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Jacob Lindley's Account, 1793

SW_JL1793_Page_072

a few strokes with his paddle to no effect, then wrapped his head in his blanket, and laid down in his canoe, to meet his horrid destiny. He was found two miles below; but none of his bones were broken. Here I saw the skin of a porcupine, an animal about as large as a well grown ground hog, with a bushy tail, and claws like that animal. His body interspersed with a vast number of stiff, pointed quills; which are its defence when attacked. Here is a beautiful odoriferous little tree, called the Balm of Gilead. It resembles the lombardy poplar. Here also, the juniper abounds. They are natives of this latitude. Gooseberries and currants of divers colours and kinds, are found here. My route in all, thus far, seven hundred and twenty-one miles. 29th. A wet day—which is a blessing to the earth and its inhabitants hereaway, as it has been exceed-ing dry. 30th. Joseph Moore, John Elliott and myself, went about two and a half miles, to visit that phe-nomenon in nature — the great Falls of Niagara, whose thunders, for several days, had with awful-ness reached mine ears. When I approached this tremendous cataract, it truly appeared amazing, and with the voice of thunder, proclaimed the majesty of its sublime Architect. When we came to the mar-gin of the river below the falls, we descended the almost perpendicular bank, by several windings, from one rock to another, and with the aid of seve-ral Indian ladders, at length reached the surface ofthe water, I suppose at least one hundred and fiftyfeet below the summit. The irregular position of multitudes of huge rocks, which no doubt had tum-