On St. George's day, in company with Captain T----ll, an engineer
officer of high standing, and Mr. K----r, I set out on horseback, at an
early hour, to view the much talked of, but too rarely visited, Falls of
the Potomac.
Our way lay along the tow-path of the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, planned
to unite the Potomac river with the Ohio below Pittsburg,--one of the
greatest works yet contemplated. Its length will be three hundred and
forty miles: the locks are of stone, one hundred feet by fifteen; and
the amount of lockage designed for the whole line is three thousand two
hundred and fifteen feet. Piercing the Alleghany mountains, where the
canal attains its highest level, a tunnel is planned, four miles and
some yards in length.
For upwards of a hundred miles the line is already available; and in
this distance are reckoned forty-four locks, and several noble
aqueducts, in an ascent of a quarter of a mile.
For sixteen miles we followed this magnificent work, which as far as
one of the uninitiated may judge, presents a promise of endurance worthy
the best days of Rome: the width of the canal here varied, as my
companion informed me, from eighty to seventy feet, and the depth from
six to seven feet.
Independent of this work, in itself so interesting, the scenery is
varied and striking. Upon our right lay the canal, to whose course all
nature had been subdued,--the forest rooted up, the Potomac bestridden
by an aqueduct eighteen hundred feet in length, beds of solid gneiss
hewn out fathoms deep, valleys filled up and ramparted with granite
against the assaults of the near river; everything on this hand was
trimmed and levelled in a workmanlike manner: the labour of man was
evident throughout, and the well-trained water stood still, or moved
onward or backward, as directed by its master.
Close upon our left ran the Potomac, but so changed in character, that
the stranger, who from the Capitol had traced the mazy windings of this
mighty stream, whose deep indents and sluggish current show like a
series of lakes stretching away till lost in distance, suddenly removed
to this point, short of two miles, would hardly credit that the narrow,
noisy mountain stream beside him was the same, the very fountain and
feeder of the inland sea spreading below.
It was now dry, fine weather; no rain had fallen for some time; and the
stream, pent within narrow limits, cowered beneath the wooded heights of
the Virginia shore: but the condition of every unprotected level on our
side spoke awfully of its force, when, backed by supplies from the
mountains, it extends itself abroad, overthrowing trees and banks, and
leaving their huge ruins to mark in undoubted characters the true limit
of its sovereignty.
At this time it was in its most peaceful mood, and went on, now
expanding placidly over an even bed, and now divided before some
stubborn rock-founded islet, chafing as it were at being compelled to
yield to an obstruction it had as yet failed to overcome.
Viewed at all points, the stream conducted by Nature outfaced, in my
eyes, the neighbour work of her children; coursing onward, as it went,
defying the hand of man, and rejoicing in its rude freedom.
About the most savage part of our ride, where the path was a wide
rampart of stone without any parapet, bounded on one hand by the canal
and the overhanging rocks through which it was cut, and on the other, at
a precipitous depth of eighty feet, by the rocky bed of the river, we
were threatened with a hurricane, or other outbreak of the elements, of
the wildest kind.
It had become on a sudden unnaturally sultry: before us a cloud fell
like a huge black curtain, until resting upon the lofty bluffs between
which the river now ran, it was draped in folds down to the water; over
this curtain broke a lurid silvery sort of light, making all things
hideous; a heavy moaning sound as of wind was heard throughout the
forest; the leaves shook rattling upon the surrounding shrubs, yet no
air was perceptible even whilst going at a gallop. For a moment this
strange sound would cease wholly, and then roar forth again, as though
the pent tempest was striving close at hand for space and freedom of
action.
Occasionally a vivid flash of lightning would stream from the impending
cloud downward upon the river; and, in momentary expectation of a
regular tornado, on we spurred to reach some shelter.
But after all, our fears were fruitless, or let me rather say our
hopes, since we agreed that a hurricane chancing here would be a
consummation singularly happy. It is certain no fitter scene could well
have been selected for such an event, and indeed this was all that was
needed to make the savage grandeur of the picture perfect.
Expectation had attained its height, when, after a few big splashes of
rain, the sombre curtain drew gradually up, the sun looked forth once
more, shining vividly, and the so lately gloomy waters below, again
laughed and sparkled as they went bounding, gladly, over their rugged
bed.
About midday we arrived at a house occupied by a person who attends one
of the many locks on the canal; and by the ready aid of this worthy and
his pretty young helpmate, our horses and ourselves were well supplied
with _vivres_, and otherwise cared for.
After we had discussed sundry rashers of ham, broiled chicken, and
new-laid eggs, we were informed by our friend the lock-keeper, who had
been examining the ford, that the frail bridge which had recently served
to cross a branch of the stream to an island from whose southern side
alone the Falls might be surveyed, was no longer in being.
