north america-1-第35章

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fully　before　your　eye；　made　to　show　itself　in　so　complete　and　entire　a　shape；　as　it　will　do　when　you　come　to　stand　near　to　it　on　the　opposite　or　Canadian　shore。　　But　I　think　that　it　shows　itself　more　beautifully。　　And　the　form　of　the　cataract　is　such　that　here；　on　Goat　Island；　on　the　American　side；　no　spray　will　reach　you；　although　you　are　absolutely　over　the　waters。　　But　on　the　Canadian　side；　the　road　as　it　approaches　the　fall　is　wet　and　rotten　with　spray；　and　you；　as　you　stand　close　upon　the　edge；　will　be　wet　also。　The　rainbows　as　they　are　seen　through　the　rising　cloudfor　the　sun's　rays　as　seen　through　these　waters　show　themselves　in　a　bow；　as　they　do　when　seen　through　rainare　pretty　enough；　and　are　greatly　loved。　　For　myself；　I　do　not　care　for　this　prettiness　at　Niagara。　　It　is　there；　but　I　forget　it；　and　do　not　mind　how　soon　it　is　forgotten。　But　we　are　still　on　the　tower；　and　here　I　must　declare　that　though　I　forgive　the　tower；　I　cannot　forgive　the　horrid　obelisk　which　has　latterly　been　built　opposite　to　it；　on　the　Canadian　side；　up　above　the　fall；　built　apparentlyfor　I　did　not　go　to　itwith　some　camera…obscura　intention　for　which　the　projector　deserves　to　be　put　in　Coventry　by　all　good　Christian　men　and　women。　　At　such　a　place　as　Niagara　tasteless　buildings；　run　up　in　wrong　places　with　a　view　to　money　making；　are　perhaps　necessary　evils。　　It　may　be　that　they　are　not　evils　at　all；　that　they　give　more　pleasure　than　pain；　seeing　that　they　tend　to　the　enjoyment　of　the　multitude。　　But　there　are　edifices　of　this　description　which　cry　aloud　to　the　gods　by　the　force　of　their　own　ugliness　and　malposition。　　As　to　such；　it　may　be　said　that　there　should　somewhere　exist　a　power　capable　of　crushing　them　in　their　birth。　　This　new　obelisk；　or　picture…building　at　Niagara；　is　one　of　such。　And　now　we　will　cross　the　water；　and　with　this　object　will　return　by　the　bridge　out　of　Goat　Island；　on　the　main　land　of　the　American　side。　　But　as　we　do　so；　let　me　say　that　one　of　the　great　charms　of　Niagara　consists　in　this：　that　over　and　above　that　one　great　object　of　wonder　and　beauty；　there　is　so　much　little　loveliness　loveliness　especially　of　water　I　mean。　　There　are　little　rivulets　running　here　and　there　over　little　falls；　with　pendent　boughs　above　them；　and　stones　shining　under　their　shallow　depths。　　As　the　visitor　stands　and　looks　through　the　trees；　the　rapids　glitter　before　him；　and　then　hide　themselves　behind　islands。　　They　glitter　and　sparkle　in　far　distances　under　the　bright　foliage；　till　the　remembrance　is　lost；　and　one　knows　not　which　way　they　run。　　And　then　the　river　below；　with　its　whirlpool；but　we　shall　come　to　that　by…and…by；　and　to　the　mad　voyage　which　was　made　down　the　rapids　by　that　mad　captain　who　ran　the　gantlet　of　the　waters　at　the　risk　of　his　own　life；　with　fifty　to　one　against　him；　in　order　that　he　might　save　another　man's　property　from　the　sheriff。　The　readiest　way　across　to　Canada　is　by　the　ferry；　and　on　the　American　side　this　is　very　pleasantly　done。　　You　go　into　a　little　house；　pay　twenty　cents；　take　a　seat　on　a　wooden　car　of　wonderful　shape；　and　on　the　touch　of　a　spring　find　yourself　traveling　down　an　inclined　plane　of　terrible　declivity；　and　at　a　very　fast　rate。　　You　catch　a　glance　of　the　river　below　you；　and　recognize　the　fact　that　if　the　rope　by　which　you　are　held　should　break；　you　would　go　down　at　a　very　fast　rate　indeed；　and　find　your　final　resting…place　in　the　river。　　As　I　have　gone　down　some　dozen　times；　and　have　come　to　no　such　grief；　I　will　not　presume　that　you　will　be　less　lucky。　Below　there　is　a　boat　generally　ready。　　