The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-02-25
MIR SOVEREIGN FLOOD
o..e More at Magyar Ma
Vii'' ieStic Falls.
,,orp DESCRIPTIVE LETTER.
.-..noss of Abbott and Blondin
Ee"ln an ode to the Numbering
Cataract.
SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. -
,.,oe If THE HERALD.


correspondence of THE HERALD
'O' third letter on Mage ads,
IN ~ of Francis Abbot lars.
the nr. brings fresh melnorlt . my
The nan I'm there is considerab in a
mlna a l osnecially if it is only d g3od.one.
naalr, 81 concluding our visit o. Goat
D pend our laxative guide, vino seemed
l lssn determined to earn his fee, and
" :, 10 know everything, called our
s' .,antion to the bathing place OF this
I.' nitric Francis Abbott. 1t was III
e.. t,,rbulent waters at the Terrapin
~ He used to cling to rope
lowering himself down into the foam
Nv stream to nearly the brink of the
taE rolling and being tossed about in
tbe frolicking stream, Just barely keep
=. himself or his head especially,
hove the foaming water. This wonder
-, rocInse seemed never to rest. At
al hours of the day and night he might
be seen wandering around the object OF
Nc alteration. single beam of timber,
which projected its tremulous end
ohont ten feet over the roaring flood.
Along this the hermit was in the habit
% n'V TsIting He did so without the
Lost Tl SION Of fear. With firm, bold
SER, he proceeded to the very end, turn
inc on his heel and walking back again.
twas thought by some thatthis peculiar
GENTLEMAN had been crossed IN love.
fTaIl and gentle, but haggard looking,
he first nut in his appearance at the
Fails in the month Of June, 1879. lie
brought with him a large portfolio and
several books and musical instruments:
For few weeks he paid daily and
NIGHTLY visits to the most interesting
noints of Niagara, and at length became
50 fascinated with the beauty and sub
Unity of the scene, that he resolved to
take up his abode there altogether. No
one knew whence the young stranger
came. He was talented and engaging
in his manners and address: but not
communicative and Stunned company.
He applied for permission to build for
himself a cottage on one OF the Three
Sister Islands, but circumstances pre-
venting this, he took up his residence
in an old cottage on Goat Island. Here
the Young hermit spent his days and
nights in solitary contemplation of the
great cataract. In the dark shades of
the night. the twinkle of his wood fire,
and the sweet tones of music that float
ed over the troubled waters and mingled
with the thunder of the Falls were
listened TO and much admired by the
numerous groups of inhabitants.
One day in June, 1881, he went to
bathe. not long afterwards his clothes
were fonnd still lying on the bank, but
Francis Abbott was gone. The waters
which he had so recklessly dared had
claimed him as their own at last. His
body was found ten days afterwards at
the mouth of the river. He was buried
close to the laundering Fall, he loved so
we'll.
Niagara has flowed from all time as it
thunders now, yet in its mighty rush
fresh beauties may be seen every hour,
through its eternal waters never alter in
their bulk for summer suns or the melt
ing Of Canadian SHOWS.
Fort Schlosser, on the American side,
and the village of Chippewa on the
Canada side, are two miles and a half
above the falls, and the old landing
from Buffalo and the lakes above, and
Just as far down the rapids as boats dare
venture although canoes and hand
boats have successfully crossed
Inc river within one mile of
me great leap, over which
ehe lgroline steamer took its last leap
mot n roaring gulf. And what added to
me grand butfearful scene was that the
steamer had been set on fire by the
RllVIsh IN the rebellion of Canada, in
S tLe year ISL The Caroline was charged
!: IA. ile British with carrying provisions
s ~ Iue reoeis. The vessel was therefore
Ecu Ecu oy Colonel McNab, cut loose
T f.oll ne9 moorlngs, set on fire, and sent
nay q naming meteor, down the wild
cop,as ana over the Niagara Falls. OF
Use III no one was OH board when she
'OT ma nef leap, all in flames.
r; iiefe Is a fascination about this
n'y cataract which seems to chain
is /, " me spot, and, when we seek to
jFS T.e' draws us irresistibly back again.
t ele. IN IN describing. however inadequa-
avg 1 me TASK may be accomplished, we
o orv ION to lay down the pen and tear
vs arse5y e: away. The Almighty has IN
e ssT'v sa. Niagara with power that none
fS Sa resist and those who gaze upon it
i s1e INST time have new era in their ex-
enc eIT-S opened up, new thoughts and
bs5 lesslons stamped indelibly on their
VETS VET which will haunt them in after
i 1Ts6S and lnger in their memories till
II Saal De swallowed up in eternity.
mn ~ lS0s, Blondin, the noted adven-
bsnTtt stretched a rope from bank to
T VsnH ! about oot one mile below the Falls: it
ba MI 1,50O feet at that point. With a
ro 1raucl1g pole in his hand, this intrepid
in 1s1 wal walker amused Thousands by walk
h. r onef the river on his rope. In 1860
2O0 fs ea. has rope to a point about
Tbs- T MP. below the old suspension bridge.
this n milth here was 800 feet. It was at
ies af point EIt ne performed his wonderful
hen DeIore the Prince of Wales. Since
Leslie "9 persons, Fav1na and Hattie
io TT lady, signorina Spelterina. per.
'u On her high rope.