until the whole was completed, at a cost of about two thousand dollars. In the same way, a connection has been made between Bath and Iris Islands, making the whole extent of bridge over those turbulent rapids, fortyfour rods.

NOTE 9.-PAGE 34.

"To provide security for those who should undesignedly kill a man, the Lord commanded Moses to appoint six cities of refuge or Asyla, that whoever should have thus spilt blood, might retire thither, and have time to prepare his defence before the Judges; and that the kinsmen of the deceased might not pursue and kill him. Exodus xxi. 13; Numbers xxxv. 11, &c. Of such cities there were three on each side of the Jordan. On the west, were Kedesh of Naphtali, Hebron, and Shechem; on the east, Berer, Golan, and Ramoth-Gilead. Joshua xx. 7, 8. These cities served not only for the Hebrews, but for all strangers that resided in the country. Deut. xix. 1-8. The Lord also commanded, that when the Hebrews should multiply and enlarge their land, they should add three other cities of refuge. As this command was never fulfilled, the rabbins say that the Messiah will accomplish it.

Maimonides, from the traditions of the ancients, assures us, that all the forty-eight cities, appointed for habitations of the priests and Levites, were also cities of refuge; and that all the difference between them was, that the six cities appointed by the law, were obliged to receive and lodge

refugees gratis; whereas the other cities might refuse to admit such as fled to them, and were not obliged to lodge them gratuitously. Besides the cities of refuge, the temple, and especially the altar of burnt-offerings, enjoyed the privilege of an asylum. Those who took sanctuary in the temple were immediately examined by the judges; and, if found guilty of murder, they were forced away even from the altar, and put to death without the temple. But if found innocent, they had a guard appointed, to conduct them safely to some city of refuge.

The cities of refuge were to be of easy access; and every year, on the fifteenth of Adar, the magistrates inspected the roads, to see that they were in good condition, and that there were no impediments. At every division of the road was a direction-post, on which was written, Refuge, Refuge, for the guidance of him who was fleeing for security. They were to be well supplied with water and provisions. It was not allowed to make any weapons there, that the relations of the deceased might not procure arms to gratify their revenge. It was necessary that whoever took refuge there should understand a trade, that he might not be chargeable. They used to send some prudent and moderate persons, to meet those who were pursuing the culprit, in order to dispose them to clemency and forgiveness, and to await the decision of justice.

At the death of the high-priest, the refugee might quit the city in which he was. But though the man-slayer had fled to the city of refuge, he was not exempt from the power of justice. Numb. xxxv. 12. An information was

lodged against him; and he was summoned before the judges and the people, to prove that the murder was truly casual and involuntary. If found innocent, he dwelt safely in the city to which he had retired; if otherwise, he was put to death according to the law. Scripture is not very express, whether the affair came under the cognizance of the judges of the place where the murder was committed, or of the judges of the cities of refuge, to which the murderer had fled. (Comp. Deut. xix. 11, 12; Josh. xx. 4, 5, 6; Numb. xxxv. 25.) But it appears from the passage of Joshua that the fugitive underwent two trials: first, in the city of refuge, where the judges summarily examined the affair; secondly, in his own city, where the magistrates examined the cause more strictly. If the latter judges declared him innocent, they reconducted him, under a guard, to the city of refuge."Calmet's Dictionary, Article REFuge.

"Altars and temples afforded an asylum, or place of refuge, among the Greeks and Romans, as among the Jews, chiefly to slaves from the cruelty of their masters, to insolvent debtors and criminals, where it was reckoned impious to touch them, and whence it was unlawful to drag them; but sometimes they put fire and combustible materials around the place, that the person might appear to be forced away, not by men, but by a god (Vulcan), or shut up the temple and unroofed it, that he might perish under the open air; hence ara is put for refugium. The triumviri consecrated a chapel to Cæsar in the forum, on the place where he was burned, and ordained that no

person who fled thither for sanctuary should be taken thence to punishment; a thing which, says Dio, had been granted to no one before, not even to any divinity; except the asylum of Romulus, which remained only in name, being so blocked up that no one could enter it. But the shrine of Julius was not always esteemed inviolable; the son of Anthony was slain by Augustus, although he fled to it."-Adams' Roman Antiquities.

NOTE 10.-PAGE 34.

THE RAPIDS, forming a grand and striking feature in the scenery of Niagara, are produced by the compression of the river to the width of two miles and a half, just below the termination of Grand and Navy Islands; and by its course for the distance of three quarters of a mile over ledges of rugged rocks, making a descent of fifty-two feet on the American side, and fifty-seven on the Canada side. It is impossible to give an adequate idea of this rushing, boiling tide, that sweeps down, through the islands. towards the verge, as if a myriad war-steeds, neighing and panting, were contending with the most intense ferocity. The Rapids form the prelude to the grander displays of the Falls themselves, and viewed alone, are unequaled in their kind.

NOTE 11.-PAGE 35.

In the summer of 1841, a Mr. Allen, while crossing the Niagara River, from Chippewa to the American side,

unfortunately broke an oar while in the middle of the stream, being about three miles above the Cataract. His skiff became unmanageable, and was drawn down by the current into the rapids. Having in vain endeavored to steer it with his remaining oar towards Iris Island, he was providentially hurled against one of the islands among the cluster called the Three Sisters, his boat having just before that overturned and filled. Here he was discovered by means of the smoke from a fire he had kindled during the night-and was rescued thence by Mr. Joel R. Robinson, a daring boatman, who, after one or two failures, succeeded at last in throwing a cord, with a weight attached, across the rapids, by which he passed over with his boat, and returned the next morning with the unfortunate man.

While the workmen were repairing the bridge to Iris Island in July, 1839, one of their number, by the name of Chapin, fell from the staging into the rapids below, about one hundred yards from the island. Inevitable death seemed to await him; for he was being hurried towards the Cataract. But, happily, he was hurled to a small island, among a little group in the midst of the Rapids, whence, notwithstanding the imminent peril of the undertaking, he was rescued by Mr. Robinson, who, for his gallant feats of this kind, deserves to have his name immortalized.

To the eye of the beholder, such achievements would seem incredible amid such a surging tide. But, one skilled in the management of a boat, and acquainted with the