The New York herald., 1921-12-25
Niagara Falls Seventy Years Ago
Fragment From the American Diary of the Great
English Scholar, Lord Acton.
From the Fortni0htly Revietc.

than 100 yards above the sides. so as
to make a curious kind OF hollow. They
are really magnificent from their great
size and the mass OF water. 1t is twenty
feet deep at the angle and falls 160 or
170 feet. 1t boils as white as milk be-
low. The spray sometimes comes up in
a cloud far above the fall. Looking
down from up the river, 1t looks like the
vapor of a boiling spring. 1t was such
a glorious sight as to fill me with ex-
ultation. and yet with feeling of mel
ancholy at not being able to compre-
hend it adequately.
We gathered wild strawberries on
Goat Island and took an ice there.
While I was on the tower a man was
there writing verses. did not feel
poetical. which ] seldom do. but bolster
ously happy, which made me appear far
from overcome. We spent couple of
hours here most delightfully."-. There is
the greatest paper mill in the Union on
Bath Island, taking advantage of the
water power. We returned to the inn in
time for romp before dinner at 3.
Sam Patch jumped down the Middle
Fall, which is called his leap. He was
drowned when attempting the same
thing at Genesee. Nobody ever shot the
falls alive there are several stories of
people being drowned. The power of
the water is so great that focks Of
geese have been carried down and
drowned. There is a whirlpool about
four miles down the river. where every
thing which is carried down reappears
for some time. The bodies Of seven
English deserters who tried to swim
across were seen chasing each other
round here for some time after. An
old steamer was once sent down, and
drew eighteen feet of water, which
shows the depth at the edge.
After dinner we undertook to so un-
der the falls. There is house on
Table Rock where you dress yourself
and take guide for the purpose We
took off everything we had on and put
on some rough clothes for the purpose.
There is also a costume for the ladies'
A great ugly black went with US. There
is round wooden staircase down Table
Rock, and there we walked along the
rock and went under the falling water
1t is like a cave. The velocity OF the
water and formation of the rock leave
an arched space completely dry One
can walk good way in along a kind of
ledge, and one sees the water arched
above one.
The roar is terrific. We were un-
fortunate, for the wind drove the water
In against US, and we were almost suf-
focated. 1t was much as il we had
taken a bath. Our guide had taken a
young man in who insisted on Jumping
down onto a rock in the water. The
water beat over him and at last washed
him away. and he was never seen again.
We carried off bit Of rock from the
farthest point we reached, and a printed
certificate of our having been there, as
trophies.
Then. in two carriages. we went to
the burning springs. about two miles
above the falls, in Canada. A shed Is
built over the place where the spring Is.
about ten feet from the Niagara. They
put in a tube and set fire to the gas
that comes out. The flame is about a
foot high, emitting great heat. You
may put your thumb on the tube and
direct the flame or put it out without
being burned. or you may press your
handkerchief over it and 1t will not be
injured. All the gas is concentrated In
the tube, but when it is removed a light
applied to the surface OF the water pro-
duces lambent flame that soon goes
out. The water is quite pure to drink,
without any sulphurous smell. On re-
turning we passed near Lundy's Lane.
where the battle of Niagara was fought
in the last war.
In the evening we played at prisoners
base In a field close to the falls. Here
lost my hat. 1t was dark when we
returned to the inn. The youngsters
went forth to look for sand martins
nests and they found some eggs and
young ones. 1t was getting on for II
when We had some supper. ordered
a bottle OF champagne up to the boys
room. We were to separate the next
day and we had been very good friends.
We were up early next morning to
start at 8. We crossed the suspension
bridge about two miles below the fails.
1t is of very light construction. sup
poSted by wires. The last view Of the
falls was taken here. The moment
they were out Of sight I felt a lively
regret at the thought that I should
never see them again. l quilted this
extreme western point with sorrow, for
the great lakes and Indians and the
scenery OF that part of the world had
great attraction for me.