long shelf.
In front of us is a wall of water so thick and overwhelming that it
resembles a curtain of giants; the roar of the falling water and the
howl of the never-ceasing wind mingle in a great turmoil, and the air is
thick with dashing spray. Fitting is the name of the Cave of the Winds!
For we are standing in a cave right beneath one of the wonders of the
world--the Falls of Niagara, on the American side. We have only had a
glimpse of the gigantic waterfall so far, for we came straight here, and
presently are going round outside on an electric tram.

[Illustration: THE FALLS OF NIAGARA.]

These Falls lie between the two least of the Great Lakes, Erie and
Ontario, and on one side of them is America, and the other Canada. We
crossed on a bridge from the American side to an island in the middle
called Goat Island, and then dived downward to this gigantic cave right
below the American Fall. It gives one a mighty idea of power, doesn't
it? The world can't afford to waste power nowadays when it can be
harnessed up for use in generating electricity and a hundred other ways,
and not long before the end of the last century power stations were
started on both sides of the Falls to use this force. People cried out
at first, thinking that the stupendous sight might be spoiled, but not a
bit of it. What man has used is but as a few spoonfuls compared with the
vast energy of the tons of water flowing resistlessly and ceaselessly
day and night down these precipices and onward to the sea. Put out your
finger and thrust it into the wall of water; the force of it sends your
arm down to your side like a railway signal. We are not alone in the
cave; there are many other people from all parts of the world. We heard
French and German talked as we came across, though there is no chance of
hearing any conversation now. As we climb up again and put off the wet
oilskins, kept for the use of visitors, the roar becomes less, and when
suddenly someone takes hold of my arm in a friendly way, and calls out
my name, I wheel round to face the "nice" American who saved us from
starvation in the train in Egypt! He has recognised us at once and grips
our hands heartily. When we emerge on to the bridge he is full of
questions about our trip, and wants to know what we have seen and what
we have done. He has with him a boy who looks several years older than
you, and he tells us that this is his son, who is studying at Harvard,
but off on the long vac