Field Trip to Niagara Falls
Page 2
They are very far from Mouse Island. The
flight was the longest one of my life. Well,
OK, maybe it wasn’t the longest,
but it was the worst. That’s
because . . .
Sakura smeared ice cream on my tie
.
.
.
David pulled out one of my whiskers
.
.
.
Scampers spilled orange juice on my computer
.
.
.
Scampers spilled orange juice on my
computer.
Sakura smeared ice cream on my tie.
David pulled out one of my whiskers.
Carmen knocked down my suitcase.
Esmeralda squeaked my ear off.
Tim asked me
317
times, “Are we
there yet?”
The whole time I tried
desperately to read my
book on Niagara Falls.
Tim asked me 317 times
.
.
.
Carmen knocked down my suitcase
.
.
.
Esmeralda squeaked and squeaked
.
.
.
Niagara Falls
Located at the border of the United States (on the east)
and Canada (on the west), the falls are formed by the
waters of the Niagara River. During the journey from
Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, the river suddenly drops
more than 180 feet to the level of the riverbed, forming
falls unique in their power.
There are actually two different falls at Niagara. On
the Canadian side there is Horseshoe Falls, approxi-
mately 2,500 feet wide, while Rainbow Falls, on the
American side, is approximately 1,000 feet in width.
In the winter, the river freezes, but the falls do not
because they are in continuous movement.
Every second, more than 790,000 gallons of water fall!
Niagara Falls is also a precious source of electri-
cal energy. Approximately 50 percent of the water (at
night, 75 percent) is directed to the hydroelectric power
plants that supply the United States
and Canada with electricity.
But the power of the water
is creating a problem for the
future of the falls. In the past
12,000 years, the water run-
ning over the rocks has eroded
them and shifted the falls by
almost seven miles.
Niagara Falls
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Whirlpool Rapids Bridge
Rainbow Bridge
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A BIT OF HISTORY . . .
THE ERA OF EXPLORATION
For centuries, only the Native Americans who lived at
what is now the border between the United States and
Canada knew about the spectacular falls. The first official
news of their exis tence dates back to the second half of
the sixteenth century. The man who made them famous
was Louis Hennepin, a Belgian monk who was part of an
expedition or ga nized by the French explorer René-Robert
Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle. The expedition arrived at
the falls in December 1678, and
its members were mesmerized by
their size and grandeur.
At that time, the falls had
a drop in level of more than
590 feet and carried twice
as much water as they
do now.
THE FIRST
TOURISTS
Tourism was slow to
arrive. One of the
first important vis-
its occurred in 1791,
when the duke of Kent
(father of the future
Queen Victoria of
En gland) stayed at the
only building in the area: a small wooden hut!
The first groups of tourists began arriving during the
mid-1800s. The falls continued to attract important
guests, such as Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the famous
Napoleon. He came from New Orleans on his honeymoon.
From that moment on, Niagara Falls became a popular
destination for couples on their honeymoon.
24
everyOne,
except Me!
Just before our plane landed, the captain
made an announcement.
“
Attention
,
rodents: We are now
passing over the
famouse Niagara
Falls. Take a look out
your window if you
would like to see a
truly spectacular view of the falls,” he advised.
Everyone wanted to see the falls.
Everyone leaped to the window.
Everyone saw the spectacular view.
EXCEPT ME!
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!
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e
!
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!
25
I was being suffocated by a throng of
screaming, jumping mouselets. They had
pressed
themselves up against my window. I
couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t
see a thing!
Finally, the plane landed. We were in
Toronto, Canada. From there, we climbed
on a bus. We rode on the bus for about an
hour and a half
. Then we arrived at the
falls.
e
!
H
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a
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a
!
H
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e
!
s
l
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r
p
!
26
As we pulled up, the driver made an
announcement: “We have now reached
the famouse Niagara Falls. Look out your
window if you would like to see a truly
spectacular view of the falls
,” he said.
Everyone wanted to see the falls.
Everyone leaped to the window.
Everyone saw the spectacular view.
ExcEpt mE!
A throng of screaming mouselets was
“
L
o
o
k
a
t
t
h
e
f
a
l
l
s
!
”
ExcEpt
mE
!
ExcEpt
mE
!
ExcEpt
mE
!
ExcEpt
mE
!
crawling all over me. They
plastered
themselves
up against my window. I couldn’t move. I
couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t see a thing!
The bus stopped. I got off. The roaring
sound
of the falls was incredible.
I tried to take a picture.
Everyone wanted to take a picture of
the falls.
Everyone got his or her camera ready.
Everyone snapped away at the falls.
ExcEpt mE!
Oh, if only I could get away from those
screaming mouselets. They were all
over me! I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.
I couldn’t see a thing!
The bus took us to
the city of Niagara
Falls on the lake. It
was already dark.
!
ExcEpt
mE
!
28
I DO nOt KnOw hOw
tO set up a tent!
What a day! I was
tired
. I was hungry.
I stumbled off the bus. I couldn’t wait
to sink into a nice soft bed. I couldn’t
wait to put on my fluffy cat-fur slippers. I
couldn’t wait to order from room service.
“Is the hot
el nearby?” I yawned. “I’m
pooped.”
Miss Angel Paws looked shocked.
“Hotel? Why, Mr. Geronimo, we have
come to enjoy the great outdoors. We’re not
going to a hotel. We’re going to c a m p
o u t
,” she squeaked.
My eyes opened wide. I looked around.
Miss Angel Paws wasn’t joking. We were
standing in the middle of the wilderness!
29
quick
Did I mention I’m not much of an outdoor
mouse?
“Um, yes, well, who’s going to set up the
tents?” I stammered.
Miss Angel Paws rolled her eyes.
“You are, of course, Mr. Geronimo,” she
said.
I made a calculation: There were
t
w
en
t
y
-four
of us. Each tent would
hold
four
mice. That meant I had to set up
six
tents for the little mice. Then we would
need
one
tent for me and
one
for
Miss
Angel Paws
. Plus, we needed
one
big
tent for all of us to eat breakfast in.
Holey cheese! I couldn’t set up nine
tents!
Just then, the little mice began whining.
“Come on! We’re tired!”
I couldn’t make heads or tails of the tents.
I do Not KNow How to Set Up a teNt!
31
I set up one tent inside out. I zipped myself
up in another and couldn’t get out. Then I
whacked my paw with a hammer.
“I give up!” I screeched.
Did I mention I’m not much of an outdoor
mouse? I sat down on a rock. I took off my
glasses so I could sob freely.
Just then, my little nephew Benjamin
whispered in my ear.
“Call Aunt Thea. She always knows what
to do,” he suggested.
I dried my tears. “Good idea,” I agreed.
I guess you could say my sister, Thea, is the
opposite of me. She loves a challenge.
A half hour later, after I talked to Thea on
the phone, all of the tents were ready.
“Hooray!” yelled the little mice.
“Isn’t it great sleeping in a tent, Mr.
Geronimo?” Miss Angel Paws said.
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