While the horses were cared for, I went up into the highest balcony to command a better view of the cataracts; a little Yankee boy, with a shrewd, sharp face, and twinkling black eyes, acting as my gentleman usher. As I stood gazing on the scene which seemed to enlarge upon my vision, the little fellow stuck his hands into his pockets, and, looking up in my face, said-- "You be from the old country, I reckon?" "Yes." "Out over there, beyond the sea?" "Yes." "And did you come all that way across the sea for these here falls?" "Yes." "My!!" Then after a long pause, and eyeing me with a most comical expression of impudence and fun, he added, "Now, do _you_ know what them 'ere birds are, out yonder?" pointing to a number of gulls which were hovering and sporting amid the spray, rising and sinking and wheeling around, appearing to delight in playing on the verge of this "hell of waters," and almost dipping their wings into the foam. My eyes were, in truth, fixed on these fair, fearless creatures, and they had suggested already twenty fanciful similitudes, when I was roused by his question. "Those birds?" said I. "Why, _what_ are they?" "Why, them's EAGLES!" "Eagles?" it was impossible to help laughing. "Yes," said the urchin sturdily; "and I guess you have none of them in the old country?" "Not many eagles, my boy; but plenty of _gulls_!" and I gave him a "pretty considerable" pinch by the ear. "Ay!" said he, laughing; "well now you be dreadful smart--smarter than many folks that come here!"