The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1870-09-22
THE RIVAL OF NIAGARA.
The Great Cataract In South Americs-
Nearly Eight Hundred Feet Fall
A Column of Snow White Foam.

Mr.. Richard Brown writes to the London
Times, on the 2Oth ult.:
In the month OF April last, waterfall OF
most unusual height was discovered on the Po-
tora, a tributary OF the Essequebo River, by
Mr. C, s. Brown. OF the Geological survey OF
British Guiana. Being short OF provisions, and
great distance from his boats, Mr. Brown
was Hot able to devote more than couple of
hours 20 the examination. OF the falls, which,
oy yhasty bar0metrical observation, he found to
he nearly nine hundred feet In height, the
breadth of the river at the top OF tne iails
being one hundred yards, and lts deptE NJ
Teen ieet. On his return to Georgetown. IN
consequence Of the strong desire expressed oy
the community that a careful survey should
he made of the falls without delay, Mr.. Brown
was instructed by the Governor TO proceed at
once to the falls for that purpose, accompa-
MED ,by Sir G. Young, Mr.. Charles Mitchell
and Nj, King The resultof their Journey is
embodied In the inclosed article, published In
Demerara paper OF the 50 instant, 1 wnlea
insert in the columns Of your widely y-circulated
journal. i. : -.,l - 80
Sir George, Young gives the following detail
ed description of the cataract to Georgetown
paper: -,
Athhceh am anxious that MI. Brown, as
discover 81 the Great Kaieteur Fan, ana Ine
director to the successful expedition %olSu We
were permitted to accompany, should nave tnG
that Ills friends in GeGrgetowL win be anxious
TO hear At once Of his success: The iall mas a
clear, descent, according TO barometrical OBJ
Eeryations taken simultaneously by MI. brown
at the bottom, and BY my colleague, MI, Mitch
Ell. at the tdb, OF $50 feet. Above, the Potaro
efideFsmoothly in a slight depression OF the Ia
'be 6 eonglomerate sandstone, ana msappeaads
at eighty yards In width. and Of depth uncer-
fam in the centre, but Swallowing rapidly
toward either bank. When Mr.. Brown dis
covered the fall in April, the rocky channel
was completely covered, and the stream mus.
have had a. width OF at least one nunarea %
and, as the Indians assured us, VIII commune
toado SO till October, when only the cenE:t
anif, -daeper norton, about one-third OF the
whole. win remain The best time, therefore,
Tor visit is in spring, at the emo o. %nat ap,
pears TO he the rainy season OF this eievateo
tract. ~; ~,
Is We saw the fall cannot imagine any
thing more beauaful. The central portion,
Winch ia never dry, forms small horseshoe OF
re.enterinc angle, ard the water IN this part
preserves It's consistency for short distance
from the ledge. But everywhere else, ana neIe
also, at few feet from the top, all sem mblance
Of water disappears; it breaks up, or blossoms
intofire foam or spray, which descends in the
well-known rocket-ike forms OF the Stauopica
and similar waterfalls. but multiplied thou
sand times, into small dark pool, over |
semi.circular curtain OF precipice deeply hol-
lowed BY the action Of the spray. The cavern
hhind the fall is the home OF thousands OF
sy,a3o9s, which issue from it IN the morning, |
and may be seen returning in their multltudes
All night. The fall itself is one vast descending
column OF fine dry looking, snow.Wh'te SUD-
stance, bearing resemblacein color aud consls-
tency to the snow Of an avalanche, hut surpaSs-
No all syslanches have see n in size and IN the
beantS:of the forms taken by the material OF
tie fall. Rainbows Of great splendor were oo-
served, one from the front OF the tau IN tne
morning: one rom the summit In the alter.
noon: 6uS this last reverted, forming colored
loop or ring, into which the whole mass seem
ed 10 precipitate itself and disappear, and dart |
out underneath, black and foamIng, at the
gorge and outlet Of the pool.
1pn carefully working cut the mean result OF
five separate observations taken slm9ltane!
ousiy at the top and bottom OF The fa!i, MI:
Brown found that they gave the total helgat OF
thelperpendicul fall snd cataract as STREET. |
The depth OF the cataract was subsequently |
taken at the edge Of the pool oD the western |
side, BY aneroid barometer ut being Impossl.
bic to carry large barometer to the loot OF
.hs fail, J and found to be 81 feet. making the
lsight OF the perpendicular fall 7S6 feet. Inc
width Of the rlver 200 yalcs above the lall was
1874 yards and the greatest depth 10 Ieet
inches, S feet less than at high water.