It is awe-inspiring, almost terrible in its force and majesty, and the accompanying din prevents speech from being heard.

Standing on a point flush with the river before it makes its headlong leap, we gazed first on the swirling water losing itself in snowy spray, which beat relentlessly on face and clothes, while the great volume was nosily disappearing to unknown and terrifying depths.

The sight-seer tries to look across, to strain his eyes and to see beyond that white mist which obscures everything; but it is an impossible task, and he can but guess the width of the Falls, slightly horseshoe in shape, from the green trees which seem so far away on the opposite bank, and are only caught sight of now and then as the wind causes the spray to lift.

At the same time his attention is fixed by a new wonder, the much-talked-of rainbow.

Never varying, never changing, that perfect-shaped arc is surely more typical of eternity there than anywhere else.