blaze of summer sunshine, when there burst full upon our view one of the sublimest scenes in nature, for we were almost on the very brink of the vast gulf formed by the ceaseless action of this mighty mass of waters through a long period of unknown ages. I motioned the driver to rein in his willing steeds, for I was aware that the point we had reached afforded one of the finest views of this splendid picture, and attempted to draw the attention of the travellers to some of its most remarkable features. Alas! all my efforts were vain, for I could not elicit one single note of approbation! One of them, however, declared that it was the most horrid-looking place she had ever seen; another followed by asserting that it had already made her head ache; while the remaining two were silent, apparently more asleep than awake, scarcely deigning to turn their eyes in the direction of the objects towards which I had been endeavouring to draw their attention.

The hotel on the American side of the river is charmingly situated, peeping out as it does from a grove of locust and other graceful forest trees, and fronting that branch of the Niagara river which separates the main land from Goat Island. But notwithstanding its proximity to the bank of the river, no part of the mighty cataract is visible from the windows of the house, the hotel being situated a little above the head of the waterfall.

Goat Island, which divides the river into two parts, was originally deemed inaccessible; but the ingenuity of man has succeeded in constructing a wooden bridge from the shore near the hotel to the island opposite. Considering the great velocity of the current, and its closeness to the head of the cataract, the undertaking must have been attended with extreme danger and difficulty. The island is covered with moderate-sized trees, through which a rude path has been opened for those who love to ramble in such exciting scenes. Near the end of the bridge the owner of the establishment has erected a tasteful building, containing a billiard-room ; with two or three other rooms, fitted up with seats, &c., for the accommodation of his visitors; but the Yankee general has had an eye to profit when he constructed the bridge and the buildings adjoining, since a person is placed there to collect a toll from those whom curiosity leads to the trembling island. Although the American side of the cataract is not nearly so interesting as the British side-for in addition to the Canadian banks being more elevated, the horse-shoe, or main fall, is contiguous to it-yet, as nearly the whole of the visitors are Americans, General Whitnay reaps a fair share of the favours of the tourists. The roads, however, on the Canadian lines, are better than those along the United States frontier, which operates, in some measure against the General's interest.

On our arrival we learned that there might be from thirty to forty visitors at the General's, with sundry other comers and goers, of whom it was difficult to say to which side of the river they properly belonged. After alighting, and seeing my luggage safely deposited, and having taken a stroll through the two common sitting-rooms, where I found the major part of the company luxuriating in that perfect quiescence so delightful to Americans, I descended into the area in the rear of the house, where I found the General seated under the shade of a locust-tree, unincumbered with coat and cravat, while two Indian boys were amusing themselves with their bows and arrows. The General and I having

bill was

renewed old acquaintance, I asked him to prevail upon the boys to exhibit their dexterity in archery. He said that if I would give them a few cents. (American copper coins) they should do so; but having none about me, I begged he would supply me with two or three, which I would afterwards repay him. He did so, when I remarked that I was surprised to find them (the boys) such uncertain marksmen. “Why,” replied the General, “ I will lay you a dollar that the smaller boy shall hit a sixpence at the distance of an hundred feet, once out of three shots." Without feeling any disposition to gamble, I told him that I would het him the price of our dinners (for I was aware that he always sat at the public table)--which, in fact, would be a dollar if I lost, and, if I won, my dinner gratis--that the boy could not do it. The sixpence having been stuck up, and the ground duly measured off, the urchin knocked it down the first shot. Of course I acknowledged that I was entitled to pay for the two dinners; and, when my made out, I found the two cents included which the Indian boys liad previously practised at !

The dinner-hour was two o'clock. The General took possession of the bottom-seat, and, after some coaxing, a Dr. Somebody was prevailed upon to take the head of the table.

A person unacquainted with the Americans would have been astonished at the effect the tinkling of the dinner-bell had upon

