MOUNTAIN PLATEAUX AND MOUNTAIN RAVINES. 27 



perpendicular wall of the precipice, which is seen a little 

 further on, rising to a fearful height overhead, and pro- 

 ceeding downwards to the gulf below, with an unbroken 

 smoothness that looks utterly hopeless : but I determined 

 to go on as long as there was any vestige of a track. 

 Following thus the marks of footsteps, I came out at last 

 upon the edge, but upon the face of the precipice, which 

 is formed by the splitting down of the barrier mountain 

 before referred to ; it was a giddy path, but I kept along 

 it, placing my feet upon the worn ledges, and clinging to 

 others above until I came to a tree which grew upon a 

 ledge similar to those I had stepped upon, but much 

 wider, and which seemed to be the end of the track I was 

 following. Some initials cut upon the tree, as triumphant 

 indications of the carvers' exploit in reaching it, rather 

 confirmed the notion that I had only followed a track 

 leading to this as a station for viewing the waterfall and 

 the whole of the great chasm, which are well displayed 

 from this point. 



* Concluding that such was the case, and that the other 

 ascending track leads to the Marie Stege, I was about to 

 return, when I saw, far away below me, standing on a 

 large table of rock, five student-looking young men, with 

 a peasant, who appeared to be their guide : they nailed 

 me, and I returned their salutation, but could not hear 

 what they said. Then the peasant took off his shoes, left 

 them, and presently reappeared, moving along the face of 

 the precipice like a fly upon a wall. His means of 

 adhesion were totally unintelligible from the distance, but 

 as he approached I perceived that he was clinging by 

 fingers and toes to narrow ledges of rock, from one to 

 four or five inches in width. At last he reached me, 

 and asked me whether I would accompany him back, 

 which I consented to do, though it appeared rather a 

 dangerous exploit. I found, however, that it was much 

 easier than it appeared to be from the distance. The rock 

 has a perpendicular lamination, and doubtless a cleavage 

 to which the formation of the chasm is due; the abrupt 



