north america-1-第21章

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ing　of　that　railroad　to　be　effected；　and　something　done　toward　the　union　of　those　provinces。　　Canada　could　no　more　stand　alone　without　New　Brunswick　and　Nova　Scotia；　than　could　those　latter　colonies　without　Canada。　　But　I　think　it　would　be　well　to　be　prepared　for　such　a　coming　day；　and　that　it　would　at　any　rate　be　well　to　bring　home　to　ourselves　and　realize　the　idea　of　such　secession　on　the　part　of　our　colonies；　when　the　time　shall　have　come　at　which　such　secession　may　be　carried　out　with　profit　and　security　to　them。　　Great　Britain；　should　she　ever　send　forth　her　child　alone　into　the　world；　must　of　course　guarantee　her　security。　Such　guarantees　are　given　by　treaties；　and；　in　the　wording　of　them；　it　is　presumed　that　such　treaties　will　last　forever。　　It　will　be　argued　that　in　starting　British　North　America　as　a　political　power　on　its　own　bottom；　we　should　bind　ourself　to　all　the　expense　of　its　defense；　while　we　should　give　up　all　right　to　any　interference　in　its　concerns；　and　that；　from　a　state　of　things　so　unprofitable　as　this；　there　would　be　no　prospect　of　a　deliverance。　　But　such　treaties；　let　them　be　worded　how　they　will；　do　not　last　forever。　For　a　time；　no　doubt；　Great　Britain　would　be　so　hamperedif　indeed　she　would　feel　herself　hampered　by　extending　her　name　and　prestige　to　a　country　bound　to　her　by　ties　such　as　those　which　would　then　exist　between　her　and　this　new　nation。　　Such　treaties　are　not　everlasting；　nor　can　they　be　made　to　last　even　for　ages。　　Those　who　word　them　seem　to　think　that　powers　and　dynasties　will　never　pass　away。　　But　they　do　pass　away；　and　the　balance　of　power　will　not　keep　itself　fixed　forever　on　the　same　pivot。　　The　time　may　come　that　it　may　not　come　soon　we　will　all　desirebut　the　time　may　come　when　the　name　and　prestige　of　what　we　call　British　North　America　will　be　as　serviceable　to　Great　Britain　as　those　of　Great　Britain　are　now　serviceable　to　her　colonies。　But　what　shall　be　the　new　form　of　government　for　the　new　kingdom？　That　is　a　speculation　very　interesting　to　a　politician；　though　one　which　to　follow　out　at　great　length　in　these　early　days　would　be　rather　premature。　　That　it　should　be　a　kingdomthat　the　political　arrangement　should　be　one　of　which　a　crowned　hereditary　king　should　form　partnineteen　out　of　every　twenty　Englishmen　would　desire；　and；　as　I　fancy；　so　would　also　nineteen　out　of　every　twenty　Canadians。　　A　king　for　the　United　States；　when　they　first　established　themselves；　was　impossible。　　A　total　rupture　from　the　Old　World　and　all　its　habits　was　necessary　for　them。　　The　name　of　a　king；　or　monarch；　or　sovereign　had　become　horrible　to　their　ears。　Even　to　this　day　they　have　not　learned　the　difference　between　arbitrary　power　retained　in　the　hand　of　one　man；　such　as　that　now　held　by　the　Emperor　over　the　French；　and　such　hereditary　headship　in　the　State　as　that　which　belongs　to　the　Crown　in　Great　Britain。　And　this　was　necessary；　seeing　that　their　division　from　us　was　effected　by　strife；　and　carried　out　with　war　and　bitter　animosities。　　In　those　days　also　there　was　a　remnant；　though　but　a　small　remnant；　of　the　power　of　tyranny　left　within　the　scope　of　the　British　Crown。　　That　small　remnant　has　been　removed；　and　to　me　it　seems　that　no　form　of　existing　government；　no　form　of　government　that　ever　did　exist；　gives　or　has　given　so　large　a　measure　of　individual　freedom　to　all　who　live　under　it　as　a　constitutional　monarchy　in　which　the　Crown　is　divested　of　direct　political　power。　I　will　venture　then　to　suggest　a　king　for　this　new　nation；　and；　seeing　that　we　are　rich　in　princes；　there　need　be　no　difficulty　in　the　selection。　　Would　it　not　be　beautiful　to　see　a　new　nation　established　under　such　auspices；　and　to　establish　a　people　to　whom　their　independence　had　been　given；　to　whom　it　had　been　freely　surrendered　as　soon　as　they　were　capable　of　holding　the　position　assigned　to　them！

