24 SPRINGS, RIVERS, fcANALS, LAKES, 



into the Rhine. The Tesin, in Italian Tesino, rises partly from two 

 lakes on the mount St. Gotthard, and partly from several other lakes 

 on the mountains, and after passing through the valley of Levis, 

 and the Lago Maggiore, enters the dutrhy oi Milan, and at length 

 loses itself in the Po. The Rhone, another river which rises in 

 Swisserland, will be spoken of hereafter. 



Not far from the rise of the Rhine, at a small distance from the 

 lake Constance, a very singular bridge is thrown over that river at 

 Schaffhausen, which is much admired for the beauty and singularity 

 of its architecture, and was built about the middle ot last century. 

 The rapidily of the river had carried away several stone bridges, 

 built upon arches of the strongest construction ; at length a com- 

 mon carpenter, named Ulric Grubenham, undertook to throw a 

 wooden one, of a single arch, across the river, although it is more 

 than three hundred feet wide, The magistrates, however, insisted 

 that it should consist of two arches, and that he should make use, 

 for that purpose, of the middle pier of the old bridge, which re- 

 mained entire. The architect obeyed, but he constructed his bridge 

 in such a manner that it is not at all supported by the middle pier; 

 and it would have been equally safe, and considerably more beaut i. 

 ful, had it consisted solely <>f one arch. The sides and lop of this 

 bridge are covered, and the road over it is nearly level. It is what 

 the Germans call a bangewerk, or hanging bridge ; the road not 

 being carried over the top of the arch, but along the middle of it, 

 and there suspended. The. middle pier is not quite in a right line 

 with the side piers, which rest on each shore, but forms with them 

 a very obtuse angle, pointing down the stream. The distance of 

 the middle pier from the shore next the town is one hundred and 

 seventy one feet, and from the other side one hundred and sixty- 

 four, making in appearance two arches of a surprising width, and 

 forming a most beautiful perspective when viewed at some distance* 

 A man or the slightest weight, when walking upon it, feels it tremble 

 under him, yet waggons heavily laden pass over it without danger, 

 and although in the latter case the bridge seems almost to crack 

 with the pressure, it does not appear to have suffered the least da- 

 mage. What seems almost incredible is, that the architect was to- 

 tally ignorant of mathematics, and knew nothing of the theory of 

 mechanics, so that this wonderful undertaking was accomplished 

 merely by the force or natural abilities 



