A SUSPENSION BRIDGE OF RATTAN. 429 



loose and slipped over to one side, so that, if I had 

 stepped as I had intended, I should have put my 

 foot through, if indeed I had not fallen headlong 

 and been dashed on the rocks in the torrent more 

 than a hundred feet beneath me. I therefore stoj^ped 

 instantly, and allowed myself to swing with the 

 bridge until it came to a state of rest, and then 

 again went on slowly, and safely reached the oppo- 

 site bank. My comj)anions, who stood on the bank 

 ])ehind me, became gi'eatly alarmed when they saw 

 me stop in the midst of the long span, and were sure 

 that I had either become giddy, or was frightened, 

 and that, in either case, I would grasp hold of the 

 side of the bridge contrary to their ex]3ress orders. 



The difficulty in crossing this bridge, which is as 

 flexible as Manilla rope, is so great, not only because 

 it oscillates to the right and left, but because there is a 

 vertical motion, and its whole floor, instead of moving 

 in one piece, is continually rolling in a series of waves. 

 An official, who had taken very careful measurements 

 of it in order to make an estimate of the cost of erect- 

 ing a true l)ridge, for this aiiy way does not deserve 

 such a substantial name, gave me the following fig- 

 ures : total length, 374 feet ; height of the middle 

 and lowest part of the first sjian above the torrent, 

 108 feet ; height of the middle and lowest part of the 

 second span, 137.5 feet. The inspector then came 

 over safely, and we walked a short distance to a 

 neio:hT)orin2: villao-e while the natives were takinsr 

 our carriage to pieces and bringing them over one at 

 a time. 



Although I am not one of those who allow them- 



