Year: 1873

"And the railway people won't object


They've all quit work for the day


aud there won't be soul near til,


bridge but yourself"


"Then of course III go over it,


But | found that there we're certain


difficulties in the way. The railroad


bridge crossed the estuary at point


about quarter of mile from the little


inn that formed the extremity of the


town, ut spot where its channel was


narrowed to "a distance of about three.


quarters OF mile. The unfinished


bridge was constructed of piles firmly


driven into the bed OF the river, from


which rose huge piers Of timber to the


height Of about forty feet. Along these


were massive balks, destined to support


the platform of the bridge, whilst each


pier was strengthened and supported,


and strengthened and supported Its


neighbor, by an arrangement Of cross


beams and ties.


! When / reached the bank Of the river


with my guide, Evan Rowlands, found


that there was n considerable hiatus be-


tween the shore and the nearest pier
hbout Huuuitu Nhius. IVAN, Hp"-
ever, was prepared with plan for
reaching it. A friend of his was the
master of the little sloop, the Ann Jones,
which was lying in the tiny creek above


He and his mate were now on board
her. and they had got their little dingy
with them. Evan would borrow the
boat, and drop down with the stream,
and deposit me at the foot of the near
est pier.


"Bnt why not ferry me right overthe
river q l asked.


"Not possible" said Evan. There
were shadows and quicksands Mt the
were very dangerous.


So we made our way along the road
which overlooks the estuary, till we
came to the little harbor Evan had no
difficulty in borrowing the dingy, and
we were soon afioat, shooting quickly
down the stream.


1t was almost dark now, for although
the sun was not yet down, the storm
that was gathering up on the horizon
obseured his light. Great volumes of
cloud and vapor were driving up be-
fore the wind, which howled and moan
ed intermittently, as blast succeeded
blast, and died away again. The wind
and the tide in opposition made the
water pretty rough, and our boat danced
mp and down in very lively way.
Presently the black skeleton of the
bridge loomed upon us through the
mist, and Evan dexterously brought up
his boat in the little eddy that was
formed by the abutments of the pier,
and then he called to me to Jump from
the stern of the dingv on to a cross
piece that formed sort of platform
foot or so from the waters edge.


jumped, and landed safely on the
balk, and then l found that my way up
wards was by climbing the nearest pier,
noroeo wh; ;, were nailed rough, lrregu-
lar slaves, which constituted what
called workman's ladder. l had no
intention of undertaking any acrobatic
feats, and the idea of climbing up to
that giddy height by such rough. I'M
reliable supports was dlstasteful enough.
| wouldn't try it. would go back to
the boat to dry land once more. But
the boat had spun away on the tide,
and was now far ont of earshot, or
indeed eyeshot either. There | stood, !
then, in the midst of n rushing, raging !
sea, upon balk of timber, embracing |
a huge black pier, the head of which
was lost in the gloom and mist over
head. / couldn't stay here; | must get
across the bridge at all hazards, and
my only way was upwards.


Up L went slowly, step by step, test
ing each frail splintered stave ere l
trusted my weight to it. More than
one broke away in my hands, and fell
into the sea below. But when | reached |
the top, thought, then all this danger
would be over | should find firm,
secure platform-a rail, or, at least,
a rope for the hand.


When / came to the top of the pier I
saw stretched out before me a beam,
as it seemed, IN mid-air,
u narrow beam-more like n rope, 1t
seemed to me-stretched over this wild
abyss of raging waves-that, and moth
ing else There We're footprints in the
ridge OF timber--it was not
mole than two feet wide at the broadest
and the sight of them gave me
courage. Men had passed over here
before me; | would pass too. And so,
without giving myself moment more
to think. l stepped and the moment
when letting go with my hands, | stood
upon that topmost round of the ladder
and balanced myself for an instant, as l
placed my foot upon the plank-tha
moment in which seemed to quiver,
and sway to and fro high up on this
giddy perch, beyond the ken of any
human eye--that moment of dizzy terror,
of strange Willing thoughts, of instincts
to cast myself headlong into the sea
was in sensation as any ordinary week
Of placid being and yet it came and
went like any other moment, and | stood
erect upon the beam, and began my
perilous way.


i heard the wind afar off, believing
among the breakers on the bar heard
it screeching and bowling over the flats.
[ felt a moments calm, the strange,
unnat -al hush, and then the rush and
leap OF the storm, as it hurtled by me.
Dashing the salt spray into my eyes, it
came, seizing all the loose corners Of
my apparel, and cracking them like
carrying away my feeble
breath in Its wild course, but leaving
ne-yes, thank God-leaving me still
on my plank.


The gust had cleared the mist for a {
space, and / could now see before me, /.
hough indistinctly enough, but could I
zee that there was only another length
If unprotected balk (; beyond that was {
! broad, safe platform of timber,
tretched from pier to pier. Oh, to feel 1
hat platform safe under my feet
reversed the balk almost at run. 1
must reach safety before there came
mother gust of that fierce wind. {


I beard it coming now, but / was (