over the morass, and the interstices were filled with moss and
other elastic matter. Upon this the clay and soil were laid down,
and the road does float, for we passed over it at the rate of five
and twenty miles an hour, and saw the stagnant swamp water
trembling on the surface of the soil on either side of us. I hope
you understand me. The embankment had gradually been rising higher
and higher, and in one place, where the soil was not settled enough
to form banks, Stephenson had constructed artificial ones of
wood-work, over which the mounds of earth were heaped, for he said
that though the wood-work would rot, before it did so the banks of
earth which covered it would have been sufficiently consolidated to
support the road.

We had now come fifteen miles, and stopped where the road traversed
a wide and deep valley. Stephenson made me alight and led me down
to the bottom of this ravine, over which, in order to keep his road
level, he has thrown a magnificent viaduct of nine arches, the
middle one of which is seventy feet high, through which we saw the
whole of this beautiful little valley. It was lovely and wonderful
beyond all words. He here told me many curious things respecting
this ravine: how he believed the Mersey had once rolled through it;
how the soil had proved so unfavorable for the foundation of his
bridge that it was built upon piles, which had been driven into the
earth to an enormous depth; how, while digging for a foundation, he
had come to a tree bedded in the earth fourteen feet below the
surface of the ground; how tides are caused, and how another flood
might be caused; all of which I have remembered and noted down at
much greater length than I can enter upon it here. He explained to
me the whole construction of the steam-engine, and said he could
soon make a famous engineer of me, which, considering the wonderful
things he has achieved, I dare not say is impossible. His way of
explaining himself is peculiar, but very striking, and I
understood, without difficulty, all that he said to me. We then
rejoined the rest of the party, and the engine having received its
supply of water, the carriage was placed behind it, for it cannot
turn, and was set off at its utmost speed, thirty-five miles an
hour, swifter than a bird flies (