- We first attempted the pass nearest to us, and which was
reported to be practicable.
The horses with tolerable ease descended the
first ridge, which was about one third down; but it was impossible to
proceed a step farther with them: indeed we had the utmost difficulty to
get them back again. Three of them actually rolled over, and were saved
only by the trees from being precipitated to the bottom. Quitting this
place, we proceeded up the glen, into which many small streams fell from
the most awful heights, forming so many beautiful cascades. After
travelling five or six miles, we arrived at that part of the river at
which, after passing through a beautiful and level though elevated
country, it is first received into the glen. We had seen many fine and
magnificent falls, each of which had excited our admiration in no small
degree, but the present one so far surpassed any thing which we had
previously conceived even to be possible, that we were lost in
astonishment at the sight of this wonderful natural sublimity, which
perhaps is scarcely to be exceeded in any part of the eastern world. The
river, after passing through an apparently gentle rising and fine
country, is here divided into two streams, the whole width of which is
about seventy yards. At this spot, the country seems cleft in twain, and
divided to its very foundation: a ledge of rocks, two or three feet
higher than the level on either side, divides the waters in two, which,
falling over a perpendicular rock two hundred and thirty-five feet in
height, forms this grand cascade.
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