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of which the machinery, in the hurry-skurry, had been left at New York. I need not say, that these halffinished, whole-finished, and embryo streets were crowded with people, carts, stages, cattle, pigs, far beyond the reach of numbers ;-and as all these were lifting up their voices together, in keeping with the clatter of hammers, the ringing of axes, and the creaking of machinery, there was a fine concert."

On leaving this place, Captain Hall travelled about 30 miles on the Ridge Road," which runs along the summit of a gently sloping bank of sand and gravel, supposed to have formed, at some remote era, the beach of Lake Ontario, to the southern margin of which it is nearly parallel, but a hundred feet higher in level, and at a distance of eight or ten miles. The intervening tract is a moderately inclined flat belt of country, above the general level of which, this "old beach" rises to the height of 15 or 20 feet. The slope of the southern side of the ridge is much steeper than that which faces the lake, resembling in that respect the natural embankments on sea-coasts or the shores of lakes, thrown up by the combined action of wind and water.* direct road from Avon runs to Batavia, a small, straggling village; and thence, a stage of 40 miles to Buffalo, a busy, thriving town, beautifully situated at the lower extremity of Lake Erie, near the mouth of a small creek which forms the termination of the Great Canal. At Black Rock, two miles below Buffalo, a ferry-boat conveys the Traveller to the Canadian shore, a few miles above

The

"On the island of Michilimackinac, there are the most decisive proofs, that the waters of Huron and Michigan are several feet lower than they once were. Proofs equally decisive are presented on its southern borders, of a similar subsidence in Lake Erie."-Dwight, vol. iv. p. 68. See also, for a similar remark respecting Lake Champlain, page 254 of this volume.

THE FALLS OF NIAGARA.

THE accounts given of these celebrated Falls by different travellers, vary so remarkably, both as to the first impression which they produce, and as to the more prominent features of the scene, that any attempt to combine their reports in a general description, would be impracticable. We shall therefore select three distinct descriptions, adding such further particulars as we may be able to gather from other sources. Captain Basil Hall tells us, that the Falls "infinitely exceeded" his anticipations; and he cites the reply of a gentleman who, on his return from the Niagara, was appealed to by a party, whether he thought they would be disappointed-" Why no, unless you expect to witness the sea coming down from the moon." Mr. Duncan, on the other hand, says, that the impression produced on his mind by the first view of the Falls, was decidedly that of disappointment; which he believes to be a very common feeling when strangers visit them for the first time; but those who visit them the oftenest, admire and wonder at them the most. This Traveller visited them twice, and we shall first give his distinct and well-written description of the scene.

"It was on a beautiful morning that I last left Buffalo. The sky was clear, and the air perfectly serene. Not a single cloud was seen upon the broad expanse, except in the north-west, on the very verge of the horizon, where two little fleecy specks appeared and disappeared at intervals; sometimes rising separately, and sometimes mingling their vapours. These were clouds of spray rising above the Falls; perfectly conspicuous to the naked eye at a distance of twenty miles.*

"Weld says, that he saw the clouds of spray from the Falls

[graphic]

THE FALLS OF NIAGARA..

London Published by J.Duncan, Paternoster Row August 1.1828.

"Passing along the bank, you soon reach Grand Island, embraced in the forking of the river. Each arm of the stream is more than a mile in width. The western channel is the boundary between the British and American possessions; and this island, nearly seven miles long, and containing between 20,000 and 30,000 acres, is, of course, left within the territory of New York. It is of an irregular lozenge shape, and as yet thickly covered with pines and cedars.

"Passing Grand Island, and Navy Island, a smaller one which succeeds it, the stream becomes about two miles and a half wide, and you reach Chippawa creek, village, and fort, between two and three miles above the Falls. Here terminates the navigation of the upper part of the Niagara; for the rapidity of the stream soon increases so considerably, that vessels cannot with safety venture further. The change becomes very soon obvious on the surface of the water. Neither waves, however, nor any violent agitation is visible for some time; you see only

. The torrent's smoothness ere it dash below.'

Dimples and indented lines, with here and there a little eddying whirl, run along near the shore; betokening at once the depth of the channel, the vast body of water, and the accelerated impetus with which it hurries along. Every straw also that floats past, though motionless upon the bosom of the river, and undisturbed by a single ripple, is the index of an irresistible influence, which sweeps to one common issue all within its grasp.

"Goat Island, the lowest of all, now appears inserted like a wedge in the centre of the stream. By it

while sailing on Lake Erie, at a distance of fifty-four miles. From the appearance which they presented at a distance of twenty miles, I am inclined to think this is not at all improbable."

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