CHAPTER　VII。　NIAGARA。

Of　all　the　sights　on　this　earth　of　ours　which　tourists　travel　to　seeat　least　of　all　those　which　I　have　seenI　am　inclined　to　give　the　palm　to　the　Falls　of　Niagara。　　In　the　catalogue　of　such　sights　I　intend　to　include　all　buildings；　pictures；　statues；　and　wonders　of　art　made　by　men's　hands；　and　also　all　beauties　of　nature　prepared　by　the　Creator　for　the　delight　of　his　creatures。　　This　is　a　long　word；　but；　as　far　as　my　taste　and　judgment　go；　it　is　justified。　　I　know　no　other　one　thing　so　beautiful；　so　glorious；　and　so　powerful。　　I　would　not　by　this　be　understood　as　saying　that　a　traveler　wishing　to　do　the　best　with　his　time　should　first　of　all　places　seek　Niagara。　　In　visiting　Florence　he　may　learn　almost　all　that　modern　art　can　teach。　　At　Rome　he　will　be　brought　to　understand　the　cold　hearts；　correct　eyes；　and　cruel　ambition　of　the　old　Latin　race。　　In　Switzerland　he　will　surround　himself　with　a　flood　of　grandeur　and　loveliness；　and　fill　himself；　if　he　be　capable　of　such　filling；　with　a　flood　of　romance。　　The　tropics　will　unfold　to　him　all　that　vegetation　in　its　greatest　richness　can　produce。　　In　Paris　he　will　find　the　supreme　of　polish；　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　varnish　according　to　the　world's　capability　of　varnishing。　And　in　London　he　will　find　the　supreme　of　power；　the　ne　plus　ultra　of　work　according　to　the　world's　capability　of　working。　　Any　one　of　such　journeys　may　be　more　valuable　to　a　mannay；　any　one　such　journey　must　be　more　valuable　to　a　manthan　a　visit　to　Niagara。　At　Niagara　there　is　that　fall　of　waters　alone。　　But　that　fall　is　more　graceful　than　Giotto's　tower；　more　noble　than　the　Apollo。　　The　peaks　of　the　Alps　are　not　so　astounding　in　their　solitude。　　The　valleys　of　the　Blue　Mountains　in　Jamaica　are　less　green。　　The　finished　glaze　of　life　in　Paris　is　less　invariable；　and　the　full　tide　of　trade　round　the　Bank　of　England　is　not　so　inexorably　powerful。　I　came　across　an　artist　at　Niagara　who　was　attempting　to　draw　the　spray　of　the　waters。　　〃You　have　a　difficult　subject；〃　said　I。　　〃All　subjects　are　difficult；〃　he　replied；　〃to　a　man　who　desires　to　do　well。〃　　〃But　yours；　I　fear　is　impossible；〃　I　said。　　〃You　have　no　right　to　say　so　till　I　have　finished　my　picture；〃　he　replied。　　I　acknowledged　the　justice　of　his　rebuke；　regretted　that　I　could　not　remain　till　the　completion　of　his　work　should　enable　me　to　revoke　my　words；　and　passed　on。　　Then　I　began　to　reflect　whether　I　did　not　intend　to　try　a　task　as　difficult　in　describing　the　falls；　and　whether　I　felt　any　of　that　proud　self…confidence　which　kept　him　happy　at　any　rate　while　his　task　was　in　hand。　　I　will　not　say　that　it　is　as　difficult　to　describe　aright　that　rush　of　waters　as　it　is　to　paint　it　well。　　But　I　doubt　whether　it　is　not　quite　as　difficult　to　write　a　description　that　shall　interest　the　reader　as　it　is　to　paint　a　picture　of　them　that　shall　be　pleasant　to　the　beholder。　　My　friend　the　artist　was　at　any　rate　not　afraid　to　make　the　attempt；　and　I　also　will　try　my　hand。　That　the　waters　of　Lake　Erie　have　come　down　in　their　courses　from　the　broad　basins　of　Lake　Michigan；　Lake　Superior；　and　Lake　Huron；　that　these　waters　fall　into　Lake　Ontario　by　the　short　and　rapid　river　of　Niagara；　and　that　the　falls　of　Niagara　are　made　by　a　sudden　break　in　the　level　of　this　rapid　river；　is　probably　known　to　all　who　will　read　this　book。　　All　the　waters　of　these　huge　northern　inland　seas　run　over　that　breach　in　the　rocky　bottom　of　the　stream；　and　thence　it　comes　that　the　flow　is　unceasing　in　its　grandeur；　and　that　no　eye　can　perceive　a　difference　in　the　weight；　or　sound；　or　violence　of　the　fall　whether　it　be　visited　in　the　drought　of　autumn；　amid　the　storms　of　winter；　or　after　the　melting　of　the　upper　worlds　of　ice　in　the　days　of　the　early　summer。　　