Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1875-10-26

4
rational in the midst Of that whirl OF
the eyes and brain.
AT the Canada end of the bridge
there is an elevator in the tower
through the top of which the sup
porting cables run, and you can 60 up
there and get drunk on grandeur for
10 cents. Then the approach to the
Falls is past the whoiesomest little
hotel have found in many day-the
Prospect House, kept by an American
in home like style. A lir;le way
further on is the museum, which we
Stunned. Just outside of it is a
cage with the two finest bears ever
deprived Of their liberty. They are
as much superior in size and strength
and health to the bears at Central
Park and the Philadelphia Zoo" as
panther is to singed cat.
Here is the view of the Horseshoe
Fall, fall of deep waters from the
rim of three parts of a circle, into a
punch>bowl that steams upward to
the skies. The gods themselves might
swoOp down TO drink from its curd>
ling broth, made up of how many
boisterous storms. drenching dews,
miSchievous brooks and hard,drinking
creeks and rivers all the way from
the head Of Lake Superior. Over
this cataract the smiles of Indian and
American maidens that gIassed their.
selves in the upper lakes are shat
tered. The water that felt the limbs
of bathers in the far North; that
washed keels on Lake Erie and Huron
and upheld RATS on Lake Michigan. :.
that felt the signal beams from many
foretop and lighthouse. and purlcd
and flowed past many a sandy or
wooded shore for mont and years
here arrives at last and every instant,
to join III the perpetual leap over this
precipice into this white gulf, thence
to rush on into the rapids and fling
itself into the waltz Of the whirlpool,
Iou may watch the sight for days,
and its suggestiveness increases. |
know of no man, except a duHce and
an astronomer, who pretended to
depreciate it. The observations OF
the Ounce is not worth recording.
The Astronomer, Richard a, Proctor.
having locked long in;o immense
spaces and being used to magnificent
measurements, had received an ex-
notion of the height of the
Falls. lie came and went away,
diaai pointed man.
To get a full impression of the
he ght and majesty of tho Falls yon
must stand at their feet. Away over
/ om the SHIRE where we stood we
could see the entrance to the Cave of
the Winds. We turned b. ok across
the : iGcr's B.idce and up the Amer,
can STORE to the rapids, aud over to
Goat Island, and along the bank to !
the house at The head of the spiral |
staircase which leads down to the |
uproar aud the depths. There warm
red flannelS, o;lSEln outer suits; felt !
SHOES and capoteS awaited us, and a
Iuide likewise clad, Down we went.
Quitting the stairs, we walked along
a slaty pathway towards the Fall.
Perhaps some of those who my do
me the honor to read this letter have
visited the Cave Of the Winds. II so
hey will remember the growing mas
esty of that sight and sound which
We approached. What was before a
ar oft spectacle now became a pre-
sent, awful companion. A mass of
water, from ten to fourteen feet in
thickness aud depth where it poured
over the ledge 200 feet above, fell,
accrated byrocks along the line of its
descent, until 1t struck the gigantic
powders thirty feet below. The
;oncussion produced a noise louder
han all winters tempests, and sent
Up volumes of binding spray.
Behind this sheet of water, from
he blows and dangers of which the
toutest guide is never quite safe
When the wind blows against the fall,
he path leads down artificial steps
md over natural rocks into the Cave
If the Winds. The guide opened
he wooden partition which protects
he approach from fOolhardy stran
,ers, disclosing the drenched and
wful descent, and the silent fellow led
ne down into the terrible din and
len.
You are half deafened. half drown~
d, hurled against the side rocks by
he falling waters. You are blinded,
on feel your breath departing from
GU. \ misstep and you are close on
cath. Its foam laveS your feet. It's
hunders snite and dull your ears
f you are timid you pray. If you
re calm and well assured you ex-
erieuce a sublime sensation, Here
, one Of the places where God seems
0 dave deputed nature to speak to ,
ol with a convincing voice.
At length we stood in the Cave Of
be Winds, lofty cavern under the
Tiff, with descending Niagara for a
urtain, laced with rainbow hues.
Iumford was our guide on this oc- I
aston. He claims to be an older {
uiie even than the famous COnroy,
ith whom | attempted to erter the :
hadow of the Rock, but found that
re rock, instead Of its shadow. had !
Hen across oar pathway to the
ltent of several tons the night be-
re, :
Conroy is great guide, six feet :
N. strong as a lion and brave as /
apoleon at Lodi. lie has rescued !
any a man from impending death.
is last characteristic act of this !
nd was accomplished last summer, s
think. A painter named MacCIi- v
ugh was employed on the new bridge I
aiding over the rapids to Goat Is
nd. missed his footing and tumbled Z
Bruised and tOuzied sometimes 4