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⟨a⟩ moment or two, was by their force, swung ⟨round⟩, stern foremost, and having passed to the ⟨third⟩ rapid, she bilged, but carried her hull apparently whole, between Grass Island on the British shore to the Horse shoe, over which she was carried stern foremost, and launched into the abyss below. In her fall she was dashed into ⟨ten⟩ thousand pieces. I went below the Falls ⟨immediately⟩ after the descent, and the river exhibited a singular appearance from the thousands ⟨of⟩ floating fragments, there being scarcely to be ⟨been⟩ any two boards nailed together, and many ⟨of⟩ her timbers were broken into twenty pieces. ⟨Such⟩ was the eagerness of the multitude present ⟨to⟩ procure a piece of her, that before sunset a ⟨great⟩ part of her was carried away.
I believe I have already informed you of the ⟨animals⟩ on board. They consisted of a buffalo ⟨from⟩ the Rocky mountains, two bears from ⟨Green⟩ Bay and Grand River, two foxes, a ⟨racoon⟩, a dog, a cat, and four geese—the fate of ⟨these⟩ you will probably wish to learn. When ⟨the⟩ vessel was left to her fate, they were let loose ⟨on⟩ deck, except the buffalo, which was enclosed ⟨in⟩ a temporary pen. The two bears left the ⟨vessel⟩ shortly after she began to descend the ⟨rapids⟩, and swam ashore, notwithstanding the ⟨rapidity⟩ of current. On reaching the British ⟨shore⟩ they were taken. The buffalo was seen ⟨to⟩ pass over the Falls, but was not visible afterwards. What became of the other animals is ⟨not⟩ known. Those who had glasses could see ⟨one⟩ of the bears climbing the mast as the vessel
