The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-10-02
Niagata's Depths.

Wtnln llle cru OF ClVlllI0tlOn III America
no one was able to successfully pierce
through the fierce and terrible under cur
rent ut Niagara to the bottom until re-
Gently the government itself thought it ne
cessary in behalf of science to undertake the
task. All the great schemes imagined to
be strictly scicn,i ilic were PIT in operation
by bunglcrs to obtain the depth of water
beneath the falls Bars of railroad non,
pals of stones and all unreasonable bulky
and awkward 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 instruments
was sufficient no matter what their weight,
to give the powerful under current Il way
to buoy them up upon the surface or near
it. The United States Corps of Engineers,
however, with 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 photographic
cal operations the facts may be given as
they present themselves. One day we
launched III small boat not far below the
falls and entered on Il most exciting and
pcrlOus exploration of the canon. The old
guide long III charge of the miniature ferry
situated here, accompanied the party. With
great difficulty we approached within a
short distance of the American falls, which
dal ted great jets OF water Oh us and far out
into the stream. The roar was SO terrible
that no voice or human sound, however
near we were to one another could be
heard. The lcadsman cast the line which
passed rapidly down and told us S3 feet.
This was quite near the shores. Passing
out of the friendly eddy which had assisted
us up 80 near ;he falls c she rapidly down
the stream. The next cast of the lead told
off 100 feet, deepening to 1872 .ect at the
inclined railway. The average depth to
the Swift Drift, where the river suddenly
becomes narrow with velocity too great
to be measured, was 1913 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 your corr cSpon-
dent, at the time of the survey computed
the depth at 2l0 feet which is accepted us
approximately correct.
The teri ors Of the gorge Glow this point
are known to but few. Indeed the foot of
man scarcely ever trcads this internal re-
gion where almost perpendicular walls rise
on each side of the verge Of the river from
27o to 360 feet in height. Here the con-
tinual crumbing of the rocks have formed a
prcciphous pathway in places on the rivers
3D. elsewhere one must cling to crcvccs
in the rock, to juting crags or otherwise to
&c, along. ~ party of four Of us made Il
survey Of the interior OF this canon from
Icwistown to Suspension Bridge, with great
difficulty we clamhcrcd along. 1t was
tc; rful, yet exciting exploration. AT times
the river would rise suddenly some ten and
even fifteen feet us if great dam above
had broken, causing hasty retreat Of the
party up tho sides Of the canon. From
points above, rocks and stones frequently
fell, causing lively apprchcnsions and to
add to the catalogue of cmbnrrassmcntS, an
occasional rattlcsmkc attempted to retard
our progress and one Of them was killed
and his ruttlcs preserved in conlmcmoru-
ton OF the event. Getting into the canon
at l.cwistown was conn aativcly easy. but
making ones way ont is another thing
Nearly Il mile below Dcvcaux college,
which is situated half mile north of Sus-
pension Bridge, the possibility of making
our-,-way along the rivers edge ceased
Night was just approaching and ii was Il
days hard work, nearly, to make Lewis
town. Above, the rocks lowered neatly
300 feet. We had tho alternative of re-
and returning to Lcwistown the following
day, or Of fighting IN almost impossible
passage TO the steps leading down from the
college. We determined to accept the lat
ter. After IN hours climb we made our
way to within 100 feet of the top where
just narrow ridge formed by the crumblcd
debris sccmcdto extend. We followed this
perhaps half mile when it came to an ab-
rHpt termination. Several rods beyond
was broad pathway leading up to the col
lcgc, but III the interval only the bare walls
Of rocks, almost pcrpcndicu ar from the top
to the rushing water, 270 feet below, met
the dcspairing gaze of our party. Just
above our head was Il crcvicc in the rocks
which SccmcdtO cross the intervening space.
with almost certain doom staring us di-
rcctly in the face we Determined to try to
cross by standing tiptoc in the crcvcc and
climbing to the jutting Of the rocks. The
various implements of The party were dl-
vided up, heavy thcodOlitc falling to your
correspondent, which was strapped on his
back. The tallcst clambcrcd up to the
crcvice first, the others assisting and fol-
lowing and the writer getting up last. Then
began terrible struggle to reach the path
way beyond. All arrived there safely
when your correspondent with the heavy
burden on his back was but midway across.
Here sharp rock just ut the height of the
breast impcdcd the way. In attempting to
get aronnd this the boot failed to find Il
resting place The heavy instrument was
pulling me off my balance The fingers
were loosing their slender hold one hundred
feet above was the calm, safe world one
hundred and seven feet below the roaring
OF the water. One foot slipped of and was
going down, down; mist came over the
eyes when my loot caught on Il slender
gooscbcrry bush and hand suddenly grasp
Ell my back and drew me around to a safe
standing place. In moment more the
pathway was reached and the safety of all
ensured, but never will the frghtful scene
leave the senses. One of the party saw
the participant or else the gooschcrry bush
was the saving mcans.-l have never quite
understood which.
Socialist up to u Certain Point.