The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-09-24

Win none 10 listen lovingly!
Or who can time the oars 10 rhyme,
When left to row alone to sea?
THE CANYON OF NIAGARA.
Exciting Explorations Of Government
Engineers.
Correspondence of the Syracuse Standard.
The canyon OF Niagara is far more mys-
terious than the falls themselves. With
in the era OF civilization IN \merlca, no
one was able to successfully pierce
through the fierce and terrible under-cur-
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 operation
by bunglers to obtain the depth Of water
beneath the falls. Bars of railroad iron,
pals Of stones, and all unreasonable
bulky and awkward instruments were at
railroad bridge and elsewhere, but posi-
tivly refused to sink. The very bulk
the instrument was sufficient, no matter
what their weight. to give the powerful
undercurrent way to buoy them upon
the surface or near it. The United States
corps of engineers, however, with a small
lead Of only twelve pounds weight attach
ed to small rope, or sounding cord,
easily obtained the depths. from the
falls to the lower bridge. AS
your correspondent assisted in the
photographed operations the facts may
be given as they presented themselves.
One day we launched in a small boat not
far below the falls and entered on most
perilous and exciting exploration of the
canyon. The old guide, long in charge
Of the miniature ferry situated there. &C.
campanied the party. With great diff
Guilty we approached within short dis
lance of the American falls, which darted
the stream. The roar was so terrible that
no voice or human sound, however near,
could be heard. The leadsman
cast the line which told 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 one hundred feet,
deepening to one hundred and ninety two
feet at the inclined railway. The average
depth Of the Swift Drift, where the river
suddenly becomes narrow, with a velocity
too great to be measured, was one hun.
drcd and tifty-three feet. Just under the
low-r 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 oul
correspondent, at the time of the
survey, computed the depth at two hun
dred and ten feet, which is accepted ap
proslmately correct.
THE TERRORs OF THE GORGE
Below this point are known to but few
Indeed the foot OF man scarcely evel
treads this internal region where almost
perpendicular walls rise on each side O1
the verge of the river from go to 800 fee
in height. Here the continual crumblins
Of the rocks have formed precipitou
pathway in places on the river edge; else
where one must cling to crevices in tia
rock, to jutting crags or otherwise to ge
along. A party OF four of US made SUI
vey Of the interior of this canyon from
Lewiston to Suspension bridge. Wit
great difficulty we clambered along. l
was tearfully exciting exploration. A
times the river would rise suddenly sum
ten or fifteen feet, as if a great dam abov
had broken, causing hasty retreat of to
parties up the side Of the canyon. From
points above rocks and stones frequentl
fell, causing Lively apprehensions, AM
to add to the catalogue Of embarrass
ments, an occasional rattlesnake at
tempted to retard our progress, and on
of them was killed and is rattle
preserved in commemoration Of the even
Getting into the canyon at Lewiston wa
comparatively easy, but making one
way out was another thing. Nearly
mile below Deveaux college, which
situated half mile north Of SuspcnsiO
bridge, the possibility of making gu
Way along the rivers edge ceased. Nigl
wAs just approaching, and it was day
Above, the rocks lowered nearly 800 fec
We had the alternative of remaining ]
I: is abode of terrors over night and r.
:rrning to Lewiston the following da,
81 Of fighting an almost impossible pa
sage to the steps leading down from tt
college. We determined to accept tt
latter. After an hours climb we mao
our way to within one hundred feet
the top, where just narrow ridge torme
by the crumbied debris seemed to exten
We followed this perhaps half NIL
when it came to an abrupt terminatlo
Several rods beyond was
A BROAD PATHWAY
Leading up to the rocks, but in the interv
only the bare walls Of rock, almost perpe
dicular from the top Of the rushing waite
two hundred and seventy feet below, m
the dispairing gaze of our party. Ju
above our heads was a crevice IN the rocl
which seemed to cross the intervenir
space. With almost certain doom sta
ing us directly in the face, we determi
ed to try to cross by standing tiptoe
the crevice and clinging to the juttin
of the rocks. The various implemcn
of the party were divedcd up, hea7
theodolite falling to your correspondent
which was strapped on.his back. T.
tallest Hammered up to the crevicc fir