458 



THE MENAI BRIDGE. 



PART Yin. 



friends rushed to congratulate him on the result of the 

 first day's experiment, which decisively proved the 

 strength and solidity of the bridge, they should have 

 found the engineer upon his knees engaged in prayer. 

 A vast load had been taken off his mind ; the perilous 

 enterprise of the day had been accomplished without 

 loss of life ; and his spontaneous act was thankfulness 

 and gratitude. 



MEMAI BK1DLJE. 

 [By Perciva! Skelton, after his original Drawing.] 



The suspension of the remaining fifteen chains was 

 accomplished without difficulty. The last was raised and 

 fixed on the 9th of July, 1825, when the entire line was 

 completed. On fixing the final bolt, a band of music 

 descended from the top of the suspension pier on the 

 Anglesea side to a scaffolding erected over the centre 

 of the curved part of the chains, and played the National 

 Anthem amidst the cheering of many thousand persons 

 assembled along the shores of the Strait ; whilst the 

 workmen marched in procession along the bridge, upon 



