Alida; or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War.: Founded on FactComfield, Amelia Stratton
History
Alida; or, Miscellaneous Sketches of Incidents During the Late American War.: Founded on Fact
Comfield, Amelia Stratton
United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Juvenile fiction
On Bath-Island a person may approach so near to the American falls
as to look into the abyss below. The animals in the neighbourhood
are so careless of this, that the cows and horses go into the river
to drink within five yards of the brink of the precipice. From the
foot of the falls you can see nothing of the abyss, inasmuch as
every thing is concealed by the foam and vapour. On Goat-Island a
person may in the same manner approach the Canadian falls, in the
centre of which is a semicircular hollow, called the Horse-shoe, and
here the noise is still more tremendous than on the other side. The
vapour which rises from the Horse-shoe forms a thick mist, which may
be seen at a great distance.]
To look into the Horse-shoe is awful and horrible. Nor can this be done
but at the instant when the vapour is somewhat dissipated. You stand
like a petrified being. The level of Lake Erie is said to be five
hundred and sixty-four feet above that of the sea, and three hundred and
thirty-four feet above the waters of Lake Ontario. Lake Ontario is
consequently two hundred and thirty feet above the level of the sea.
From Lake Erie to the rapids the water has a fall of fifteen feet, in
the rapids fifty-seven feet, and according to a recent measurement, the
falls on the American side are one-hundred and sixty-two feet high. From
this place to Lewistown the river has a fall of one hundred and four
feet, and thence to Lake Ontario, of two feet.
[_Travels_:
To look into the Horse-shoe is awful and horrible. Nor can this be
done but at the instant when the vapour is somewhat dissipated. You
stand like a petrified being. The level of Lake Erie is said to be
five hundred and sixty-four feet above that of the sea, and three
hundred and thirty-four feet above the waters of Lake Ontario. Lake
Ontario is consequently two hundred and thirty feet above the level
of the sea. From Lake Erie to the rapids the water has a fall of
fifteen feet, in the rapids fifty-seven feet, and according to a
recent measurement, the falls on the American side are one hundred
and sixty-two feet high. From this place to Lewistown the river has
a fall of one hundred and four feet, and thence to Lake Ontario, of
two feet.]
The next morning they made another visit to Goat Island. They afterwards
descended the stairs to the river, which they crossed in a small boat,
at a short distance from both falls. The bed of the river is said to be
here two hundred and forty-six feet deep. The current passes beneath the
surface of the water, and does not again become visible till after a
distance of three miles. On the Canada side you have a much better view
of the falls than on the American, for you see both falls at the same
time. There is on the Canada side a covered wooden staircase, which they
ascended, and approached the falls, amidst a constant drizzling caused
by the falling water.
[_Travels_:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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