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Page 62
[1] From Dablon's "Relation." Dablon was the Superior General of
the Jesuit Missions in America.
DISCOVERY OF NIAGARA FALLS
(1678)
BY FATHER LOUIS HENNEPIN[1]
Betwixt the Lake Ontario and Erie, there is a vast and prodigious
cadence of water which falls down after a surprizing and astonishing
manner, insomuch that the universe does not afford its parallel. 'Tis
true, Italy and Suedeland boast of some such things; but we may well
say they are but sorry patterns, when compared to this of which we now
speak. At the foot of this horrible precipice, we meet with the river
Niagara, which is not above half a quarter of a league broad, but is
wonderfully deep in some places. It is so rapid above this descent,
that it violently hurries down the wild beasts while endeavoring to
pass it to feed on the other side, they not being able to withstand
the force of its current, which inevitably casts them down headlong
above six hundred foot.
This wonderful downfall is compounded of two great cross-streams of
water, and two falls, with an isle sloping along the middle of it. The
waters which fall from this vast height, do foam and boil after the
most hideous manner imaginable, making an outrageous noise, more
terrible than that of thunder; for when the wind blows from off the
south, their dismal roaring may be heard above fifteen leagues off.
The river Niagara having thrown itself down this incredible precipice,
continues its impetuous course for two leagues together, to the great
rock above mentioned, with an inexpressible rapidity: But having
passed that, its impetuosity relents, gliding along more gently for
two leagues, till it arrives at the Lake Ontario, or Frontenac.
Any bark or greater vessel may pass from the fort to the foot of this
huge rock above mentioned. This rock lies to the westward, and is cut
off from the land by the river Niagara, about two leagues farther down
than the great fall; for which two leagues the people are obliged to
carry their goods over-land; but the way is very good, and the trees
are but few, and they chiefly firs and oaks.
From the great fall unto this rock, which is to the west of the river,
the two brinks of it are so prodigious high, that it would make one
tremble to look steadily upon the water, rolling along with a rapidity
not to be imagined. Were it not for this vast cataract, which
interrupts navigation, they might sail with barks or greater vessels,
above four hundred and fifty leagues further, cross the Lake of
Hurons, and up to the farther end of the Lake Illinois (Michigan);
which two lakes we may well say are little seas of fresh water.
[1] Louis Hennepin, born in Belgium in 1640, was a friar of the
Recollect order, an offshoot of the Franciscans. Mr. Thwaites, who
has edited Hennepin's "New Discovery of a Vast Country," from
which the account of Niagara Falls here given is taken, describes
him as "an uneasy soul, uncontent to remain cloistered and
fretting to engage in travel and wild adventure." After the
pioneer voyage down the Mississippi, made by Joliet and Marquette,
had become known in Europe, it intensified an already active
spirit of discovery. In the summer of 1678 Hennepin joined La
Salle and Laval Montmorency in the famous expedition of La Salle
undertaken from Quebec to explore the interior, with a view to
uniting Canada with the Gulf of Mexico by a chain of forts. On
arrival in Quebec Father Hennepin was sent forward by La Salle to
Fort Frontenac, on Lake Ontario. Thence, with La Monte and sixteen
men, he went on to Niagara in order to smooth the way with the
Indians for La Salle's later coming. It was at this time that
Hennepin first saw Niagara Falls. White men had probably seen the
cataract before, but he is the first who wrote a description of it
that has come down to us. Hennepin's character has been severely
criticized. He was much given to exaggeration, and he magnified
his own importance. Mr. Thwaites describes him as "hardy, brave
and enterprising," but "lacking in spiritual qualities."
Hennepin's estimate of the height of the falls (about 600 feet)
may be cited as an example of his faculty in exaggeration. The
actual height is 167 feet. The descent from Lake Erie to Ontario,
including that of the rapids above and below the falls, is only
330 feet.
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