James Fenimore Cooper (for one) seems to have *overused this term rather *excessively; e.g., "Joel, nothing suspecting, and keeping all his faculties on the sounds and sights that might occur in front, led the way diligently, and soon reached the verge of the woods.", and "With the miller, who thought little of anything but safety at that instant, he conversed a moment, and then pushed boldly on towards the verge of the cliffs." etc.

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/10434/10434-h/10434-h.htm