The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-02-17

though considerably disturbed in mind by the
| formidable presence Reaching the middle OF
| the bridge we began to and appreciate that
for which our trip had been undertaken, viz,
| Niagara in its glorious winter garb Now, il
| one goes TO Niagara in the winter to see falls,
he will probably meet with disappointment,
| unless he sees them when occupying exceeding
ly undignided and ungraceful positions and
| even then the conjunction of stars is apt to
| obscure the vision, but il he goes to see ice, he
| will be satisfied, aye, more than satisfied, for
ice is the one feature of the landscape. As we
| stood on the bridge, the river between US and
| the fails was one solid bed of ice, ice fiat, ice
| angular ice rampant, ice in fact of every shape
| and occupying every position known to ice.
| This is the famous ice bridge on which wagons
| loaded with tons might cross in safety could
| they surmount the obstacles presented by the
| precipitous banks. From the foot OF the falls
| nearly to their summit rise huge hills and noun
| tains of ice caused by the never-faing, always
| freezing clouds OF spray which IL building these
| huge mounds so fast. that should the extreme
| cold weather hold fer a fortnight longer, the
| American falls will be entirely hidden or
| forced, as they were in one memorable winter,
| to pour their entire volume over the Horse
| SHOE Equal as a wonder and far more beauti-
| full than the ice-mountains rising from the base
of the falls, are the gigantic stalactites GciceS
| sounds smalD which hang like immense hoary
boards from every rock or projection in the vi
cinty of the falls, in some instances even SEEM
| ing to hang from the falls themselves, and to
| partially conceal them. The rays of the noon
| day sun reflected from these masses OF gllsten.
| ing white, were dazzling beyond comparison.
The best view in winter, as in summer, is to
be obtained from the Canadian side. in the vi
cinity of Table Rock from whence one takes
in at one sweep the great volume of the Horse
shoe fall pluDgiDg into lis reverberating, icy
cavern, the smaller volume of the American
which is however much more prolific in daz-
Zling ice scenery, the river below with Its
weaving of massive, distorted ice blocks, the
| precipitous banks of everlasting rock, fringed
| with scrswny evergreeas and yeied with their
| numerous tiny waterfalls held in state of pet
rifaction by tue chilling breath of q degrees be-
low zero, way below the spider.like bridge,
uniting America ard Canada in its embrace,
looking so light and fragile from the distance,
that at times, when partially obscured by the
clouds of spray, you are wiling to believe that
it is but fleeing fancy coDjured from out the
mist More beautiful than all however, IS the
foliage of Goat island and Prospect Park,
which, constantly bathed in the ever-ascending
spray has changed from the ordinary dull
brown or dark green, to a uniform white OF such
surprising beauty as fairly to beggar the de-
scription of, at any rate, so impotent pen as
mine. But as said before, ii one goes to Nj
agara this winter to see the falls, be will be
grievousy disappoi uted for the water in The
river is lower now than it has been for the last
fifty years, consequently the volume OF water
passing over the falls is diminished to near
ly one-half of what it sometimes is. This
being further belittled BY the vast accumu-
ations of ice, the impression conveyed is nei-
ther one of awe nor surprise, but rather OF de-
light at the surprising beauty OF ice under
favorable circumstances. While we were con-
tempating this fascinating scene on which
even the phlegmatic captain bestowed few
commendatory epithets hand was suddenly
laid upon his shoulder and an insinuatiDg
voice said, F'Gentlemen l have very choice
collection of rare sea-shells stuffed 81 axes, lv-
ing bison buffalo just from their native
paus all of which. as times is hard, VIII ex-
hibit to you gents for quarter a piece. L can
also offer you refreshments in the shape OF
oys--" Here the captain broke ir, Look
here you Internal son of Canuck do you sup
pose we came here to see stuffed snakes, or TO
stuff oysters. No sir. and if you don't light out
of this here the captain raised his ponder
ous fist and without waiting for further con-
versation, the Canuck lit with few muttered
words of parting which we did rot caich as he
was in hurry. We also decided that, the
spell having been broken, the dag being on the
wane and the cold increasing We bad done
Niagara sufficiently for that time, and so re-
turned TO the hotel where our lives having been
made burden to us by the persistent atten-
tions of picture dealers, curiosity venders, ETC.,
we obtained first rate supper, seasoned with
an appetite which, stimulated by our long
tramp through the keen frosty air was some-
thing tremendous. Shortly after we look the
train for Buffalo where / bid my genial and
ong-suffering friend, the captain, good-bye,and
In few minutes found sweet repose in the
comfortable berth of Lake Shore Sleeper
shouting "CLEvELAND, CleUeland,' and was
ruthlessly tnrnel over to the drowsy stupidity
of a half awakened hotel, which stupidity
have succeeded in dissipating by means OF this
epistle which whether 1T be published or not,
has accomplished its purpose, for there sounds
the breakfast gong. So bidding you a nnai
adieu, hasten to obey its camorous CALL