The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-30
WHO FIRST SAW NIAGARAi
rHAr rs. WHAr WHITE NAV FIRST
TTyITED the GREAT CAT1RACTs
The L,sht that Esriy writings Throw
-po, 1rhts observation-disclosures ZOE Thint-
lag ne May Have Bees Stephen Hruie,
- !. Nd E-nrrs

tho arst who alluded To them. In 1885 Cartier
referred 10 the cataract and portage" where
the falls are located. He got his
entirely from the Indians. The FIRST man who
tried 10 indicate the location was CHAMPAIGN. In
his map OF 1912 he referred TO the falls A.
"sault d'eau."
Possibly stephen Brule saw the falls first. lie
was an interesting character. We really wish
we knew more about him. lie crossed the
ocean and arrived In New France about 1910.
He was a great explorer. He was one OF the
first who went 10 the Hurons. On Sept. a, 1915.
when Champlain was preparing lis expedition
against tho Onondagas, Brule set out with
twelve IIurons from Upper Canada to visit the
towns Of the Carantouannais, Huron allies,
who lived on tho Susquehanna. We are not
sure NJ Brule's route. Possibly he went up tho
Genesee River. Possibly he was the first white
man who saw our falls. II he saw them. 10 Is not
likely that he stopped 10 admire them. lie
wasn't Journeying through this region 10
enjoy the scenery. Brule meant business. He
was looking for volunteers to assist Champlain
in his bloody work. lie had a little fight with
the ~Iroquois, but cam out ahead. After that
he had no trouble. At least not then. He entered
the village Of Carantouan in style. That village
was near what Is now waverly. There were 800
warriors there, unless Brule counted badly. lie
got the volunteers, but they marched too slowly.
They were too late. SO Brule marched them
home again. Brule passed the winter among
them. lie did a little exploring. Among other
things he descended the Susquehanna River.
Il any white man had done that before we would
When spring came Brule turned his face
northward, lie was as anxious to get out Of the
1918: He bad a lively time. The f%roquois cap
tured him: He tried several bluffs, but the first
torture him. They pulled out some Of his nails,
they hauled hard on his whiskers, they began
enjoying himself. he resorted 70 the bluff
fully. Casting his eyes upward he saw n
storm coming, and immediately, threatened the
the thunder storm broke the Indians weakened.
Brule was released and got out Of the country
s e. s 8 a; the he lands iSnss Of H thsi oTST e y n naT5nw ssd
reached the Hurons. The lands OF the Neuters
wsTe pleasant .ss% ,r and Brpls told the missionaries
1918 he shook hands again with Champlain and
In journeying through what is now western
New York on his way TO the Carantouannais or
In journeying through the lands OF the Neuters
turning from the Huron villages. Bruie might
have seen Niagara Falls. 1t Is very probable
the Indians around the camp fires at night, and
Il ho his h curiosity s1y;;s which Vas particularly lively,
Sim. In '1 1sasi c hi%s Tss made aS 0S Ss second slsa
he great lakes had uni Increased f@ %opGeFfully.
Perhaps Brule had given him some valuable in
cRa%piain indicated hnhs ws' t RSsP' i St a Homer q G Siassrs
Falls and described them as Very high fall at
various sorts OF fishes become dizzy, We
wonder II Brule told him about the dizzy, fish.
what Brule said. He didn't suppose Bruie would
lie about a little thing Iike that
about them n., as he G related ei" Sis sd Esrs res t to tSe
worthy Jesuits among the Huron villages, he
certainly rave some lively accounts Of the Neq;
Roche Dalton, determined to. visit the &euters'
missions S%oS SR r. sssh s. oSssOSsr; 1895. ana Ss
ifs had heard OF what we caii the i,si Niagara
Of as'Ve tie ana ne was anxious to see It; One
he saw the falls, he would have been the FIRST
white man who ever gazed upon the great cata-
lion did not see zee the the fails. 'S We h inSs read Fsshe the e IN.
S erssstins lstteE e. to his friend IN France wherein
the stsss' the noose, the Seey era the %s wIldcas g.
S Sna eth s1 sare StbSS gaa anigS 81 wild geese; ti1 tn
country Of .the Neutral nation: but we ind no
mention OF the falls, We guess Father Dalton
In chronological order we find next sanson's
m ns52' Oh f hsn faiI, Of I'M Sia was published s6nsar III h psr ms IN
but there is no evidence that the map maker
Galinee didn't see them either. 1t is to he re-
GREETED. for we may be sure he would have de-
scribed them in an accurate and interesting way.
TO the falls in 1863. He heard the sound of the
falling water. Galinee talked with the Indians
nal was remarkably near the truth. Except for
the brief, words by Champlain about the dizzy
nsh, this is the first printed description OF the
We found a river, oneeighth Of a league
or communication from Lake Erie TO Lake
ontario. The depth Of the river ,dor II is prop
traordinary; for, on sounding, close to the shore.
We found fifteen or sixteen fathOms OF water.
ten TO twelve leagues above its enbouchure into
lake Ontario one OF the finest cetaracts or falls
river falls a, that place from a rock higher than
In Inc t fact' w vines h nsSSt T. T. t sSUus s goo feet.
where we we're; although from ten to twelve
vented our ascending the current by rowing. ex-
Ssept with great DILIGENTLY. Al a quarter OF a
two very high, steep rocky banks, inducing the
cult quite up TO the cataract. As TO the river
above the falls, the current very often sucks
stays, elk and roebucks, that suffer thenseives
% be drawn from such a point in crossing the
falls and to be overwhelmed in its frishtfmuii
abyss.
GanastoEus sonontoua -tin-a.oua-ta.s9s prs.
vented our going 10 view that wonder. which
e iSs risr, as SO much the grsstsr IN proportion as
the world. will leave you 10 Judge IL that is
not a 1ne cataract in which all the water OF that
large. river. having It's mouth three leagues
broad, falls from a height OF 200 feet, with a
noise that Is heard not only at the place where
We were. ten or twelve leagues distant but also
rom the other side OF Lake Ontario, Opposite
Us mouth, where Nj, Trouye told me ne had
This il a better description Of the falls than
many men IN our day could write even though
hey have visited them "A dozen times.
lhe nfat man NhO saw the Falls of Niagara
ana wrote a description of them was Father
iiennenIn, He wss there with La Mothe I'm
This Is what Father Hennepln wrote.
BetwtHt the Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.
here - a vast and prodigious cadence OF water
Hhich halls down after a surprising and aston
shinE manner, insomuch that the universe does
not anord Its parallel. This wonderful dOwnfaI
: ABOUT 900 feet, and composed of two great
'rosss treams OF water and two fails, with an
sic siOping ACROSS the middle of II. The waters
winch TALL from this horrible precipice do FOAM
M boil after the most hideOns manner imagin-
lnle. making an outrageous noise, more terrible