Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-08-24
Misfellaueulls &eading.
Correspondence Of the Yorkville Enquirer.
NOTES OF TRAVEL.

Correspondence Of the Yorkville Enquirer.
NOTES OF TRAVEL.
PRESCOTT, ONTARIO, CANADA, August 16,
1S92.-When we had Satisfied our curiosity at
the bridges, we were next driven to the group OF
islands, the principal one of which is known as
Goat Island. While on our way there, we
learned that the water is always much higher
at this season of the year than at any other
time, which. fact is accounted for by the way
the wind blows on the lakes in the summer and
winter taken in connection with the terrible
freezes that occur in this region from early in
the fall until late in thespring. But our team
moved in double quick time so in few mo-
ments after leaving the place last named, we
were landed in the park, and truly beautiful
place it is. 1t is we'll laid off and ornamented
with trees and shrubbery of all kinds indigo
nous to this latitude. 1t contains something
more than sixty acres embracing beautiful
cluster of islands we'll filled with little groves
and unique rustic seats wherein the weary and
tender in heart may rest and hold social chat.
Goat Island is much the largest of all the
group Bath Island, Luna Island, Terrapin
Rocks and the Sister Islands compose the
cluster, that have from time to time been
bridged, so that they can be conveniently and
safely reached from land at all times and any
season of the year. Besides these, however,
there are others known as the Bird Islands, and
on none of these has the foot of man ever yet
trod. Goat Island is situated at the brink of
the great Falls, and has separated the current
of the river, for ages past, as it will for ages
yet to come, near it's centre, into two great
and strong currents, making what is known
as the American and the Canadian Falls-one
on each side of Goat Island and the river.
This famous island acquired its name from
the following circumstance One John Stead
man having cleared a portion OF the upper end
of the island, in the year 1877, placed a flock
of goats upon it but subsequently the winter
proved 80 exceedingly inclement that the own
er of the goats found it impossible to convey
any sort of provender to them, and they all
perished. From that day to the present the is
land has gone by the name of Goat Island,
notwithstanding many earnest efforts have
been made at various times, and by different
parties, to give to it more poetical and beau
tiful name, more in harmony with the roman
tic surroundings. This lovely island, I was
| informed, was long used by the Indians as Il
burying ground, and in it's soil many of that
race now lie entombed-their graves unmark-
ed by stone or tree, as is the spot where Stead
mans goats perished.
All the islands above named are entirely
| Iol h1yu oforo nd or pach
other. And as have before observed, all of
them but the Bird Islands have been made
easily accessible from land, both to pedestri-
ans and carriages, by the construction OF iron
bridges firmly secured by large bolts, chains
and bars Of wrought iron, deeply sunk and
firmly fastened into large, and immovable
rocks in the bed of the river. These bridges
are all we'll and neatly ioored and strongly
banistered, rendering them perfectly safe, and
making it impossible=far person to fall from
one of them into the water ; and it is surely
we'll that it is so, for under most of those
bridges 90 dashing, bounding and wildly
leaping strong and resistless currents, forcing
their way over and between enormous bould-
ers as if the divided river on each side Of the
island was running race to see which OF the
streams would first reach the Falls and have
the courage to take leap over them from
height of one hundred and sixty-ive feet,
which they soon do after they pass under the
bridges into the Rapids. Any one falling
from the bridge, would in few minutes, be
dashes to pieces over the Falls. Many persons
have been known to come here for the express
purpose of committing suicide. tits said that
but one human being has ever passed over the
Falls alive, and he was an Indian brave who
was so skilled in managing his canoe that he
proposed to pass over the Falls on wager,
| which he won but no one since has ever pass
ed over and reached the shore alive. L am
sure the hazard he run was greater than the
amount he received, and imagine if w. II.
Vanderbilt's estate was offered as bounty to
any one who would now undertake to perform
similar feat, with or without canoe, few,
if any, could be found willing to take the risk.
From the islands can be obtained decidedly
| the best view both of the American and Cana
dian Falls, as also all the Rapids, as we'll as
the famous gorge, and what is known as the
Whirlpool Rapids, to say nothing of many 9TH
|
No poet or artist, however gifted, can ever
portray to life any one of those enchanting
views that can be readily obtained from al
most any one Of these islands, the beauty OF
the scenery being beyond description. But as
to what is to be seen, heard and felt from the
Bird Islands, will be left for the reader to i'm
aginc until Il way has been made tOreach them
with the same convenience and safety as the
other islands. These islands are thickly situ-
ated in the midst of the strongest Of the Rap
ids, and appear to be floating there as so many
great green bubbles roughly tossed on the
foaming. surface of the infurated waves as
they go apparently recklessly sweeping under
them.
On these ten uninhabitabe islands the birds
of various wings have found safe and quiet
resting-place, and there do they resort in
great numbers, morning, noon and night, at
all seasons of the year-in the spring to COO,
WOO and wed and build and rear their young
in the warm, leafy summer months to rest and
sing; and in the winter to find shelter from
the bowling storms and cold, piercing blasts
of the cheerless season.
Here, too, from the Three Sister Islands,
situated in the midst of the Upper Rapids,
can be had unsurpassed views of the river as
it comes sweeping down for miles above them,
and every now and then bounding high over
great boulders and lofty lodges of rock, where
the merry white caps sun and dance cotillion
to the music of the waves. Nor are the little
| i Of hriI OF