194 FRAGMENTS OF SCIENCE 



Fnrtlier struggle was impossible; and. feeling my balance 

 hopelessly gone, I turned, flung myself toward the bank 

 just quitted, and was instantly, as expected, swept into 

 shallower water. 



The oilcloth covering was a great encumbrance; it had 

 been made for a much stouter man, and, standing upright 

 after my submersion, my legs occupied the centre of two 

 bags of water. My guide exhorted me to try again. 

 Prudence was at my elbow, whispering dissuasion; but, 

 taking everything into account, it appeared more immoral 

 to retreat than to proceed. Instructed by the first mis- 

 adventure, I once more entered the stream. Had the 

 alpenstock been of iron it might have helped me; but, 

 as it was, the tendency of the water to sweep it out of my 

 hands rendered it worse than useless. I, however, clung 

 to it by habit. Again the torrent rose, and again I wa- 

 vered; but, by keeping the left hip well against it, I re- 

 mained upright, and at length grasped the hand of my 

 leader at the other side. He laughed pleasantly. The 

 first victory was gained, and he enjoyed it. *'No travel- 

 ler," he said, **was ever here before.'* Soon afterward, 

 by trusting to a piece of driftwood which seemed firm, 

 I was again taken off my feet, but was immediately caught 

 by a protruding rock. 



We clambered over the bowlders toward the thickest 

 spray, which soon became so weighty as to cause us to 

 stagger under its shock. For the most part nothing could 

 be seen; we were in the midst of bewildering tumult, 

 lashed by the water, which sounded at times like the 

 cracking of innumerable whips. Underneath this was 

 the deep resonant roar of the cataract. I tried to shield 

 my eyes with my hands, and look upward; but the de- 