What was to be done? was the whole purpose of our hard ride to be
defeated by the dislocation of a few loose planks? Our cool pioneer even
admitted that it seemed "mighty hard," and called his spouse to council;
but from her we received small hope, as she at once decided that to
cross so as to get anywhere within sight of the Falls was impossible.
We as stoutly declared our resolution to attempt fording the dividing
current, and requested our host to point out the best probable place for
this purpose.
This he at last agreed to do; adding that "he guessed, with more or less
of a ducking, we might gratify our curiosity, though he could not help
thinking it was mighty foolish."
The lady of the lock, more timid, or, as it turned out, more sage,
remonstrated in vain. In the teeth of her advice and predictions,
sufficiently alarming, we mounted our nags, and, under the good man's
guidance, descended to the ford, by a very rough path; the din of the
unseen torrent sounding in our ears.
On reaching the stream in question, we found it not over twenty yards
across, with an apparently tolerable landing on the opposite side; so
that, albeit it had a threatening sort of look, and bullied and
blustered somewhat loudly, myself and Mr. K----r decided _instanter_
upon crossing. Our companion, a very tall and heavy man, mounted on a
little thorough-bred steed none the stronger for the severe bucketting
it had already gone through, we very wisely prevailed upon to await our
return, and serve as our guide to the right landing when we should have
to re-cross.
With all that eagerness with which men rush on novelty, especially when
any obstacle is thrown in the way, we pushed forward, listening
impatiently to the distant thunder of the Falls. Like all obstacles, we
found these before us less in reality than in report, our chief
difficulty lying in the strength of the current, flowing over an unequal
bottom; but in no part was the water up to the horses' shoulders. We
kept their noses well up stream, and, after a little floundering about,
reached and mounted the sandy bank in no time, whence a short rough ride
over the thickly-wooded islet, gave the wished-for sight to our eyes in
all its gloomy grandeur; and never before do I remember having looked
upon so wildly sublime a scene.
We dismounted; and, tying our horses to a tree, descended into the vast
basin within whose rugged depths the river finds at all seasons ample
space for its fury. Opposite to our stand the face of the black rock
rose perpendicular for a hundred and fifty feet; and over its brow waved
a grove of lofty trees and graceful flowering shrubs, forming together a
plume befitting such a crest, and worthy to float above such a _melee_.
Along in front of our position, and only a few yards off, the river was
precipitated from a ledge of rock, three huge masses of which towered
high over it, lying athwart the line of the torrent at apparently equal
distances, as though Nature had designed to bridge this fearful caldron,
but, having raised these piers had rested, content with this evidence of
her power, and so left the work unfinished.
Through the intervals of these piers then, if they may be so
denominated, the water was impelled in three distinct columns of foam
with inconceivable impetuosity; then, after forming many vortices,
frightful to contemplate steadily, whirled boiling away beneath the
boldly jutting table-rock, which afforded us sound footing amidst a din
that of necessity made admiration dumb, since to hear your own voice or
any other person's was quite out of the question.
Oh what a pit of Acheron was here! I would have given a million a-year
to have had Martin with me, pencil in hand, looking upwards upon the
centre one of those three terrible piers. What a throne would it have
made in his hands for the arch enemy of man! How his fancy would have
imaged the lost angel forth, standing there in his might armed for
hopeless combat, shadowed grandly out amidst the silvery vapours curling
round him, whilst up through the raging whirlpools drove the countless
columns of hell in battle array; what tossing of co-mingled plumes and
waves above the thick squadrons of horse, who, with flowing manes and
fiery nostrils, would be seen breaking through and riding over the
foaming torrent, all shadowed forth in a dim reality he knows so well to
deal with, and which, in his creations, leaves the fancy, already
startled by that it can define, afraid to guess at all which yet remains
only half told!
We wandered here, from point to point, unable to express our
bewilderment and delight otherwise than by pantomimic gestures more
amusing than intelligible; and then, in consideration of the lone
condition of our excellent comrade, began to crawl and climb our way
back to the shade where we had left the horses.
The table-rocks were everywhere worn into circular basins of greater or
less dimensions; when the floods of spring and autumn subside, these
pools are left well stocked with pike, trout, and other sorts of fish;
the water was at this time exceedingly low, and a long continuance of
premature heat had shortened the allowance of the denizens of these
pools; our near neighbourhood, therefore, deprived as they were of the
means of retreat or concealment, caused a great sensation amongst them,
and much rushing, and floundering, and darting to and fro.
