SECTION II

The Cataract of Niagara, in Canada, North America. THIS amazing fall of water is made by the River St. Lawrence, in its passage from lake Erie into the lake Ontario. The St. Lawrence is one of the largest rivers in the world; and yet the whole of its waters are here poured down, by a fall of a hundred and fifty feet perpendicular. It is not easy to bring the imagination to correfpond to the greatness of the scene. A river extremely deep and rapid, and that serves to drain the waters of almost all North America into the Atlantic Ocean, is here poured precipitately down a ledge of rocks, that rises, like a wall, across the whole bed of its ftream. The river, a little above, is near three quarters of a mile broad; and the rocks, where it grows narrower, are four hundred yards over. Their direction is not straight across, but hollowing inwards like a horfe-shoe: fo that the cataract, which bends to the shape of the obstacle, rounding inwards, prefents a kind of theatre the most tremendous in nature. Just in the middle of this circular wall of waters, a little ifland, that has braved the fury of the current, prefents one of its points, and divides the stream at top into two parts; but they unite again long before they reach the bottom. The noise of the fall is heard at the dif. tance of feveral leagues; and the fury of the waters, at the termination of their fall, is inconceivable. The dashing produces a mist that rises to the very clouds; and which forms a most beautiful rainbow, when the fun shines. It will readily be supposed, that fuch a cataract entirely deftroys the navigation of the stream;

and yet some Indian canoes, as it is said, have ventured

down it with fafety.

GOLDSMITH.

SECTION III.

The Grotto of Antiparos.

Or all the fubterraneous caverns now known, the grotto of Antiparos is the most remarkable, as well for its extent, as for the beauty of its sparry incruftations. This celebrated cavern was first explored by one Magni, an Italian traveller, about a hundred years ago, at Antiparos, an inconfiderable island of the Archipelago. "Having been informed," says he, "by the natives of Paros, that in the little island of Antiparos, which lies about two miles from the former, of a gigantic statue that was to be seen at the mouth of a cavern in that place, it was refolved that we (the French Conful and himself) should pay it a vifit. In pursuance of this resolution, after we had landed on the ifland, and walked about four miles through the midst of beautiful plains, and floping woodlands, we at length came to a little hill, on the fide of which yawned a most horrid cavern, that with its gloom at first struck us with terror, and almost reprefsed curiofity. Recovering the first surprise, however, we entered boldly; and had not proceeded above twenty paces, when the supposed statue of the giant presented itfelf to our view. We quickly perceived, that what the ignorant natives had been terrified at as a giant, was nothing more than a sparry concretion, formed by the water dropping from the roof of the cave, and by degrees hardening into a figure, which their fears had formed into a monster. Incited by this extraordinary appearance, we were induced to proceed still further, in quest of new adventures in this fubterranean abode. As we proceeded, new wonders offered themselves; the spars, formed into trees and shrubs, presented a kind of petrified grove; fome white, fome green; and all receding in due perspective. They struck us with the more amazement, as we knew them to be mere productions of Nature, who, hitherto in folitude, had, in her playful moments, dressed the scene, as if for her own amufement."

"We had as yet feen but a few of the wonders of the place; and we were introduced only into the portico of this amazing temple. In one corner of this half illuminated recefs, there appeared an opening of about three feet wide, which seemed to lead to a place totally dark, and which one of the natives afsured us contained nothing more than a refervoir of water. Upon this information, we made an experiment, by throwing down some ftones, which rumbling along the fides of the defcent for fome time, the found feemed at last quashed in a bed of water. In order, however, to be more certain, wesent in a Levantine mariner, who, by the promise of a good reward, with a flambeau in his hand, ventured into this narrow aperture. After continuing within it for about a quarter of an hour, he returned, bearing in his hand, fome beautiful pieces of white fpar, which art could neither imitate nor equal. Upon being informed by him that the place was full of these beautiful incrustations, I ventured in once more with him, about fifty paces, anxiously and cautioufly defcending, by a steep and dangerous way. Finding, however, that we came to a precipice which led into

a spacious amphitheatre, (if I may so call it,) ftill deeper than any other part, we returned, and being provided with a ladder, flambeau, and other things to expedite our defcent, our whole company, man by man, ventured into the fame opening; and defcending one after another, we at last saw ourselves all together in the most magnificent part of the cavern."

SECTION IV.

The Grotto of Antiparos continued.

"OUR candles being now all lighted up, and the whole place completely illuminated, never could the eye be presented with a more glittering, or a more magnificent scene. The whole roof hung with folid ificles, transparent as glass, yet folid as marble. The eye could scarcely reach the lofty and noble cieling; the fides were regularly formed with spars; and the whole presented the idea of a magnificent theatre, illuminated with an immenfe profufion of lights. The floor confifted of folid marble: and, in feveral places, magnificent columns, thrones, altars, and other objects, appeared, as if nature had defigned to mock the curiofities of art. Our voices, upon speaking or finging, were redoubled to an aftonishing loudness; and upon the firing of a gun, the noise and reverberations were almost deafening. In the midst of this grand amphitheatre rose a concretion of about fifteen feet high, that, in fome measure, resembled an altar; from which, taking the hint, we caused mass to be celebrated there. The beautiful columns that shot up round the altar, appeared like candlesticks; and many other natural

objects represented the customary ornaments of this

rite."

"Below even this spacious grotto there feemed another cavern; down which I ventured with my former mariner, and defcended about fifty paces by means of a rope. I at last arrived at a small fpot of level ground, where the bottom appeared different from that of the amphitheatre, being composed of foft clay, yielding to the pressure, and in which I thrust a ftick to the depth of fix feet. In this, however, as above, numbers of the most beautiful crystals were formed; one of which, particularly, resembled a table. Upon our egrefs from this amazing cavern, we perceived a Greek inscription upon a rock at the mouth, but so obliterated by time, that we could not read it distinctly. It seemed to import that one Antipater, in the time of Alexander, had come hither; but whether he penetrated into the depths of the cavern, he does not think fit to inform us." This account of fo beautiful and striking a scene, may ferve to give us fome idea of the fubterraneous wonders of nature.

GOLDSMITH.

SECTION V.

Earthquake at Catanea.

ONE of the earthquakes most particularly described in hiftory, is that which happened in the year 1693; the damages of which were chiefly felt in Sicily, but its motion was perceived in Germany, France, and England. It extended to a circumference of two thousand fix hundred leagues; chiefly affecting the