222 TRAVELS THROUGH NORTH AMERICA t 
the hill was rent asunder, was drawn across 
the fissure, from adhering closely to one side, 
and being loosened from its bed of earth at 
the opposite one. It seems as probable, I 
think, that the mass of stone forming the arch 
was thus forcibly plucked from one side, and 
drawn across the fissure, as that the hill should 
have remained disunited at this one spot from 
top to bottom, and that a passage should after¬ 
wards have been forced through it by water* 
The road leading to the bridge runs through & 
thick wood, and up a hill; having ascended 
which, nearly at the top, you pause for a mo¬ 
ment at finding a sudden discontinuance of 
the trees at one side; but the amazement 
which fills the mind is great indeed, when on 
going a few paces towards the part which ap¬ 
pears thus open, you find yourself on the 
brink of a tremendous precipice. You in¬ 
voluntarily draw back, stare around, then 
again come forward to satisfy yourself that 
what you have seen is real, and not the illu¬ 
sions of fancy. You now perceive, that you 
are upon the top of the bridge; to the very 
edge of which, on one side, you may approach 
with safety, and look down into the abyss, 
being protected from falling by a parapet of 
fixed rocks. The walls, as it were, of the 
bridge, at this side, are so perpendicular, that 
a person leaning over the parapet of rocky 
