d. The stream took on an abrupt turn about every hundred
yards and was running in the most peculiar currents. I was tossed
repeatedly from one side of the river to the other by sortie unseen
action and bumped against the rocks. I dashed through two or three
rapids and then came to a fall that almost deafened me with its roar.
I saw the water in front of me rushing together in big waves and then
jumping, leaving nothing but white foam to show where it disappeared. I
was drawn down and whirled and thrown about; how I came out I can't
tell. I do know, however, that I was puffing and trying to breathe.
It was quite a while before my head became clear after that shaking up;
but I kept right along.

"All that night I ran through another series of canyons until about two
o'clock in the morning, I saw in the moonlight what seemed to be a thin
string across the river, but on drawing closer, it proved to be the
bridge at Alcantara. It is a queer stone bridge, with two abutments and
one arch stretching across from one mountain to another, high up in the
air. There was no one out and I climbed up to the level of the bridge.
By calling and making a lot of noise, I succeeded in rousing the bridge
tender, who took me to the house of the Alcalde where all turned out
and welcomed me. I stopped there over Sunday and thoroughly enjoyed
myself. At night I went to a theatrical entertainment and was called on
for a speech, to which I responded to the best of my ability. I was
presented to many ladies and thought them the handsomest I had seen in
any part of Spain.

"I started early next morning and a short distance below, came to the
point where the river is bordered on one side by Portugal, and I soon
noticed a Portuguese flag flying from a mast and heard loud vivas from
the crew of a flat bottomed boat with a cabin, which I ran alongside of
and was informed that the boat had been sent by the Portuguese
government to meet me. The captain also carried a letter from the
Minister of Marine stating that the boat had been placed at my
disposal. At this I felt wonderfully relieved. The hard work was now all
over, as I simply followed the government craft for the remainder of
the journey. It was quite a novelty at first to begin taking my meals
regularly again and as there was an abundance of everything, I began to
thoroughly enjoy the trip. We would tie up every night and I occupied
the cabin.

"At Portes de Rodas, the