The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1879-09-25
THE CANYON OF NIAGARA.
More Mysterious than the Falls Them.
selves--Tho Depth OF the Water--EK-
citing Explorations.

| selves--The Depth OF the Vater--E1-
citing Explorations.
The canyon of Niagara, says CORE,
spondent Of the Syracuse Standard is FIJI
more mysterious than the falls them
selves. Within the era of civilization
in America no one was able to success
fully pierce through the fierce and terri
BILE undercurrent to the bottom, until re-
Gently the government itself thought it
necessary, in behalf of science, to under
take the task. All the great schemes
imagined to be strictly scientific were
put in operation by bunglers to obtain
the depth of water beneath the falls.
Bars OF railroad iron, pals of stones,
and all unreasonable, bulky and awk-
ward instruments were attached to long
lines and cast off from the railway bridge
and elsewhere, but positively refused to
sink. The very bulk of the instrument
was sufficient, no matter what their
weight, to give the powerful undercur-
rent way to buoy them upon the sur
face, or near it. The United States
Corps of Engineers, however, with a
small lead of only twelve pounds
weight attached to slender rope, or
sounding-cord easily obtained the depths
from the falls to the lower bridge. As
your correspondent assisted in the hy-
biographical operations, the facts may be
given us they presented themselves.
One day he launched in a small boat
not far below the falls and entered on q
most exciting and perilous exploration
of the canyon. The old guide, long in
| charge of the miniature ferry situated
here. accompanied. the party. With
great difficulty we approached within Il
short distance Of the American falls
which darted great jets of water on us
and far out into the stream. The roar
was so terrible that no voice or human
sound. however near we were to one an
other. could be heard. The leadsmau
cast the line, which passed rapidly down
and tod of eighty three feet. This was
quite near the shore. Passing out of the
friendly eddy which had assisted US up
so near the falls, we shot rapidly down
stream. The next cast of the lead told
of 100 feet, deepening to 1872 feet at the
inclined railway. The average depth to
the Swift Drift, where the river suddenly
becomes narrow, with a velocity too
great to be measured, was l53 feet. Just
under the lower bridge the whirlpool
rapids set in, and so violently are the
waters moved that they rise like ocean
waves to the height of twenty feet. At
this point our correspondent, at the
time of the survey, computed the depth
at 2lO feet, which is accepted as approx
mately correct.
The terrors of the gorge below this
point are known to but few. Indeed
the foot of man scarcely ever treads this
Internal region, where almost perpen-
dicular walls rise on each side of the
verge of the river from 27O to 800 feet in
height. Here the continually crumbling
of the rocks has formed a precipitous
pathway in places on the rivers edge;
elsewhere one must cling 10 the crevices
in the rock. TO iutting crags, or other
wise to get along. A party Of four of us
made a survey ofthe interior of this can-
yon from Lewiston to Suspension Bridge.
With great difficulty we clambcred
along. 1t was a fearful yet exciting eX-
ploration. At times the river would
rise suddenly some ten and even fifteen
feet as if a great dam above had broken,
causing a hasty retreat of the parties
up the side of the canyon. From points
above, rocks and stones frequently fell.
causing lively apprehension, and, to add
occasionaI cC lTsps aspfr Of embarrassments, an
tard our progress, and one u 1S1@ TT-N.ss ~ .a
killed and his rattles preserved in COM
memoration of the evert. Getting into
| the canyon at Lewiston was compare
lively easy. but making ones way out
was another thing. Nearly mile be-
low Deveaux College. which is situated
| half mile north of Suspension Bridge,
| Il, 1,-,l>,l,tx, &C, L., ol
the rivers edge ceased. Night was just
approaching, and it was days hard
work, nearly, to make Lewiston. Above,
the rock lowered nearly 300 feet. We
had the alternative of remaining in this
abode of terrors over night and return
ing to Lewiston the following day, or Of
fighting an almost impossible passage
to the steps leading down from the col
lege. We determined to accept the
| latter.
After an hours climb we made our
way to within 100 feet of the top. where
just narrow ridge formed by the
crumbled debris seemed to extend. We
followed this perhaps half a rod, wien
it came TO an abrupt termination. Sew
eral rods beyond was broad pathway
leading up to the rocks. but in the interim
| only the bare walls of rock, almost per-
pendicular from the top to the rushing
water, 270 feet below, met the despair
ing gaze of our party. Just above our
heads was crevice in the rocks which
seemed to cross the intervening space.
With almost certain doom staring US
| directly in the face, we determined to
try to cross by standing tiptoe in tho
crevice and cling to the jurtings Of the
rocks. The various implements of the
party were divided up, a heavy throdo-
lite falling to your correspon dent, which
was strapped on his back. The tallest
clambered up 10 the crevice first, the
Others assisting and following, and the
writer getting up last. Then began o
perilous struggle to reach the pathway
beyond. All arrived there safely, when
your correspondent, with the heavy
burden on his back, was but midway
of the breast riHr.I iT .IIf the uSc Wav VIZ In at.
tempting to get around rmstAA- hoo.
failed to find resting place. The heavy
instrument was pulling me off my bal
ance. The fingers were loosening their
slender hold; 100 feet above was the
calm, safe world, l07 below the roaring
of the waters. One foot slipped off and
was going downtown; a mist came
over the eyes when my foot ctught on
slender gooseberry-b AMI hand
suddenly grasped back and drew me
around to safe standing place. In Il
moment more the pathway was reached
and the safely of all assured, but never
will the frightful scene leave the senses.
One of the party saw the danger and
rescued the participant, or else the
gooseberry-bush was the saving means
we have never quite understood which.