GEOLOGY. 255 



Falls. Arriving at Table Rock, we left our carriage, and 

 as we approached the projecting platform I pointed out to 

 my companion a vast crack or fissure which traversed the 

 entire base of the rock, remarking that it had never 

 appeared to me before. The lady almost shuddered as 

 she looked at it, and, shrinking back, declared that she did 

 not care about going near the edge. " Ah," said I, taking 

 her hand, *' you might as well come on, now that you are 

 here. I hardly think the rock will take a notion to fall 

 merely because we are on it." 



' The platform jutted from the mainland some sixty feet ; 

 but, to give the visitor a still more fearful projection over 

 the raging waters, a wooden bridge, or staging, had been 

 thrust beyond the extreme edge for some ten feet. This 

 terminated in a small box for visitors to stand in, and was 

 kept in its position, and enabled to bear its weight, by a 

 ponderous load of stones heaped upon its inner ends. The 

 day was very bright and hot, and, it being almost lunch 

 time at the hotels, but very few visitors were out, so we 

 occupied the dizzy perch alone. We gazed fearfully out 

 upon the awful waters, we stretched our heads timidly 

 over the frightful depth below, and we felt our natures 

 quail in every fibre by the deafening roar that seemed to 

 saturate us, as it were, with an indefiable dread. 



* " This is a terrible place," said I. " Look under there, 

 and see on what a mere shell we stand. For years and 

 years the teeth of the torrent, in that jetting, angry stream, 

 have been gnawing at that hollow, and some day this plane 

 must fall." 



' My companion shuddered, and drew herself together in 

 alarm. Our eyes swept the roaring circle of the waters 

 once again ; we gazed about in fearful fascination, when 

 suddenly turning our looks upon each other, each recog- 

 nised a corresponding fear. " I do not like this place/' 

 exclaimed I, quickly. " The whole base of this rock is 

 probably disintegrated, and perhaps sits poised in a suc- 

 cession of steps or notches, ready to fall out and topple 

 down at any unusual perturbation. That fissure there 



