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Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 26, 29 July 1863, Page 6

We suppose almost all our readers know the story of the bet made by the French gourmands, one of whom asserted that he could detect the component parts of any dish put before him; the other, betting at great odds that he would not be able to tell the materials wherewith his cook would prepare a 1 savoury dish' for them. The bet was taken; the one confident in his quick natural sense; the other in the skill of his cook. The matter was of importance beyond a mere gambling transaction, because the fallen fortunes of a noble family would be raised by the timely pecuniary help. The cook—a Frenchman of course—exerted all his talents, and surpassed all praise. The dish was placed before the knowing epicure. He tastes, smacks his lips, [tastes again. Alas! it is redolent of all rich odeurs ; such sauces, so marvellously blended ; such gravy, such solids—so soft, tender! What can it be ? A wondrously prepared tripe ? No ! Calves' head in a new shape P No, no, no ! —a thousand 4 Nos.' Our epicure gives it up. 'lt is old white kid gloves! 1 is the cool explanation, when the bet is resigned up as lost. Cataract of Niagara.—An anecdote will serve to give an idea of the resistless force of the cataract. After the last American war, three of our ships, stationed on Lake Erie, were declared unfit for service and condemned. Some of their officers obtained permission to send them over Niagara Falls. The first was torn to shivers by the rapids, and went over in fragments; the second filled with water before she reached the fall; but the third, which was in better condition, took the leap gallantly, and retained her form till it was lost in the cloud of mist below. A reward of ten dollars was offered for the largest fragment of wood that could be found from either wreck, five for the second, and so on. One morsel alone was ever seen, and that about a foot in length ; it was marked as if by a vice, and its edges notched like a saw. What had become of the immense quantity of wood that had been precipitated ? What unknown whirlpool had engulphed it, so that, contrary to the very laws of nature, no vestige of the floating material could find its way to the surface ?