e headwaters of the
Rhone. Paul had selected this river for his next voyage. With the
intention of making the entire stream from its source to the
Mediterranean, he visited Geneva, in Switzerland. Here he discovered
that it would be impossible to start from the lake, as by doing so he
would be carried into the great cavern known as Per du Rhone, in which
the entire river disappears and makes a mysterious and unexplored
passage under the mountain. He was anxious to try the underground
current through the cavern and did not give up the idea until several
experiments had convinced him that it would be foolhardy to make the
attempt. He stationed one of his assistants at the point where the Rhone
again comes to the surface and with the help of others, miles above at
the mouth of the cavern, he sent in logs of wood, bladders and other
buoyant objects, none of which were observed to pass through by the
watcher below. The last and deciding experiment, was sending in a pair
of live ducks and these, also were lost. He then concluded to start
below the cavern and selected the little village of Seyssel as the best
point to prepare for the voyage.

The Rhone when high is one of the most rapid rivers in the world, and
Paul's trip from Seyssel to the Mediterranean was the swiftest he ever
made. The entire distance is five hundred kilometers, or three hundred
miles, and his actual running time was sixty hours. He was enabled to
push along at this unusual rate on account of the freshets swelling the
river to a flood. He passed in safety the perilous rapids of the Saute
du Rhone; but near the frontier of France he had a marvelous escape from
a frightful death. The authorities on the frontier are kept busy
watching for smugglers who work contraband goods from Switzerland into
France. A quantity of goods were smuggled through the lines by floating
them down the river at night, and in order to catch such articles the
officers of the Duane stretched a strong gate of chain work across
the river just at the border. This gate is thickly set with sharp iron
hooks which hold the packages that float against them. Paul was not
informed of this dangerous bar to his progress. As he neared the
frontier village he noticed the utmost excitement amongst the crowds
congregated on the banks. From their wild gesticulations, he could see
they were shouting; but he thought they were simply cheering him and
continued his rapid approach