Here the rapid waters, outfall of all the gatherings of the inland Upper Lakes, pour out in fullest volume, enabling entrance even in winter, when all other harbours are closed in the grasp of ice. It is worthy of its mighty source, the product of the greatest Fresh Water Lakes in all the world.
Over the west bank floats the Union Jack on Fort Missasuaga, and over the east on Fort Niagara, the Stars and Stripes, each the emblem of the British and United States nationalities, between whose possessions the river forms the boundary line.
The first port of call on the Canadian side at the mouth of the river, now known as Niagara-on-the-Lake, had in olden times an importance and a past, which much belies its present outlook of quiet and placidity. Once it was the principal and most noted place in the Province of Upper Canada, and the centre of legislative power, making its surrounding neighborhood full of reminiscence.
The successive changes in the name of this ancient lakeside town, as also those of the settlement on the opposite shore, are interesting, as in themselves they form footprints in the paths of history.
The French had entered the St. Lawrence in 1534, and, as we have seen, had fully established their first route of connection to the Upper Lakes and the inner fur-trading districts, via the Ottawa and Lake Nipissing. The Niagara River route, via Lake Erie, had been learned of by them in 1669 under Pere Gallinee, and followed by the enterprise of the Griffon in 1678, but then, and for long after, was too fiercely occupied by hostile Indian tribes to be greatly available for commercial use. A first advance from Montreal intending to occupy the route, under Chevalier de la Barre, was intercepted by the Indians at Frontenac (Kingston) and driven back to Montreal.
In 1687 another advance for possession of the river succeeded in creating a foothold and the French erected a wooden fort and palisade upon the projecting point on the east bank of the river at its junction point with the lake. This outpost they named Fort Niagara, the name by which the place has ever since continued to be known.
The little garrison was not long able to keep its foothold. Beset by Indians and cut off by the failure of food supplies expected from their compatriots in the east, they were in dire straits, but yet boldly holding out in hopes that relief might yet arrive. At this juncture, Col. Thomas Dongan, Governor of the English Colony of New York, then loyal subjects of James II., made demand that the French should evacuate the fort, as it was in British territory. The British colonists of New York and New Jersey had recently joined hands with the Colonies of New England, in a British union, for united defence against the French. Upon the English Home Government having indicated to the French authorities its support of the Colonial demand, the Marquis de Denonville, Governor of Canada, ordered the garrison to retire. This they reluctantly did, but before leaving raised in the centre of the fort, under the influence of Pere Millet, their Jesuit Missionary, a great wooden cross 18 feet in height, upon which they cut in large letters:
, "REGN: VINC: IMP: CHRS:"
Regnat; Vincit; Imperat; Christus;
(Christ Reigns, Conquers, Rules.)
The place was being for a while abandoned as a military post, but by this they left notice that it was still held as on outpost of their religion.
Here again at Niagara an episode was being repeated exceedingly similar to that which had been developed at Quebec a century and a half before.