A Story of Niagara Falls.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 236, 7 January 1888, Page 3

A Story of Niagara Falls.

A small steamer called the Maid of the Mist was built upon the river, between the falls and the rapids, and was used for taking adventurous tourists up amidst the spray, as near to the cataract as possible. The Maid of the Mist plied in this way for a year or two, and was, I believe, much patronised during the season. But in the third summer an evil time had come. Either the Maid had got into debt, or her owner had embarked in other and less profitless speculations. At any rate he became subject to the law, and tidings reached him that the sheriff would seize the Maid. On most occasions the sheriff is bound to keep such intentions secret. But with the poor Maid there was no need of secrecy. There was but a mile or so on which she could ply, and she was forbidden by the nature of her properties to make any way upon land. The sheriffs prey, therefore, was easy, and the poor Maid was doomed. In any country in the worldbut America such would havebeen the case; but an American would steam down Phlegethon to save his property from the sheriff, The captain determined to run the rapids, and he procured two others to accompany him in the risk. He got up his steam and took the Maid up amidst the spray according to his custom. Then suddenly turning on his course, he, with one of his companions, fixed himself at the wheel, while the other remained at his engine. I was told by a man who saw the boat pass under the bridge, that she made one long leap down as she came thither, that her funnel was at once knocked flat on the deck by thr force of the blow, that the waters covered her from stem to stern, and that she rose again and skimmed into the whirlpool a mile below. When there she rode with comparative ease , upon the waters*, and took the sharp turn round into the, river below, .without a struggle. The feat w^ as done, and the Maid was rescued from the. sheriff.

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