The Newtown bee., 1878-09-26
Westward to Niagara and Watkins
 Gien.

We left Newtown on the morning of Aug. I9th taking the Housatonic train, which now offers such facilities for tray- elers going westward. About half-past two o'clock we were in Albany. A few minutes ride brought us to the fine old Dutch city of Schenectady, and we soon passed into the exceedingly beautiful Mo- hawk valley. The shore of the river is very picturesque. succession of hills sweep back gracefully, and the rolling ground is well wooded, and dotted here and there with the white farm houses, nestled in among the green foliage For miles il raises with increasing beauty. and forms series Of pictures which once seen IS not soon forgotten. About half past ten 0 clock ill the night we found our selve5 at the International Hotel, at Mag. ara, and for over a week we remained here, visiting the Falls from all points from which view can be obtained.
 Those who have seen this wonderful cataract will agree with Us in saying, it is simply indcseribable. Such an awe steals over ones spirit in gazing upon it that silence seems the greatest compli- ment one can pay it. and sense of the wonderful majesty and grandeur of it in- creased greatly as we watched hour by hour the bright green water with it's bil- lows of foam hurrying on to the edge of the precipice, and making its fearful plunge into the rivers bod below. The wonderful volume of mist and spray, rio- ing sometimes even 10 the clouds, the beautiful Iainbows q hundred feet and more below you, the ever-varying play of color from a deep green to a dazzling white, the rush and roar of the mighty waters, make it one of the grandest scenes in Nature. Probably the finest points of observation are from the Sus- pension Bridge in crossing to Canada,
 and from the ferry boat which crosses
 the river near the foot of the American
 Falls. The one looks down upon the
 Falls, and the other looks up at the im-
 mense body of water which pours down
 Ill width of from one-half to threc-quar- ters of mile at the rate of one hundred
 million tons of water an hour. This
 seems almost improbable until weremem-
 Der that the four great lakes, Superior, Michigan, Erie and Huron pour their waters into Lake Ontario through the
 channel of the Niagara river. It is said
 that the water as it passed over the Horse
 Shoe Fall is at least twenty feet deep. In the year 1929 the ship Detroit, which had
 been condemned, was brought and sent through the rapids over the Fall. In it
 were put several living animals, among
 them bear, buffalo. deer and dog.
 The ship. which drew eighteen feet of
 water, passed over without touching bot tom and was almost knocked to pieces. No animals save the deer and the dog
 survived the fall The deer lived few
 days and the dog several years. From
 time to time accidents occur. and some
 one falling into the apids is forced on-
 ward by the current and makes the plunge
 which no human being has been known to survive.
 We did not wonder that the Indians who centuries ago inhabited that region. a d named the Falls the Thunder of Waters should have imagined that an
 evil spirit dwelt beneath ihem- Every
 year. the old traditions teEI. they gath
 cred to worship the Spirit Of the Falls. and a fair young girl was selected rum ! one of the tribes to l,e efTersl as saeri- | fee All day long the Indian vsrriers ! held their savage festivities. and ss even \ ing when the moon arose and shed her softencd Iisht over forest and riEeT. .