t I can understand a hesitation to accept
them, high as they were, to the exclusion of

That o'erflowing joy which Nature yields
To her true lovers.

To all who are of this mind, the strengthening of desire on my part to
see and know Niagara Falls, as far as it is possible for them to be
seen and known, will be intelligible.

On the first evening of my visit, I met, at the head of Biddle's
Stair, the guide to the Cave of the Winds. He was in the prime of
manhood--large, well built, firm and pleasant in mouth and eye. My
interest in the scene stirred up his, and made him communicative.

Turning to a photograph, he described, by reference to it, a feat
which he had accomplished some time previously, and which had brought
him almost under the green water of the Horseshoe Fall. 'Can you lead
me there to-morrow?' I asked. He eyed me enquiringly, weighing,
perhaps, the chances of a man of light build, and with grey in his
whiskers, in such an undertaking. 'I wish,' I added, 'to see as much
of the fall as can be seen, and where you lead I will endeavour to
follow.' His scrutiny relaxed into a smile, and he said, 'Very well;
I shall be ready for you to-morrow.'

On the morrow, accordingly, I came. In the hut at the head of
Biddle's Stair I stripped wholly, and re-dressed according to
instructions,--drawing on two pairs of woollen pantaloons, three
woollen jackets, two pairs of socks, and a pair of felt shoes. Even
if wet, my guide assured me that the clothes would keep me from being
chilled; and he was right. A suit and hood of yellow oilcloth covered
all. Most laudable precautions were taken by the young assistant who
helped to dress me to keep the water out; but his devices broke down
immediately when severely tested.

We descended the stair; the handle of a pitchfork doing, in my case,
the duty of an alpenstock. At the bottom, the guide enquired whether
we should go first to the Cave of the Winds, or to the Horseshoe,
remarking that the latter would try us most. I decided on getting the
roughest done first, and he turned to the left over the stones. They
were sharp and trying. The base of the first portion of the cataract
is covered with huge boulders, obviously the ruins of the limestone
ledge above. The water does not distribute itself uniformly among
these, but seeks out channels through which it pours torrentially. We
passed some of these with wetted feet, but without difficulty. At
length