James Lilllywhite's Cricketers' Annual 1880

4 LILLYWHITE'S CRICKETERS' ANNUAL. wrestling -match between André Christol , the celebrated Frenchman, and a local named Wright , with a representation of 'Rip VanWinkle ' by Mr. Jeffer- son , both of which took place in the Opera -House , were our festivities at Detroit , and a hearty demonstration greeted us as we steamed from the station of the Canada Southern Railway , bound for Niagara . W e put up at the Clifton House Hotel , which overlooks the Falls , and Sunday, September 28, was spent in examining these marvellous works of nature . To attempt to describe wonders that have been so often portrayed by authors and artists of the highest repute would be a poor compliment to educated readers , and I will only say that Niagara , with the mighty grandeur of its Falls , the massive volumes of water now distributing showers of spray ,nowfoaming , eddying , and seething , will always recall a picture far too imposing for the pen of an humble cricketer . It would be difficult to describe our feelings as we stood below the Horse -Shoe Falls on the Canadian side , awe-stricken by the majesty of the scene , and I can only regret that I did not feel equal to the task , as some of our party were , of passing under the torrent itself . A thunderstorm during the afternoon was followed by bright moonlight , so that we saw Niagara under varying phases . Bydaylight the Falls represent a picture of grand propor- tions , but fancy the entire surroundings softened by the gentle influence of moonlight ! Niagara under such circumstances is more than ever inde- scribable. The NewYork Central Railway carried us from Niagara to Syracuse , and there we arrived to take up our quarters at the Vanderbilt House on the evening ofMichaelmas -day. Syracuse presents the extraordinary picture of a city that has grown round a railway , and the spectacle of a line passing through the heart of a city was one quite novel to us. Our opponents weretwenty-two selected from Central NewYork, but they were a very poor lot , and all showed the propensity for cross -hitting , so common to baseball players . The match took place on the Newell Park Ground , but though there was a great want of grass , andthe want of rolling was manifest , the wicket played fairly well considering . Selby , who had previously done little , came out here with a useful score of 44 (one more than the Twenty-two got altogether in their first innings ), but none of the New Yorkers could touch 'Alfred ,' and we won easily enough by an innings and 49 runs . Atiring night journey , agreeably relieved owards the finish by some pictur- esque scenery ,brought us to NewYork, and thence , after a run along the elevated railroad , a steam trip across the bay landed us at Staten Island . The island is the Brighton of NewYork, and the ground is not only admirably situated so as to give acharming view of the surrounding country , but is well arranged . Abathe in the bay considerably revived our menafter a fatiguing journey , though it prevented us having the assistance of Morley , who hurt his foot and had to stand umpire . The Twenty -two included George Lane of Nottingham , who showed well for the Colts of England against M.C.C. and Ground at Lord's a few years ago , andalso bowled with great success against the English Amateurs whovisited NewYork last spring on their wayhome from Australia . He bowled (medium round left ), very straight , and batted fairly too ; but except Mr. Cross , an old Marlburian , who played an excellent second innings of 29 , the batting was not good enough to give us any uneasiness . Barnes was in two hours and three quarters for 26 ; and Emmett and Pinder , who scored at the close , had reason to be grateful to Shrewsbury and him for breaking the bowling . There was a fashionable attendance on each of the three days , but not so large as we expected . W ewon by an innings and 27 runs . O nthe