How　many　cataracts　does　the　habitual　tourist　visit　at　which　the　waters　fail　him！　　But　at　Niagara　the　waters　never　fail。　　There　it　thunders　over　its　ledge　in　a　volume　that　never　ceases　and　is　never　diminishedas　it　has　done　from　times　previous　to　the　life　of　man；　and　as　it　will　do　till　tens　of　thousands　of　years　shall　see　the　rocky　bed　of　the　river　worn　away　back　to　the　upper　lake。　This　stream　divides　Canada　from　the　Statesthe　western　or　farthermost　bank　belonging　to　the　British　Crown；　and　the　eastern　or　nearer　bank　being　in　the　State　of　New　York。　　In　visiting　Niagara；　it　always　becomes　a　question　on　which　side　the　visitor　shall　take　up　his　quarters。　　On　the　Canada　side　there　is　no　town；　but　there　is　a　large　hotel　beautifully　placed　immediately　opposite　to　the　falls　and　this　is　generally　thought　to　be　the　best　locality　for　tourists。　In　the　State　of　New　York　is　the　town　called　Niagara　Falls；　and　here　there　are　two　large　hotels；　which；　as　to　their　immediate　site；　are　not　so　well　placed　as　that　in　Canada。　　I　first　visited　Niagara　some　three　years　since。　　I　stayed　then　at　the　Clifton　House；　on　the　Canada　side；　and　have　since　sworn　by　that　position。　　But　the　Clifton　House　was　closed　for　the　season　when　I　was　last　there；　and　on　that　account　we　went　to　the　Cataract　House；　in　the　town　on　the　other　side。　　I　now　think　that　I　should　set　up　my　staff　on　the　American　side；　if　I　went　again。　　My　advice　on　the　subject　to　any　party　starting　for　Niagara　would　depend　upon　their　habits　or　on　their　nationality。　　I　would　send　Americans　to　the　Canadian　side；　because　they　dislike　walking；　but　English　people　I　would　locate　on　the　American　side；　seeing　that　they　are　generally　accustomed　to　the　frequent　use　of　their　own　legs。　　The　two　sides　are　not　very　easily　approached　one　from　the　other。　　Immediately　below　the　falls　there　is　a　ferry；　which　may　be　traversed　at　the　expense　of　a　shilling；　but　the　labor　of　getting　up　and　down　from　the　ferry　is　considerable；　and　the　passage　becomes　wearisome。　　There　is　also　a　bridge；　but　it　is　two　miles　down　the　river；　making　a　walk　or　drive　of　four　miles　necessary；　and　the　toll　for　passing　is　four　shillings；　or　a　dollar；　in　a　carriage；　and　one　shilling　on　foot。　As　the　greater　variety　of　prospect　can　be　had　on　the　American　side；　as　the　island　between　the　two　falls　is　approachable　from　the　American　side　and　not　from　the　Canadian；　and　as　it　is　in　this　island　that　visitors　will　best　love　to　linger；　and　learn　to　measure　in　their　minds　the　vast　triumph　of　waters　before　them；　I　recommend　such　of　my　readers　as　can　trust　a　littleit　need　be　but　a　little　to　their　own　legs　to　select　their　hotel　at　Niagara　Falls　town。　It　has　been　said　that　it　matters　much　from　what　point　the　falls　are　first　seen；　but　to　this　I　demur。　　It　matters；　I　think；　very　little；　or　not　at　all。　　Let　the　visitor　first　see　it　all；　and　learn　the　whereabouts　of　every　point；　so　as　to　understand　his　own　position　and　that　of　the　waters；　and　then；　having　done　that　in　the　way　of　business；　let　him　proceed　to　enjoyment。　　I　doubt　whether　it　be　not　the　best　to　do　this　with　all　sight…seeing。　　I　am　quite　sure　that　it　is　the　way　in　which　acquaintance　may　be　best　and　most　pleasantly　made　with　a　new　picture。　The　falls；　as　I　have　said；　are　made　by　a　sudden　breach　in　the　level　of　the　river。　　All　cataracts　are；　I　presume；　made　by　such　breaches；　but　generally　the　waters　do　not　fall　precipitously　as　they　do　at　Niagara；　and　never　elsewhere；　as　far　as　the　world　yet　knows；　has　a　breach　so　sudden　been　made　in　a　river　carrying　in　its　channel　such　or　any　approach　to　such　a　body　of　water。　　Up　above　the　falls　for　more　than　a　mile　the　waters　leap　and　burst　over　rapids；　as　though　conscious　of　the　destiny　that　awaits