Year: 1879

whom they live, why, they do it, and
they could not do otherwise.


THE CANYON OF NIAGARA.


More Mysterious Than the Falls themselves


EExcitine Explorations Of Government
Corrsspondence Of tho Syracuse Standard.


The canyon OF Niagara is far more mys-
terious than the falls themselves. With
in the era OF civilization In America, no
one was able to successfully pierce
through the fierce and terrible under-cur-
rent to the bottom until recently the
government itself thought it necessary in
behalf of science to undertake the task,
all the great schemes imagined to be
strictly scientific were put in operation
by bunglers to obtain the depth Of water
beneath the falls. Bars of railroad iron,
pals OF stones, and all unreasonable
bulky and awkward instruments were at
tached to long lines and cast off from the
railroad bridge and elsewhere. but posi-
tivly refused to sink. The very bulk
the instrument was sufficient, no matter
what their weight: to give the powerful
undercurrcnt way to buoy them upon
the surface or near it. The United States
corps of engineers, however, with small
lead OF only twelve pounds weight attach
ed to small rope, or sounding cord,
easily obtained the depths from the
falls to the lower bridge. As
your correspondent assisted in the
hydrographical operations the facts may
be given as they presented themselves.
One day We launched in small boat not
tar below the falls and entered on most
perllous and exciting exploration of the
canyon. The old guide, long in charge
OF the miniature ferry situated there. &C.
campanied the party. With great diff
Guilty we approached within short dis
lance of the American falls, which darted
great jets Of water on us, and far out in
the stream. The roar was so terrible that
no voice or human sound, however near,
could be heard. The leadsman
cast the line which told Of cighty-three
feet. This was quite near the shore.
Passing out OF the friendly eddy which
had assisted us up so near the falls, we
shot rapidly down stream. The next
cast of the lead told OF one hundred feet,
deepening to one hundred and ninety 1.-TWO
feet at the inclined railway. The average
depth Of the Swift Drift, where the river
suddenly becomes narrow, with velocity
too great to be measured, was one hun
drcd and tifty-three feet. Just under the
low-r bridge the whirlpool rapids set in,
and so violently are the waters moved
that they rise like ocean waves to the
height of twenty feet. At this point our
correspondent, at the time of the
survey, computed the depth at two hun
drcd and ten feet, which is accepted ap-
proXlmately correct.


THE TERRORs OF THE GORGE


Below this point are known to but few
Indeed the foot of man scarcely ever
treads this Internal region where almost
perpendicular walls rise on each side of
the verge of the river from 270 to 800 feet
in height. Here the continual crumbling
Of the rocks have formed precipitous
pathway in places on the rivers edge; else
! where one must cling to crevices in the
rock, to jutting crags or otherwise to get
a,ong. A party OF four of US made SUI
vey Of the interior of this canyon from
Lewiston to Suspension bridge. With
| great difficulty We clambered along. It
! was tearfully exciting exploration. At
| times the river would rise suddenly some
ten or fifteen feet, as if a great dam above
had broken, causing hasty retreat of tue
| parties up the side Of the canyon From
points above rocks and stones frequently
fell, causing Lively apprchensions, and
to add to the catalogue of embarrass-
ments, an occasional rattlesnake at
tempted to rctard our progress, and one
of them was killed and bis rattles
| IN q kko
Getting into the canyon at Lewiston was
comparatively easy, but making ones
way out was another thing. Nearly
mile below Deveaux college, which is
situated half a mile north Of Suspension
bridge, the possibility of making our
"ay along the rivers edge ceased. Night
was just approaching, and it was days
t:ard work, nearly, to make Lewiston.
Above, the rocks lowered nearly 800 feet.
We had the alternative of remaining in
=! is abode of tcrrors over night and re-
turning to Lewiston the following day,
or of fighting an almost impossible pas
sage to the steps leading down from the
college. We determined to accept the
latter. After an hours climb we made
our way to within one hundred feet of
the top, where just narrow ridge formed
by the crumbled debris seemed to extend.
We followed this perhaps half mile,
when it came TO an abrupt termination.
Several rods beyond was


! BROAD PATHWAY


Leading up to the rocks, but in the interval
only the bare walls Of rock, almost perpen~
dicular from the top of the rushing water,
two hundred and seventy feet below, met
the dispairing gaze of our party. Just
above our heads was q crevice IN the rocks
which seemed to cross the intervening
space. With almost certain doom star
ing us directly in the face, we determin-
ed to try to cross by standing tiptoe in
the crevice and clinging to the outings
of the rocks. The various implements
of the party were divedcd up, heavy
thcodolite falling to your correspondent,
which was strapped on his back. The
tallest clammered up to the crevice first,
the others assisting and following, and
the writer getting up last. Then began a
perilous struggle to reach the pathway
beyond. All arrived there safely, when
your correspondent, with the heavy bur-
den on mis- back, was but mid ~ay across.
Here sharp rock just the height of the
breast impeded the way. In attempt
ing to get around this the
foot failed to find resting place. The
heavy instrument was pulling me off my
balance. The fingers were losing their
slender hold; one hundred feet above was
the calm, safe world; one hundred and
seven feet below the roaring of the water.
One foot slipped off and was gong down,
down; mist came over he eyes, when
my foot caught on slender gooseberry
bush. and hand suddenly grasped my
back and drew me around to safe stand
ing place. In moment more the path
way was reached and the safety of all in
sured, but never will the trlghtful scene
leave the senses. One of The party saw