We joined cordially in commiserating the fate of these unlucky
_detenus_, who, as the summer advances, must, to say the least of it,
become most uncomfortably warm about the middle of the day. K----r
wasted, as I considered, much time in sentimentalizing over their
probable fate, for I found that he loitered behind by every basin which
contained a larger specimen than usual.
After a rather prolonged halt, I was preparing to _row_ my friend for
his vexatious display of philanthropy, when he came to me with his right
arm soaked up to the shoulder, grievously lamenting his having failed,
by an untimous slip, in securing a fellow of at least nine or ten
pounds' weight.
"What the devil!" exclaimed I, "is it possible that you contemplated
scrambling your way back to give this finny gentleman the freedom of the
river?"
"Not at all, my dear fellow," replied my sensitive friend; "I merely
contemplated carrying him to Washington, and giving him the freedom of
the boiler. The Baron would have rejoiced in him; he was a fish for the
Czar himself! Besides, it would have been an act of charity to the poor
devil of a fish, the consummation of whose horrid fate is alarmingly
nigh, since there is not over six inches of water on the rock, and that
already as close as may be upon ninety-four degrees. That one dip has
parboiled my right arm; I must plunge it in the first running water to
cool it."
I enjoyed a good laugh at K----'s hot-bath fishing, but did not dream of
the thorough cooling in store for my charitable piscator.
On we dashed, full of excitement and high spirits, and hit the stream
at a point very little below where we had before landed. Captain T----ll
was still on his post; and with less of precaution than we had used at
crossing, in dashed K----r some yards in advance of me, although I being
mounted on a more powerful horse, had before taken the first of the
current whilst my friend rode on my quarter, thus mutually sustaining
each other.
Whilst I was yet upon the bank, K----'s nag lost his footing, and turned
fairly head over heels in the very middle of the passage, at the
shortest possible notice. The first intimation I got of the event was
missing my man, and in his stead perceiving four bright shoes glancing
in the sun above the broken water. In a moment, however, he emerged to
day once more; and after a second dive or so, gained good bottom, losing
only a few ounces of blood from a broken nose. I led his horse safely
ashore; and the brute, though the least hurt, was by far the most
frightened, for he shook like a negro in an ague fit.
As for K----r, he bore his mishap with a _sangfroid_ and good-humour
that were admirable: the only regret I heard from him was, that Sir
Charles Vaughan's ball should come off on this night, since his
appearance was marred past present help; and indeed, notwithstanding
applications of whisky, cold water, vinegar, &c. which our friends of
the lock supplied, the nose was growing of a most unseemly size.
The lock-man expressed much regret; whilst his good lady, I fancied, was
not very sorry to have her predictions fulfilled at so cheap a rate. I
ventured to hint to my friend something about retributive justice,
alluding to his fishy longings amongst the pools; but he rejected the
application with indignation, insisting upon it that his desire to
secure that fine fish was founded in the purest charity.
We lost no time in setting out for home by a shorter route; and after a
hard, hot ride, got back to the city in good time to dress for dinner,
at which I was sorry to find my philanthropic fisherman did not make his
appearance. This was the only drawback upon the pleasure with which I
contemplated our day's work; indeed I had special cause to regret the
mishap, since it was for my gratification alone K----r was led to push
over this unlucky stream, he having before visited the Falls. However, I
do not forget his amiability upon this and many other similar
occasions, and hereby pledge myself to swim across a broader current,
either with him, or for him, on any day between this and the year of our
Lord 1850.
Early hours being the mode here, about nine o'clock drove to Sir Charles
Vaughan's, who, in honour of St. George's-day, gave a ball, to which all
the beauties in the capital were bidden. I found the guests on this
occasion less numerous than at one I had attended early in the season,
during my first visit here. The scene was already brilliant as light,
and life, and youth could make it; the music, consisting of a harp and
four other instruments, was exceedingly good; the women were
well-dressed and pretty, and danced with infinite grace and spirit.
The _tournure_ of an American girl is generally very good; she excels in
the dance, and one sees that she enjoys it with all her heart. In
England I have rarely felt moved to dance; on the other hand, in France
and America, so electric is evident unrestrained enjoyment, I have found
it sometimes difficult to repress the inclination within becoming
bounds.
About midnight supper was announced; and let it not be forgotten, since
it was of an order worthy the country represented, and our excellent
minister's character for hospitality. After this the party thinned
rapidly, and by half-past one o'clock the ball-room was silent. I
lighted my cigar, and took my accustomed walk up the great avenue to the
Capitol hill, thence surveyed for a moment the silent city, and back to
my quarters at Fuller's, making a distance of full three miles; and so
concluded a busy and right pleasant four-and-twenty hours.