The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1873-06-27
PROF. TYNDALL AT NIAGARA.

From Popular Science AIonthIy.I
On the first evening of my visit, I
met, at the head of Biddle's stair, the
guide to the cave of the Winds. He
was in the prime of manhood, large,
well-built, firm and pleasant in mouth
and eye. My interest in the scene
stirred up his, and made him communi-
cative. Turning to a photograph, he
described, by reference to it, feat
which he had accomplished, some time
previously, and which had brought him
almost under the green water of the
Horseshoe fall " Can you lead me
| there tomorrow" I asked. He eyed
me inquiringly, weighing, perhaps, the
| chances of a man of light build and
with gray in his whiskers in such an
undertaking. . I wish, I added, "to
see as much of the fall as can be seen,
and where you lead I Will endeavor to
follow" His scrutiny relaxed into a
smile, and he said, every we'll; I shall
be ready for you, tomorrow"
On the morrow, accordingly, I came.
In the hut at the head of Biddle's stair
stripped wholly, and redrcssed accord
ing to instructions, drawing on two pairs
of woolen pantaloons, three wooden
jackets, two pairs of socks and a pair of
felt shoes. Even if wet, my guide
urged that the clothes would keep me
from being chilled, and he was right.
A suit and hood of yellow oiI-cloth
covered all. Most laudable precautions
were taken by the youhg assistant of the
guide to keep the water out, but his
devices broke down Immediately when
severely tested.
We descended the stair the handle
of pitchfork doing in my case the duty
of an alpenstock At the bottom, my
guide inquired whether we should go
first to the cave of the Winds, or to the
Horseshoe, remarking that the latter
would try us most. I decided to get
the toughest done first, and he turned
to the left over the stones. They were
sharp and trying. The base of the first
portion of the cataract is covered with
huge powders, obviously the ruins of
the limestone ledge above. The water
does not distribute itself uniformly
among these, but seeks for itself chan
nels through which it pours torrentialIy.
We passed some of these with wette1
feet, but without difficulty. At length
we came to the side of a more formid-
able current. My guide walked along
the edge until he reached its least tur-
bulent portion. Hating, he said, ''This
is our greatest difficulty; if we can
cross here, We shall get far toward the
Horseshoe"
We waded IN. 1t evidently required
all his strength to steady him. The
water rose above his loins, and it foamed
still higher. He had to search for foot
ing amid unseen bouIders, against which
the torrents rose violently. He strug-
gled and swayed, but he struggled sue
cessfully, and finally reached the shall
| lower water at the other side Stretch
| ing out his arm, he said to me, Now,
! come on" 1 looked down the torrent
as it rushed to the river below, which
was seething with the tumult of the
| cataract. De Saussure recommended
the inspection of Alpine dangers with
the view of making them familiar to the
| eye before they are encountered; and it
| is n wholesome custom, in places of
| difficulty, to put the possibility of an
] accident clearly before the mind, and to
| decide beforehand what ought to be
done should the accident occur. Thus
wound up in the present instance, I
! entered the water. Even where it was
not more than Bnee-deep it3 power was
manifest. As it rose around me, I
sought to split the torrent by presenting
a side to it; but the insecurity of the
/ footing enabled it to grasp the loins,
/ twist me fairly round, and bring its i'm
petus to bear upon my back. Farther
struggle was impossible; and feeling
my balance hopelessly gone, I turned,
flung myself toward the bank had Just
/ quilted, and was instantly swept into
shallower water.
] LAAC OAA-CAONAA CON ONGAlLl8 WIS a kIcdb H.
! cumbrance; it had been made for a
much stouter man, and, standing up
right after my submersion, my legs oc-
cupied the centres of two bags of water.
My guide exhorted me to try again.
! Prudence was at my elbow, whispering
discussion; but, taking everything into
account, it appeared more immoral to
retreat than to proceed. Instructed by
the first misadventure, I once more
! entered the stream. Had the alpen-
stock been of iron it might have helped
me but, as it was, the tendency of the
water to sweep it out of my hands
rendered it worse than useless. I, how
ever, clung to it by habit. Again the
torrent rose. and again wavered but,
by keeping the left hip well against it,
I remained upright, and at length
grasped the hand of my leader at the
other side. He laughed pleasantly.