
cred with ice. One must see these dash
ing waters and hear " Niagara's roar" to
appreciate fully the granduer and beauty
OF a scene that necessarily and almost
imperceptiblY leads us q from Nature up
to Natures God" | wrapped my shawl
about my face and ears to keep from
freezing, and in company with a gentle
man from Boston, crossed the Niagara on
the suspension bridge to the Canada side,
thence up to Horse Shoe Falls, taking a
look as we paased at the remains of Ia
bic Rock. This was simply a projection
of the main rock, perhaps a hundred
feet from the shore and one hundred and
fifty feet above the waters of the Maya
ra, below the Falls.
Thousands of visitors had stood upon
it horses and carriages were daily driv-
en- over a portion of it. On the day of its
fall scores of men and women had been
strolling over it as usual. Dinner called,
and they were supplying the inner man
with the bounties provided. A solitary
lady and gentleman (who perhaps, had
no appetite for dinner, or a stronger one
for something else,) remained upon the
rock in busy chit chat-when, in an in
slant, they involuntarily ran for terra
irma, and had just time, on reaching it,
to see hat mass of rock and earth (mil-
lions of tons) plunged into the river be-
low.
We next visited the place where the
notorious C. L. Vallandigham, from our
State, waited and watched over the Dor
der" / would thank God if he had
either been served as Hannah was, or was
still kept waiting and watching over the
border" instead of shouting praises to
Andy Johnson! How art thou fallen ! O
Andy when such cowardly traitors as
C. L. Vallandigham & Co. sing pens Of
praise to thy principles
W. ,,a-E rro,,I or,y r-ov 70 the uofarJs
edge below the Falls. The ice from Lake
Erie had gorged at this point and fro zen,
so that footmen could cross the river for
the first time in about six years. We
stopped when about half way across so
near the Falls that the spray settled upon
US, freezing as it fell. The American
Falls at our left, Goat Island in front and
the Horse Shoe Falls on our right, with
those frenzIed waters and rocks of ice
| plunging at our feet, from a hundred and
sixty feet above u heads, was a sight
fesrfully grand. Passing to the Ameri.
can side, thence to Bath and Goat
Islands, we were shown where the IN
known man was seen early one morning,
clinging to a log, upon which he had
been carried down from the waters above
in the night, and which caught upon a
projecting rock within a few rods of the
American Fails, in the middle of the riV-
er, with the water roaring and surging
around and over him. The alarm was
instantly given. Men, women and chill
dren sprang from their beds or break
fasts. and assembled by hundreds, expect
ing that the next wave that swept along
would carry him over the Falls. The
roar of the waters prevented his voice
reaching any human ear. How could
they reach him across those terrible wat
ers-no life boat would stand five min
utes amid those rocks and waves. Men
were sent to Buffalo for a strong boat
moments seemed like hours. Some Yam
KEGS finally constructed a raft of logs,
by a strong, cable snd guy ropes let it
drop down beside the who i'm
mediately lashed himself to it. At a Civ
en- signal the men pulled away at the ca
BILE. Shout upon shout wen up from the
crowd as the raft moved towards Bath
Island; although often under water, out
of sight, yet the man was there and near
ing the shore, when, by a sudden lurch,
the raft is among a pile of gaping rocks,
and cannot be eXtricated. The men eX-
haust their strength and ingenuity with
out avail. Gloom is settling upon every
one, when the railroad whistle announces
the arrival of the lighter from Buffalo
1t is at once let down beside the raft.
The man is apparently much exhausted,
but unlashes himself and attempts to get
into the boat. His clothes are heavy
with water, so long without food and in
peril. his strength is nearly gone. Peo-
pie hold their breath, he makes a second
effort to step into the boat, his foot slips,
a wave strikes him, and he has gone over
the Falls.
l will pass incidents connected with
Blondin, Ferrim and Leslie, the rope
walkers the Cave of the Winds the
place from which Sam Patch jumped
land the drowning of a Sam Patch, Jr.,
who tried to initiate him); the Rapids
and Whirlpool below Suspension Bridge ;
the Maid of the Mist, &c.
Tradition says the wild savages at an
early day, who lived in this part of the
country, held these Falls in great vener-
alton, and met Once a year to offer a sac
ri6ce to the Great Spirit and Maker of
these wonders. This sacrifice was no less
than the most beautiful female of their
tribes. She was placed in a paint
ed white, wreathed with white flowers,
and sent over the Falls with a white flag
in her hand, while they chanted a requi-
EN-. Among the last offerings of this
kind. the selection fell upon a beautiful
daughter of a noted chief She was ar
rayed as usual, and at a given signal the
boat with its peace offering was pushed
out into the current when fairly out of
reach, the chief, with but a wave of the
hand, sprang into his own canoe, and rap
idly followed o%Vertaking her, he sprang
into her canoe. and clasping her in his