convulsions which nature has undergone since the creation. As the traveller advances, he is frightfully stunned by the appalling noise, clouds of spray, sometimes envelope him, and suddenly check his faltering steps; rattlesnakes start from the cavities of the rocks, and the scream of eagles, soaring among the whirlwinds of eddying vapour which obscure the gulf of the cataract, at intervals announce that the raging waters have hurled some animal over the precipice.

A little way below the Great Fall, the river is comparatively speaking so tranquil that a ferry-boat plies between the Canadian and American shores, for the convenience of travellers. When I first crossed, the heaving flood tossed about the skiff with a violence that seemed very alarming; but soon as we gained the middle of the river, my attention was altogether engaged by the surpassing grandeur of the scene before me. I was now within the area of a semicircle of cataracts, more than three thousand feet in extent, and floated on the surface of a gulf, raging, fathomless, and interminable. Majestic cliffs, splendid rainbows, lofty trees, and columns of spray were the gorgeous decorations of this theatre of wonders; while a dazzling sun shed refulgent glories upon every part of the scene. Surrounded with clouds of vapour, and stunned into a state of confusion and terror by the hideous noise, I looked upwards to the height of one hundred and fifty feet, and saw vast floods, dense, awful, and stupendous, vehemently bursting over the precipice, and rolling down as if the windows of heaven were opened to pour another deluge upon the earth. Loud sounds resembling discharges of artillery, or volcanic explosions, were now distinguishable amidst the watery tumult, and added terrors to the abyss from which they issued.

The sun, looking majestically through the ascending spray, was encircled by a radiant halo; whilst fragments of rainbows floated on every side, and momentarily vanished, only to give place to a succession of others more brilliant. Looking backwards, I saw the Niagara river again become calm and tranquil, rolling magnificently between the towering cliffs that rose on each side, and receiving showers of orient dew-drops from the trees that gracefully over-arched its transparent bosom. A gentle breeze ruffled the waters, and beautiful birds fluttered around, as if to welcome its egress from those clouds, thunders, and rainbows, which were the heralds of its precipitation into the abyss of the cataract. HOWISON.

HOME AND CLASS WORK.

Learn the spellings and meanings at the top of the page; and write sentences containing these words.

THE INVINCIBLE ARMADA.

Armada-Spanish fleet signifying-meaning expedition-undertaking monastery home for monks

Scarborough-on the const
of Yorkshire
Cranmer-archbishop of
Canterbury
laity-the people
Elizabeth-1558-1603
massacre slaughter
harass-vex; annoy

tonnage-ships' burdens
respond-answer

admiral-commander of a

fleet

collision-shock

deliverance-escape

Armada is a Spanish word signifying a fleet, and this was the title proudly given by the Spaniards to the expedition sent forth in 1588 to conquer England. The causes that led to this undertaking were the following:

The reign of Henry VIII. in England had been largely occupied in bringing about the Reformation, the King being declared in 1534 "the only supreme head on earth of the English Church.' The monasteries had also been suppressed in 1536 and 1539, Cranmer had given the Bible to the laity; and the worship of images had been forbidden.

On the Continent these measures and similar religious movements of Edward VI. were looked on with disfavour by the Roman Catholics.

In the reign of Elizabeth great rivalry existed between that monarch and Mary Queen of Scots: the latter had even proceeded so far as to assume the title of Queen of England, in 1558, and a great part of the

reign of Elizabeth was occupied in checking the plots formed by the Roman Catholics in favour of the imprisoned Scottish Queen. The execution of the latter at Fotheringham Castle, in 1587, hastened on the Spanish preparations on which the wealth both of the old and new world was lavished to render it a complete success.

Previous to the death of Mary Queen of Scots Elizabeth had rendered aid on the Continent to the revolted Netherlanders against the Spanish general, the Duke of Alva; and England caught the echo of wailing that resounded from the frightful massacre of St. Bartholomew, in which, in 1572, above 100,000 Protestants were murdered by the Roman Catholics.

It was finally arranged then that a Spanish fleet, consisting of ships larger than had ever sailed the seas before, should set sail and take in the troops of the Duke of Parma from the Netherlands.

The Pope took the liveliest interest in the undertaking, and forwarded to Philip a consecrated banner with the promise of material aid at the first blush of

success.

But, long before the expedition took the water, Drake was sent to harass the Spanish coasts, and he destroyed in the harbour of Cadiz, in 1587, thirtyfive of the enemy's ships, " singeing," as he termed it, "the King of Spain's beard."

The Duke of Parma took advantage of the delay thus occasioned to provide himself with barges for embarking the troops when the Spanish fleet should finally arrive to take the army of invasion on board.

When the fleet set sail it consisted of 136 ships, mounting 3,165 guns, and having a tonnage of 60,000 tons, manned by 8,700 sailors, and carrying 21,000 soldiers.

To compete with these the English had only 34 ships, mounting 837 guns, and having a tonnage of 11,000 tons, manned by 6,200 sailors, with no troops on board.

The preparations on shore to receive the enemy were no less cheerfully made; and the historian Stowe tells us: "The whole commonalty of England became of one heart and mind, and I want skill," says he, "to express the sympathy of love between the subjects and the sovereign." Catholic and Protestant alike responded to the call to repel the foreign invader.

It was in the middle of May, 1588, that the Armada at length set sail, under the command of the inexperienced Duke de Medina Sidonia,—the former admiral having recently died. The fleet was obliged to put into Corunna, to repair the damages from a storm which proved the beginning of a run of misfortunes. In the middle of July it again set sail, and Howard sailed boldly out of Plymouth Harbour eager for the first brush with the foe. He attacked the ships of the Spanish Vice-Admiral, who was nearly captured; and all the way up the Channel the "English navy gave charge and chase upon the enemy, squadron after squadron seconding each other like swift horsemen that could nimbly come and go."

When the Spanish at last arrived off Calais, fireships were sent in among them at night by the English captains, which so terrified the enemy that they cut their cables, and received great damage from loss by fire, collision with each other, and running on shore. From this time the Spanish met with constant disaster: Drake "plucking," as he termed it, "their feathers little by little."

The English fleet gave chase to the Spaniards, who were forced to attempt a passage home round the coast