"Flow on forever, in thy glorious robe
Of terror and of beauty. Yea, flow on,
Unfathomed and resistless. God hath set
His rainbow on thy forehead, and the cloud
Mantled around thy feet. And he doth give
Thy voice of thunder power to speak of him
Eternally,--bidding the lip of man
Keep silence,--and upon thine altar pour
Incense of awe-struck praise."

Three miles below the falls is the Whirlpool, a vast basin formed by the
projection of a rocky promontory on the Canadian side, against which the
waters rush with such violence as to cause a severe reaction and rotary
motion; and in it logs and trees are frequently whirled around for weeks
in succession.

Geology has accepted as a matter of certitude that within the memory of
men now living, the Falls have receded 100 feet, and authorities in that
science have stated the fact, that the retrocession--estimated from one
inch to one foot per year--began near Lewiston. The whole waters of the
lakes there foamed over this dam several miles in width.

The name "Niagara" is supposed to belong to the vocabulary of the Iroquois
language, meaning "Thunderer of Waters."

The first white visitor to Niagara Falls was Father Hennepin, a priest and
historian, accompanying Chevalier Robert de la Salle on his discoveries.
He published the first description of "this wonderful Downfall" in 1678.