The National tribune., 1892-09-15
The Grand Falls of Labrador.

The Grand Falls of Labrador are nearly
twice as high as Niagara. and are inferior to
that marvellous cataract in breadth and volume
of water only. One of their most striking
characteristics is the astonishing leap into
space which the torrent makes in dischargin ng
itself over its rocky barrier. From the de-
scrption given of the rapid drop in the river
bed and the coincident narrowing of the chan
mel. one can easily understand that the cumu-
lative energy expended in this final leap of the
pent-up waters is truly titanic. 1t sub.
stratum of softer rock existed here, as at Nj
agara, similar Gave of the Winds" would
enable one to penetrate a considerable distance
beneath the fall. The uniform structure of
the rock, however, prevents any unequal disin-
tegraton, and thus the 0verarching sheet OF
water covers nearly perpendicular wall, the
base of which is washed by the waters OF the
lower river. In spite of the fact that no
creature, except one with wings, could hope to
penetrate this subaqneous chamber. the place
is inhabitated if we are to believe the tradi-
tions of the Labrador Indians. Many years
ago. so runs the tale, two Indian maidens,
gathering iirewood near the Falls, were enticed
to the brink and drawn over by the evil spirit
of the place. During the long years since
then, these unfortunates have been condemned
to dwell beneath the fall, and forced to toll
daily, dressing deerskins, until now, no longer
young and beautiful, they can be seen betimes
w
hind them and stretching ont shrveled arms
toward any mortal who ventures to visit the
confines of their mystic dwelling place. The
Indian name for the Grand Falls-Patses- che
wan-means "Thc Narrow Place where the
Water Falls" Like the native word Niagara,
-"Thunder of Waters, this Indian designa-
ton contains poetic and descriptive quality
which it would be hard to improve.
From the point where the river leaves the
plateau and plungcs into the deep pool below
the Falls, its course for % miles is through one
of the most remarkable canyons in the world.
From the appearance of tho sides of this gorge,
and the zigzag line of the river, the indica-
tions are that the stream has slowly forced a
channel through this rocky chasm, cutting its
way back, foot by foot. from the edge of the
plateau to the present position of the Falls.
Recent investigators estimate that period OF
5000 years was required to form the gorge
below Niagara Falls; or, in other words, that
it has taken that length Of time for the Falls
to recede from their former position at Queens
town flights to their present location. 1T 1t
has taken this length of time for Niagara Falls
to recede distance of seven miles by the
erosivc power of the water acting OIL a soft
shalc rock supporting stratum of limestone,
the immensity of time involved by assuming
that the Grand River Canyon was formed in
the same way is great that the mind faiters
in contemplating it, especially when it Is recog-
nized that the cscarpmept OF tire Grand Falls Is
of hard gncissic rock. And yet no other ex-
PLANTATION of the origin of this gorge is accept
able, unless indeed, we can assume at some
former time a fssurc occurred III the earth's
crust result of igneons agencies, and that
this fssure ran in line Identical with the
present course of the river; in which case the
drainage Of the tableland, emptying into
Grand River, would follow the line of least
resistance and in the course of time excayate
the fssure into the present proportions of the
gorge.