Letitia Elizabeth Landon (L. E. L.) in Fisher's Drawing Room Scrap Book, 1836/Horse-Shoe Falls, Niagara
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HORSE-SHOE FALLS, NIAGARA.
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HORSE-SHOE FALL, NIAGARA.
In the centre of the Fall, a vast body of water rushes in an unbroken sheet; but towards the extremities, the fluid mass is shivered by rocky projections into minute particles, assuming a variety of forms, and radiant with prismatic hues. The volume of air carried down by the waters in their descent, so greatly diminishes the sustaining power of the element, that only substances of the greatest buoyancy will float in the chasm beneath. The spectator can advance to a great distance behind the cascade, by traversing a ledge of rock connected with the overhanging cliff; and having arrived at the customary limit, a scene of wonderful and fearful interest displays itself before him. A curtain of waters separates him from the world, a rocky canopy rises far above his head; "his feelings are those of a prisoner, but never, surely, was there so magnificent a dungeon!"
The concussion of the waters at Niagara strikes less forcibly on the ear than might be supposed; within a very short distance of the Falls, conversation may be maintained without any great exertion of the voice. The sounds of the cataract combine with none other; they would be heard amid the roaring of a volcano, and yet do not drown the chirping of a sparrow.
The view of the Falls represented in the engraving, derives much additional interest from an event detailed in the following extract from the Literary Gazette, May 9th, 1835:—
"A recent letter from New York announces the fall of the Table rock, at the Falls of Niagara. This immense mass of stone was on the Canada side of the river, projecting so as to afford the spectator a front view of the Horse-Shoe Fall. It was considerably undermined, and fissures on the surface had, for some time past, indicated the disruption. A larger mass was detached two or three years back, by the total fall of the most favourable position for viewing the magnificent appearance presented by that stupendous fall of waters."