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.