the

apparent listlessness of the company. The first stroke of the bell acted like magic upon the relaxed and recumbent limbs that I had previously noticed, and forth rushed the eager crowd to the scene of action. The table, as is usual in American hotels and boarding-houses, was laid for double the number of persons present, which gave little parties the opportunity of huddling together, leaving two or three chairs unoccupied between them and their next neighbours. I had intended to take a seat in the vicinity of the party with whom I had travelled ; but in the bustle I made a mistake and got to the opposite side of the table. At a public feed conversation is but little tolerated. As a proof of this, in twenty-five minutes after dinner had been announced, the company had not only bolted the General's provisions, but had recurred to their lounging on sofas, settees, rocking-chairs, and long benches in the sitting-rooms and balconies of the upper story. Not an individual at the table called for wine, but spirits (of which there were six or eight decanters on the board) were liberally mingled with the tepid water, perhaps to cool it. In the sitting-rooms there were a few trashy books scattered about; but it seemed too much trouble for the ladies to turn over their soiled lcaves. The male portion of the company did, however, exert themselves so far as to smoke cigars; but this was not effected without stripping off their coats, and resting their lower extremities upon chairs and tables. To me it seems surprising that so many persons take the trouble to travel so far over bad roads, where the accommodations are but indifferent, to receive, apparently, so little pleasure or gratification ; for, since a state of perfect quietude seems to constitute the height of enjoyment to nine-tenths of all the American tourists, they surely would save themselves much fatigue and expense by remaining quietly at home, or, at all events, confining their excursions within very moderate limits. But where are the people that have not their fóllies and foibles ? Brother Jonathan's folks entertain an idea that travelling (no matter whether the traveller has his eyes and ears open or shut) enlightens the mind; and, as they consider themselves—or, at all events, wish to be considered a clever people—there exists in America a feverish feeling for change of place, which, with them, passes for travelling.

Finding so little to interest me in the company at the General's, when the sun had somewhat declined from his mid-day splendour, I engaged one of the General's understrappers to carry my traps; and, having settled the bill for my own as well as my host's dinner (including the couple of cents he had loaned to me), I descended the steep and somewhat intricate pathway which leads to the river a little below the roaring cataract; and there having got myself stowed away in a small bateau belonging to one of Billy Forsyth's boatmen, I presently found myself within the limits of the British colonies. Although there is no danger in crossing the river at this place, yet, to persons unaccustomed to the turmoil of waters, this ferry is truly alarming. The channel here is very narrow in comparison with what it is everywhere above the Falls, and yet, owing to its great depth, the current is not very rapid. Though not swift, the boiling, and eddying, and the generally-disturbed state of the water is very remarkable; and, as I previously observed, very appalling to weak nerves. From the vicinity of this ferry there is a splendid view of both sections of the cataract. Enormous masses of detached rock are rudely jumbled together beneath the steep cliffs, particularly on the British side; so that, after the boatman lands you upon some one of these you experience some difficulty in scrambling to the bottom of the path or ladder by which you ascend the wall of rock. Being myself familiar with the wild scene, I felt no inclination to remain longer than necessary where my ears were stunned continually by the thunders of the cataract, while a gentle breeze from the southwest brought with it a shower of spray much resembling an insinuating “ Scotch mist.” Having engaged a lad, who was idling away his time under the pretence of fishing, he shouldered my portmanteau, when some ten minutes' walk brought me to the Pavilion-a hotel where it had been my wont to spend a few days during several preceding summers.

The Pavilion is situated upon the highest point of ground in the vicinity of the Falls; but, owing to the wooded state of the country, in no direction are the views from it extensive. It is a spacious and lofty building-all of wood, with double tiers of balconies extending the whole length on its east and west fronts, supported by rows of tall fluted columns of the same material. The whole fabric is painted white, except the green Venetian window-shutters, of which there are sufficient to relieve the otherwise monotony of the huge white pile of building. From the west front, distant about 300 yards from the nearest part of the great horse-shoe fall, there is a fine view of that part of the cataract situated on the American side, but a mere glimpse at the horse-shoe itself is obtained—a high bank, partially wooded, intervening between the hotel and the margin of the river. Goat Island forms an interesting object, beyond which may be seen General Whitnay's establishment peeping out from the forest-trees that surround it.

Great changes have, however, taken place in the vicinity of the Pavilion, since the visit alluded to, for the adjacent lands have been purchased from the landlord, and an embryo town has been laid out, and rather ostentatiously and prematurely christened the City or the Falls.

At the period of this visit the battle-field of Lundy's Lane, scarcely a mile from the hotel, was one of the “lions ” of the neighbourhood. But events have recently occurred in that vicinity calculated to excite the interest or curiosity of tourists, and now a visit to Navy Island, situated three miles above the Falls, to view the remains of the rebel fortifications, will be as frequent as were formerly the visits to view the Ruins of Fort Erie. Enquiries, also, will be frequent respecting the part of the cataract over which the blazing piratical American steamboat, the Caroline, was precipitated. Visits to York, the capital of the province, are no longer spoken of; for little York has grown up into a city, and changed its name—the roads have been improved, and now they are called “ Trips to Toronto.” But I will proceed with my narrative, lest I should get to moralising on the mutability of all things —even the mighty Falls of Niagara.

