‡‡‡‡‡‡“A young salmon, one day, ‡‡‡‡‡‡To his mother did say,
“I should very much like a nice leap through the spray.” ‡‡‡‡‡‡The old lady said, “Why, ‡‡‡‡‡‡If you like you may try;
But I guess that the jump will be found rather high.” ‡‡‡‡‡‡Then she just took a peep, ‡‡‡‡‡‡But thought it too deep;
“No, no,” said mamma, “Catch a weasel asleep — ‡‡‡‡‡‡Mind, child, if you go ‡‡‡‡‡‡To the realms below,
What will become of you then I don’t know.” — ‡‡‡‡‡‡But the young fish, so wise, ‡‡‡‡‡‡Did its mother despise,
And being adventurous straightforward tries. ‡‡‡‡‡‡Soon it fell from the edge, ‡‡‡‡‡‡And got dashed on a ledge,
Whence an Indian to bring it back soon gave a pledge. ‡‡‡‡‡‡The Indian so brave ‡‡‡‡‡‡His pledged honor to save,
Found a path by the rock out of reach of the wave; ‡‡‡‡‡‡Through spray and through squall, ‡‡‡‡‡‡He returned — fish and all;
And he was the first that went under the Fall. ‡‡‡‡‡‡Mr. Forsyth then came, ‡‡‡‡‡‡And went under the same,
And thus to posterity handing his name. ‡‡‡‡‡‡What after befell, ‡‡‡‡‡‡The guides best can tell — I went, with my wife; and we both liked it well!
October 24, 1839. H. Sylvester is from the Vicarage, Buckingham, England.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
In foam, these Falls resemble ginger-pop —
In force, a comet; for they never stop.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
All ye perturbed souls, that go,
With restless footsteps to and fro,
Running here, and scudding there,
Backward, forward, everywhere —
Ye who haste, in double time,
From every region, every clime,
Hold, one moment — pray ye, stay,
And harken what I’ve got to say:
Restless spirits, tranquil sleep,
Invade not ye my sacred keep; Come not to Niagara Fall,
To scribble nonsense, scratch and scrawl.
Go, your footsteps trespass, rude,
On my awful solitude —
Go, ye little reptiles vain,
Go, and get ye home again.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
If I were annoyed with a termagant wife,
Whose tongue was the bane of my every-day life,
To try to get rid of her pestilent clatter,
I’d live on the brink of this great fall of water.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
Not in the forest vast, when winds awake,
With giant energies and mighty power —
Not on the boundless deep when storms arise,
And tempests loudly roar, is nature seen
In grandest garb arrayed — but where Niagara’s
Thundering voice is heard, and where her waves,
In angry majesty are seen to pour;
Then doth she wear a garb that wins from man
The incense of his wonder, awe and praise.
Source: Table Rock Album and Sketches of the Falls and Scenery Adjacent. Buffalo: Steam Press of Thomas and Lathrops, copyright by Jewett, Thomas & Co.,1856c.1848
This link takes you to the scanned version of the 1855 version of Table Rock Album from the Hathi Trust
