Charlie saw, with astonishment, that a wide deep cut had been driven, between the road and the river, in a straight line.
Looking down into it, he saw that it was paved with the heads of piles, and that carts were already emptying loads of concrete down upon it.
"Every bag of cement, every stone that you see, has been brought from a great distance," his companion said.

"There is not a stone to be had within fifty miles of this spot.

The work would seem well-nigh impossible, but it is the work of a nation.

In another month, there will be a hundred and fifty thousand peasants at work here, and well nigh as many carts, bringing materials for the work and provisions for the workers." "It is stupendous! But it will take years to complete, and it will surely be terribly unhealthy here ?" "I calculate the work will occupy ten years, and will cost a hundred thousand, maybe two hundred thousand lives," the other said calmly; "but what is that to the making of a nation?
Before, Russia was stifled, she could not grow.

Now we have a communication with the world.