On the bar-keeper presenting the “ book of arrivals” to me for the purpose of having my name entered, I took the trouble to look it over, and found that there were upwards of fifty names of persons staying at the hotel; and, as the conveyances from Buffalo (which had not arrived) would probably bring a considerable accession of company, there was little fear of being lonesome during the short stay I purposed making. After I had entered my name the bar-keeper very coolly informed me that “they were quite full,” for which very polite piece of information, had the book been still in my possession, I would have thrown it at his head. However, I was an old customer, although he did not know it ; so off I went in search of the landlord, whom I found in one of the balconies haranguing a party of Quakers recently arrived from the quiet city of Philadelphia. As soon as I was able to secure his attentiun, I beckoned him a little on one side, and acquainted him with what the bar-keeper had told me respecting the lack of accommodations; when he, after bestowing one of his Indian curses upon his assistant, assured me that I might have half-a-dozen beds if I wished. “I thought,” continued he, “that you had understood the manœuvres we are sometimes driven to adopt ; for, between ourselves, the fifty-odd names of today that you saw upon the books were thirty of iem written by the two waiters, and another individual that shall be nameless. You see, Sir, just at present there is a hard-up rivalry between the Yankee general and myself; and, as my house is considerably larger than his, I am obliged to keep a pretty full muster-roll, in order that the travellers who first come here may tell him (for he always inquires of them) that my house is quite full.” I inquired how he managed to deceive them when they assembled at dinner or any other meal, since his flash names would cut but a sorry figure in filling his long tables? Why, as for that,” said he, “there sometimes is a little difficulty; but you know I always sit at the bottom of the table myself, so that I am at hand, should any surmises or awkward inquiries arise, to explain away the matter as well as I am able. Some are reported to have taken carriages (lucky it is that nobody travels in his own) and gone to visit the Whirlpool, others to see the Deep Cut, and some to ramble over the battle-grounds of Chippawa and Lundy's Lane. It is surmised that a few of the young people are too much interested in exploring the romantic scenery around the Falls to attend to the regular hours of the hotel ; while some are stated to be in their own apart

ments with sick head-aches, or with colds caught by venturing so far behind the falling sheet of water as to get a thorough drenching." I had been acquainted with mine host of the Pavilion for several years, but he never before had made me his confidant in those matters. I knew him to be a singular character, for there were many curious reports respecting him and his pranks during the last war with the United States, when he figured in the disguise of an Indian, the savage garb being adopted as a license for various kinds of irregularities; but it is not necessary that I should repeat them here.

Amongst the company that assembled at the tea or supper-table (for they are synonymous terms in America) was the identical person who had taken a fancy to my luggage at Lockport; but, as I felt no inclination to renew our acquaintance, I took my place at another part of the table. He had recognised me, however, for no sooner had the company partially dispersed, than he advanced to where I was standing, and, very familiarly holding out his hand, said, “ Well, Colonel, how do you do? When did you arrive? I had begun to calculate that you had changed your mind, and were not coming to spend a day at the Falls.'

I did not extend my hand, but he seized hold of it, and gave it one of those regular American shakes, a single up-and-a-down, like the slow motion of the piston of a steam-engine, while I acknowledged him with a slight motion of the head.

“ Don't you recollect me ?” continued he: “ I am the gentleman as offered to take care of your luggage from Lockport; hope you've got it here all safe ; but didn't you find the roads considerably rutty, excepting where they are corduroyed ?”.

“ 0!” said I, appearing to recognise him," you are the person that I caught carrying off my portmanteau, and who did carry off my travelling-bag, in consequence of which I had to pursue the stage-waggon. Pray have you been more successful since last we met ?”

I saw that he did not exactly relish my remarks; but, with coolness and unruffled demeanour he grinned a deceitful smile, and “ guessed the Coloneljwished to be jocular. For,” continued he, I

presume no gentleman would insinuate that there is anything unconstitutional in one traveller endeavouring to assist another, when he considers him in a difficulty. But I perceive that the Colonel is an old traveller; so, for the future, I will leave him to arrange his own matters; but won't you stand a treat, Colonel, for what I have done already ?”

There was something so supremely ridiculous in the idea that I should “ treat ” a fellow because he had attempted to rob me, that I could not help laughing outright; which my new acquaintance apparently understood as a non-compliance with his proposal, for he said

“ Now, I reckon, as if so be as I treat the Colonel this time, that he'll have no particular objection to stand his treat when we meet again.”

Without any pledge on my part, I made up my mind to accept the proffered“ treat,” for I suspected he was a scheming rascal. Accordingly we repaired to the bar, where each of us had a drink," as the matter is phrased when you take a little cider, beer, wine, or spirits ; and my companion having paid for the two “drinks,” when he had procured change for a five-dollar bill, I wished him a good evening for the present, for I strongly suspected that all was not right. As soon as