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on the bottom I collected several nice pebbles and should I ever visit England
I can treat my Friends by presenting t[hem] with one each. You will see in
the engraving the point of an island w[ith] overhanging shrubs: I stood there
close to the water and cut a spray of cedar that hung over the edge and was
wet with the spray from below, and while there I was myself sprinkled with
it. There is a wooden bridge across the first stream and by this means I
could approach the edge of the great cataract. Near there a circular stone
tower has been erected from the top of which there is a rich treat. Both
falls are seen from this point the one on the right the other on the left,
and the River below white as milk before you. And when you turn round to
look on the river above the sight is almost equally grand. The best description
I can give you of this view is by saying that the Ure just above Asgarth
bridge resembles it. only not on so great or grand a scale. And these Rapids
as they are called extend above for a considerable distance. There are several
small islands just above the falls and one large one upon which very fine
timber is grown. There are also two or three dwellings and a very nice paper
mill. I was rather surprised to find Houses just above the falls; but I found
that if a person had all the property between the two parts of the stream
(and it divides but a short distance aboe, but the width is great) he would
be a wealthy man. The Rocks forming the falls are not in a line directly
across, but are quite in a slanting direction, and front towards the Canada
side, from which side alone a full view of the falls is to be obtained. The
day was very fine, and being in the afternoon the rays of the sun fell directly
upon the fall, and two or three bright and beautiful rainbows were formed
some directly along the bottom and I observed one spanning the height in
the centre of the immense column of water as it descended. The engraving
gives but a