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 itsinner 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 
