SHOOTING NIAGARA.

Patea Mail, Volume II, Issue 178, 23 December 1876, Page 2

SHOOTING NIAGARA.

(Scribner’s Illustrated Monthly.) In the year 1840 a small steamer was built in the eddy just above the railway suspension bridge to run up to the Falls. She was very appropriately named the Maid of the mist. Her engine was rather weak, but. she safely accomplished the trip. As, however, she took passengers aboard only from the Canada side, she did little more than pay expenses, in 1851 a larger and

better boat, with a powerful engine—the new Maid of the .Mist—was put on the route, and, as she took passengers from both shores, many thousands of persons made this most exciting and impressive tour under the Falls. Owing to some change in her appointments, which again conlined her to Canadian .shore' for the reception of passengers, she became unprofitable., Her owner having decided to leave the place, wished to sell her as site lay at her dock. This he could not do, but had an offer of something more than half of her cost it he would deliver her at Niagara, opposite the Fort. This he decided to do, after a consultation with Robinson, who had acted as her captain and pilot on her trips tinder the Falls. The hoatreqnired for her navigation an engineer, who also acted as firemen, and a pilot. On her pleasure trips she bud a clerk in addition to these. Mr Robinson agreed to act as pilot for the fearful voyage, and the engineer, Mr Jones, consented to go with him. A courageous machinist, Mr MTntyre, volunteered to share the risk with them. They put her in complete trim, removing from her deck and hold all superfluous articles. Notice was given of the time for starting, and a huge number of people assembled to see the fcaiful plunge, no one expecting to sec either boat or crew again after they should leave the dock. This clock was just above the railway suspension bridge, at'the place where she was built, and where she was laid up in the winter, that, too, being the only place where she could lie without danger of being crushed by the ice. Twenty rods below this eddy the water plunges sharply down into the head of the crooked, tumultuous rapid, reaching from the bridge to the whirlpool. At the whirlpool, the danger of being drawn under was most to he apprehended; in the rapids of being turned over or knocked to pieces. From the whirlpool to Lewiston is a wild rush and whirl of water the whole distance. About 3 o’clock on the •afternoon of the 14th June, 1361, the engineer took his place in the hold, and knowing their flitting would he short at the longest, set his steam-valve at the proper gauge, and waited—not without anxiety—the tinkling signal that should start them on their flying voyage, MTntyre j lined Robinson at the wheel on the upper deck. Robinson took his place at the wheel and pulled the starting hell. With a shriek from her whistle and a white puff from her escapepipe, the boat ran up the eddy a short distance then swung around to the right, cleared the smooth water, and shot like an arrow into the rapid under the bridge She took the outside curve of the rapid, and when a third of the way down it, a jet of water struck against her rudder, a column dashed up under her starboard side, heeled her over, carried away her smoke-stack, started her overhang on that side, threw Robinson on his back, and thrust M’intyre against her starboard wheel-house with such force as to break it through.' Every looker-on- breathed freely as she (.‘merged, shook her wounded sides, slid into the whirlpool, and for a moment rode again on an even keel. Robinson rose at once, seized the helm, set her to the right of the largo pot in the pool, and then turned her directly through the neck of it. Thence, after receiving another drenching from its waves, she dashed on without further accident to the quiet bosom of the river below Lewiston. Thus was accomplished the most remarkable and perilous voyage ever made by men. The boat was 72ft. long, with 17ft. breadth of beam, Bft. depth of hold, and earned an engine of 100-horse power. Robinson said that the greater part of; it was like what lie had always imagined must he the swift sailing of a large bird in a downward flight ; that when the accident occurred the boat seemed to be struck from all directions at once ; then she trembled like a fiddle-string, and felt as if she would crumble away and drop into atoms; that both he and M Jntyre were holding to the wheel with all their strength, but produced no more effect than if they had been two flies ; that he had no fear of striking the rocks, lor lie know that he strongest suction must be in the deepest channel, and that the boat must remain in that. Finding that MTntyre was somewhat bewildered by excitement, or by his fall, as he rolled up by his side, but did not rise, he quietly put his foot on his breast to keep him from rolling around the deck, and thus finished the voyage.