i encase wall of the precipice, which is seen a little 
urther 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 1 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 hailed 
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 
