The New York herald., 1921-12-25

village of Niagara Falls, on the right
bank of the Niagara. We crossed the
suspension bridge in thunderstorm.
1t was so dark that we could not see the
falls. We got out at the Clifton House
on the British side about 10 o'clock.
without any trouble from the custom
house. Here we found party from our
ship; the chaplain with my best friends
among the youngsters. They were gone
to bed. / went out to the edge of
the rock and looked at the falls that
shone perfectly white in the black night
They arc much better seen on this side.
The inn is below them. and they do not
cross the river at right angles, so that
they can hardly be seen at all from the
opposite side.
The roar and the foam had fine
effect at night. Campbell and had the
same room. and before we fell asleep /
eiscoursed upon the principles of his
toricai criticism and the facility with
which truth Is exaggerated. I gave as
an instance that no doubt the frst man
who saw the falls greatly exaggerated
their magnitude, upon which he, who had
just read the guide. told me that when
Ifennepin discovered the falls he re-
ported them to be SEQ feet high, which
was gratifying to my literary vanity.
In the morning, Friday, l had the
pleasure OF walking out on my balcony
in my shirt, with a full view of the falls.
1t was a beautiful morning. l took
bath. and on going to breakfast met
with very flattering reception from the
youngsters l had not seen the night be-
fore. l persuaded the chaplain to let
them stay with us that day, though he
was to have brought them back to the
ship. He was weak in consenting, as
there was danger of row when they
did go on board, but I saw the blame
could not fall on the boys. They were
delighted to stay and their presence
added very much to the mirth of our
party After some delay we set off to
look at the falls.
Half mile above the falls the river is
divided into two branches by an islanl
called Goat Island. At the same time
the rapids commence. There is no great
beauty in the scenery of the country
above the falls. Below there is neces-
sariiy a ravine for it to flow through.
and the wooded rocks OH each side add
very much to the beauty of the scene.
We went down the road from the inn
to the ferry. The view from below is
much finer than what we had seen from
above. One might sit here for hours
and the falls would grow upon one. or
ones mind would grow to appreciate
them One can be disappointed only at
the first impression. If one contemplates
the falls they much surpass in the effect
they produce anything one could have
conceived.
The current is very rapid below the
falls in the middle. and carried us down
and tossed US about. A steamer, the
Maid OF the Mist, goes right up to the
falls every day as far as she can go.
An Englishman whose acquaintance we
made. a Mr.. Wood, swan across here.
He landed a mile below his starting point
on the other side. On the American
side one is pulled up the rock in sledge
along an inclined plane. The first thing
we did was to stand quite at the edge OF
the falls on the American side. There
are some houses here, and we went up
to the bridge which was made with
great difficulty across the American
rapids. After some delay at an ice
cream shop We went over. The finest
view Of the rapids is presented by this
bridge. 1t is fine sight to see the
water dashing and foaming down till II
reaches a velocity of fifteen miles an
hour. The roar of the rapids is very
great There is a toll on the island. with
a shop of Indian curlosities. There are
two OF three small islands on the Ameri-
can side Of Goat Island, and the scenery,
with the current running between them,
Is very pretty. The American falls are
smaller than those on the English side,
but quite straight. Next after the first
fslet Is lesser fall. Standing near the
top of it, among the trees, it looks like
small river floating among trees. and
has a pleasant diversifying effect After
this comes the rocky extremity of Goat
island between the two fails. 1t dis
figures them.
Crossing Goat Island. which is COW
cred with trees, We came to the edge of
the English falls, called the Horseshoe
Falls from their shape. A rock runs
out into the river at the edge here and
q. tower is built upon IL. The view from
the tower is one of the finest. These
falls are not straight, but something
like a horseshoe. The middle is more