If　it　be　not　there；　the　place　is　not　chosen　amiss　for　a　rest　of　ten　minutes；　for　the　lesser　fall　is　close　at　hand；　and　the　larger　one　is　in　full　view。　　Looking　at　the　rapidity　of　the　river；　you　will　think　that　the　passage　must　be　dangerous　and　difficult。　　But　no　accidents　ever　happen；　and　the　lad　who　takes　you　over　seems　to　do　it　with　sufficient　ease。　　The　walk　up　the　hill　on　the　other　side　is　another　thing。　　It　is　very　steep；　and　for　those　who　have　not　good　locomotive　power　of　their　own；　will　be　found　to　be　disagreeable。　　In　the　full　season；　however；　carriages　are　generally　waiting　there。　　In　so　short　a　distance　I　have　always　been　ashamed　to　trust　to　other　legs　than　my　own；　but　I　have　observed　that　Americans　are　always　dragged　up。　　I　have　seen　single　young　men　of　from　eighteen　to　twenty…five；　from　whose　outward　appearance　no　story　of　idle；　luxurious　life　can　be　read；　carried　about　alone　in　carriages　over　distances　which　would　be　counted　as　nothing　by　any　healthy　English　lady　of　fifty。　　None　but　the　old　invalids　should　require　the　assistance　of　carriages　in　seeing　Niagara；　but　the　trade　in　carriages　is　to　all　appearance　the　most　brisk　trade　there。　Having　mounted　the　hill　on　the　Canada　side；　you　will　walk　on　toward　the　falls。　　As　I　have　said　before；　you　will　from　this　side　look　directly　into　the　full　circle　of　the　upper　cataract；　while　you　will　have　before　you；　at　your　left　hand；　the　whole　expanse　of　the　lesser　fall。　　For　those　who　desire　to　see　all　at　a　glance；　who　wish　to　comprise　the　whole　with　their　eyes；　and　to　leave　nothing　to　be　guessed；　nothing　to　be　surmised；　this　no　doubt　is　the　best　point　of　view。　You　will　be　covered　with　spray　as　you　walk　up　to　the　ledge　of　rocks；　but　I　do　not　think　that　the　spray　will　hurt　you。　　If　a　man　gets　wet　through　going　to　his　daily　work；　cold；　catarrh；　cough；　and　all　their　attendant　evils；　may　be　expected；　but　these　maladies　usually　spare　the　tourist。　　Change　of　air；　plenty　of　air；　excellence　of　air；　and　increased　exercise；　make　these　things　powerless。　　I　should　therefore　bid　you　disregard　the　spray。　　If；　however；　you　are　yourself　of　a　different　opinion；　you　may　hire　a　suit　of　oil…cloth　clothes　for；　I　believe；　a　quarter　of　a　dollar。　They　are　nasty　of　course；　and　have　this　further　disadvantage；　that　you　become　much　more　wet　having　them　on　than　you　would　be　without　them。　Here；　on　this　side；　you　walk　on　to　the　very　edge　of　the　cataract；　and；　if　your　tread　be　steady　and　your　legs　firm；　you　dip　your　foot　into　the　water　exactly　at　the　spot　where　the　thin　outside　margin　of　the　current　reaches　the　rocky　edge　and　jumps　to　join　the　mass　of　the　fall。　　The　bed　of　white　foam　beneath　is　certainly　seen　better　here　than　elsewhere；　and　the　green　curve　of　the　water　is　as　bright　here　as　when　seen　from　the　wooden　rail　across。　　But　nevertheless　I　say　again　that　that　wooden　rail　is　the　one　point　from　whence　Niagara　may　be　best　seen　aright。　Close　to　the　cataract；　exactly　at　the　spot　from　whence　in　former　days　the　Table　Rock　used　to　project　from　the　land　over　the　boiling　caldron　below；　there　is　now　a　shaft；　down　which　you　will　descend　to　the　level　of　the　river；　and　pass　between　the　rock　and　the　torrent。　This　Table　Rock　broke　away　from　the　cliff　and　fell；　as　up　the　whole　course　of　the　river　the　seceding　rocks　have　split　and　fallen　from　time　to　time　through　countless　years；　and　will　continue　to　do　till　the　bed　of　the　upper　lake　is　reached。　　You　will　descend　this　shaft；　taking　to　yourself　or　not　taking　to　yourself　a　suit　of　oil…clothes　as　you　may　think　best。　　I　have　gone　with　and　without　the　suit；　and　again　recommend　that　they　be　left　behind。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the　ordinary　payment　sho