The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-02-09
NlAGARA's FASCINATION.
An Indcscribable Attraction Wen Nigh
IrresIstIhIe 90 The snerIninr.


Irresistible to the Spectator.
Not every visitor % Niagara falls has for
his benefit full moon every night and "A
brilliant sun 10y day They tell me that the
grand time 10 see Niagara is at midwinter.
when huge tons OF ice 20 laundering over
the cataract aud the lower falls ara one
mass of sparkling icicles But ole cannot
see everything, and Niagara in summer
time is quite good enough for me. Arriv-
ing In the middle Of the night, with the
moon at the full, it was impossible even
then 20 resist the fascination Of Niagara
deep diupason sound Of welcome
We wandered out the night as light as
day, under acres Of white blossoms, to see
the upper torrent before it falls over the
precipice. This was to be ALL The rest
was to be left to the Imagination. You
cannot conceive the effect Of that midnight
ramble-the eternal thud Of the cataract
emphasizing the delicious silence Of the
night. Standing rs did on the edge Of the
green garden on the American side looking
over to the deep and somber belt Of pines
on the opposite island watching and eter-
nally watching these angry waters dashed
into foam and burrying to their downfall
below, it did not seem to me at first that
this comparatively narrow course could end
in triumph of magnificence.
buJ there was no Nestlge or shadow of
disappointment in the morning How
should there be' The apple blossoms were
waNen, the grass of emerald green, the sky
was blue, the sun was in the heavens. At
last it was all right with the world So |
took the picture gradually, piece by piece,
like miser. / lifted the curtain gradually
and peeped at the wonderful scene point by
point and bit 10y bit. The plan was to- walk
by the side of the torrent and to pause at
every resting place-iirst, the very edge
where the water breaks from its narrow
bed into immeasurable distance and be-
comes "A mighty cataract; next. "A little
lower down, where can be seen q q effect of
the great fall, the majesty of watch seems
incompatible; then "A little further down,
where you find that the first falls are mere
child's play compared to the misty majesty
of the Horseshoe falls The proportions Of
this indescribable picture are so equal and
admirable that at first. as at St Peters in
Rome, you are apt to be n little disap-
pointed. You cannot be convinced of the
magni1cence of st. Peters unless you 20
to the top of the highest dome You can
not be completely persuaded Of the aston
lshing majesty Of Niagara unless you de-
scend to the very bottom.
Modern enterprise allows you this expert
ence. Formerly you had to stand on a Slip
perry rock in II macintosh and 90 literally
under the falls. Nowadays plucky little
steamboat plunges into the very heart of
the torrent aud takes you so near the fall
ing mass of glittering and rainbow tinted
water that You gasp for breath This ex-
petition should be missed by no one. You
cannot see the falls or understand them
without it..
You will ssk me- what is the effect of
Niagara falls ON the spectator To me they
have an understandable attraction and fas-
cination. While resting there / could not
get away from them. The roar in the dis
lance seemed "A call which | was bound to
answer. All day long was strolling about
Goat island or standing on the bridge, or
over on the Canadian side sitting and look
ing at the rainbow and the waves Of the
opposite fall. Try rs / would, | could not
tear myself away from the attractive cata-
ract. The most hdeously fascinating cor
uer of all is the exact break where the rush
ing water falls sheer down the precipice.
One-half step here and death would greet
you in less than second. This In "A corner
that ought TO be barred from the sight. IL
it is necessary to heighten the barriers of
Clifton suspension bridge, it should he
doubly right to hide these fascinating cor
ners of Niagara. where the roar soothes and
the rushing water allures But for all that
hither suicides eternally come. Niagara has
been the ncpenthe of many weary soul
II Iwere to visit the place a hundred times,
| should still be found all day long walking
round and round the falls and rapids, and
watching the everlasting rush from peace
of lake to turbulence Of whirlpool Nj
agara is to my mind one OF the most fasci-
mating spots ON earth.-London Telegraph.