The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-06-16
IN H1AeARA's GORGE.
Some Of the Interesting and Strange Things
Found There.
BY LAWRENCE H. TAsKER.

To many the gorge is the most won
derful part of the Niagara. 1t is the
great chasm through which the river
flows after its plunge of 100 feet at
the falls. The gorge proper extends
from the cataract to the cliff at Lew
iston, distance of six miles only, yet
within its limits there occur more
startling aud awe inspiring features
than in any similar river channel.
This chasm, which has been dug by
the action of the river itself wearing
its channel backward, is, in some
places. of depth Of over 3oofeet and
of width varying from $50 to 1900
feet. Through it the surging waters
of the Niagara rush in tumultuous
food.
In the narrowest and steepest part
occur the Whirlpool Rapids, extend
ing from the great railway bridges
to the whirlpool, distance of mile
or more. Here the channel narrows
to its least width. about $50 feet, and
there is a fall of ninety-eight feet in
the bed of the stream. The waters
foam and dash onward in great break
ers, resembling giant sea-horses with
arched necks and flowing names. The
vast combers hurl themselves one
upon another as if. playing leap-frog,
and, in their boisterous sport, each
endeavors to excel the other in mad
ness.
A view of these turbulent rapids at
close rangeis enough to turn one cold
with fear at the thought of one so
foolhardy enough to attempt to pass
through. Here, in 1883, Capt. Mat
thew Webb lost his life in vain at
tempt to swim the swirling torrent,
and the hitherto unconquered cham
pion who had gained international
laurels by swimming the English
Channel, and again by swimming
from Sandy Hook to Manhattan Reach
in storm that drove vessels into the
harbor, had to yield to the rapids of
Niagara.
Yet through this terrible channel
twice went the late Peter Nissen, of
Chicago, in 1900 and in 1901, in a
little boat he called the Fool Killer"
1t was constructed with a supplement
tary iron bar weighing I,25o pounds
hanging by malleable iron rods below
the keel of the boat and intended to
act as a pendulum and keep the yes
sci upright; but in passing through
the breakers his boat turned COM
pletely upside down and had not the
doughty voyager taken the precau-
ton to tie himself securely in the
cockpit, he never would have come
up alive.
The wall Of rock on either side has
in places associations of tradition and
legend as interesting as those of the
falls themselves.
About three miles below the falls,
on the American side, there is "Dev-
lis Hole This is mighty cavern
iu the side of the gorge about half
way between the level of the river
and the level of the bank. 1t is
reached from above by winding
stairway and a narrow walk cut in
the side of the cliff. The Indians
thought this was the abode of the Evil
Spirit, and believed that a terrible
death was the fate of anyone who
dared to enter it. Hence its name.
The entrance is so low that one must
stoop to enter, but once inside large
cave looms up, at the further end OF
which a tiny stream of ice.cold water
trickles from a hole in the rock. In
time the neutral Indians, overcoming
their superstitious terrors, came to
use it as hiding place.
At the mouth of the cave is an ar
| row-shaped rock large enough to con-
ceal the opening from two directions,
known as Ambush Rock.
"Not far away, on ledge hun
dred feet or so above the water, is a
triangular piece of rock about fifteen
feet in its longest dimension. Around
this the Indians were wont to assem-
bic in councils of war or peace and
when an agreement was reachedpledg-
ed themselves by laying their right
hands upon it, thereby solemnly bind
ing themselves to carry out the terms
of their compact, which resulted in
its being known as Council Rock. "
The little stream which clatters
noisily over the precipice overhang-
ing this ledge was the scene of ter
rible massacre of a detachment OF
Euglish troops in 1868. AT the close
of the bloody struggle between the
French and English for the sover-
eighty of the new world detachment
of ninety men was sent from Fort Mag
ara to Fort Schlosser as guard to
provision train. They encamped
on the high bluff overlooking the
little rivulet. Suddenly they were
attacked by horde Of Seneca Indians
and all but thfee were ruthlessly
butchered or forced back over the cliff
to meet terrible death on the rocks
below. Of the three saved, one named
Stedman, spurred his horse boldly
past the yelling Indians and, amid Z
shower of bullets, miraculously es
capped. Another soldier was over
looked in a hiding place, and tht
third, drummer boy, was caught II
the branches of tree below the cliff
and, though badly hurt, his life wa:
saved. The little rivulet, then Grim
soned with the blood of the slaugh