The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1879-09-18
THE DEPTH OF NIAGARA.
Exploration OF the Canon-Trying Expe-
rience Of Engineers-Gratcful to Goose
berry Bush.

Within the era OF civilization IN Amerl-
ca no one was able to successfully pierce
through the fierce and terrible undercur-
rent to the bottom until, recently, the
Government itself thought it necessary
in behalf of science to undertake the
task. All the great schemes imagined
to be strictly scientific were put in oper-
alton by bunglers to obtain the depth of
water beneath the falls. Bars of rail-
road iron, pals of stones, and all unrea-
sonable, bulky and awkward instruments
were attached to long lines and cast off
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 undercurrent way to buoy
them up upon the surface or near it.
The United States Corps of Engineers,
however, with q small lead of only IL
pounds weight, attached to slender rope
or sound 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 as they presented themselves.
One day we launched in q small boat not
far below the falls, and entered on a
most exciting and perilous exploration of
the canon. The old guide, long in
charge of the miniature ferry situated
here, accompanied the party. With
great difficulty we approached within a
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 leadsman
cast the line which passed rapidly down
and told off SO 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 off 100
feet, deepening to 1872 feet at the inclin-
ed railway. The average depth to the
Swift Drift, where the river suddenly be-
comes narrow, with velocity too great to
be measured, was 153 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 20 feet. At this point your
correspondent, at the time of the
survey, computed the depth at 2lO feet,
which is accepted as approximately cor
rect.
The terrors of the gorge below this
point are known to but few. Indeed, the
foot of man scarcely ever treads this in
fernal regior were almost perpendicu-
lar walls rise on each side of the verge
of the river from 270 to 800 feet in
height. Here the continual crumbling
of the rocks have formed precipitous
pathway in places on the rivers edge
elswhere one must cling to crevices in
the rock, to juttiDg crags, or otherwise to
get along. A party of four of us made
survey of the interior of this canon from
Lewiston to Suspension Bridge. With
great difficulty we clambercd along. 1t
was fearful yet exciting exploration.
At times the river would rise suddenly
some ten or even fifteen feet, as if great
dam above had broken, causing hasty
retreat of the parties up the sides of the
canon. From points above, rocks and
stones frequently fell, causing lively ap-
prehensions, and, to add to the catalogue
of embarrassments, an occasional rattle
snake attempted to retard our progress,
and one of them was killed, and his rat
ties preserved in commemoration of the
event. Getting into the canon at Lewis
ton was comparatively easy, but making
ones way out was another thing. Near
ly q mile below Deveaux College, which
is situated half mile north of Suspen-
sion Bridge, the possibility of making
our way along the rivers edge ceased.
Night was just approaching, and it
was days hard work, nearly, to make
Lewiston. Above, the rocks lowered
nearly 300 feet. We had the alternative
of remaining in this abode of terrors over
night, and returning to Lewiston the fol-
lowing day, or of fighting an almost i'm
possible passage to the steps leading
down from the college. 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 crumbling debris seemed
to extend. We followed this perhaps q
half mile, when it came to an abrupt
termination. Several rods beyond was
broad pathway leading up to the college,
but in the interval only the bare walls
of rock, almost perpendicular from the
top to the rushing water, 27O feet below,
met the despairing gaze Of our party.
Just above our heads was a crevice in the
rocks which seemed to cross the inter-
vening space. With almost certain
doom staring us directly i'll the face, we
determined to try to cross by standing
tiptoe in the crevice and climbing to the
iuttings of the rocks. The various i'm
plements of the party were divided up, a
heavy theodolite falling to your cores
pondent, which was strapped on his
back. The tallest clambered up to the
crevice first, the others assisting and fol-
lowing, and the writer getting up last.
Then began a perilous struggle to reach
the pathway beyond. All arrived there
safely when your correspondent, with
the heavy burden on his back, was but
midway across. Here sharp rock just
at the height of the breast impeded the
way. In attempting to get around this
the boot failed to find a resting place.
The heavy instrument was pulling me off
my balance. The fingers were losing
their slender hold; 100 feet above was
the calm, safe world. 10 feet below
the roaring of the water. One foot slip
ped off and was going down, down; a
mist came over the eyes, when my foot
caught on slender gooseberry bush and
a hand suddenly grasped my back and
drew me around to q safe standing place.
In a moment more the pathway was
reached and the safety of all insured,
but never will the frightful scene leave
the senses. One of the party saw the
danger and rescued the participant, or
else the goosberry bush was the saving
means-I have never quite understood
which.
- The liberal philosopher of the
Springfield Mass Republican informs the
world that Liberia seems to have about
oollooooJ Tho panro ropuhlio ic ho nj.