LITHUANIA AND ITS PEOPLE. 101 



for those whom they regarded as merely Polish intruders. 

 But their plan to pick a quarrel with us if such had 

 been their purpose was frustrated by our taking not the 

 slightest notice of their conduct. 



' On Friday morning, the 6th of March, we started by 

 post-waggon for Wereiki, one of the Count's country 

 houses, south of the Niemen, about thirty English miles 

 from Grodno, The v two waggons, which drew up to the 

 door an hour after the appointed time, resembled Scotch 

 hay-carts. One of them was drawn by four rough-looking 

 horses abreast, and the other by three. The rapid 

 pace at which they galloped along the wretched roads 

 was perfectly surprising, and the violent jolting which the 

 passengers thereby suffered, for the waggons had no 

 springs, may be better imagined than described. Our 

 progress at first was slow enough ; the rough pavement 

 of the streets making it necessary to traverse them 

 nearly at a walking pace, and the obstruction at the 

 bridge over the Niemen being not easy to overcome. 

 There are two bridges across this part of the Niemen ; 

 the one, a tubular bridge, for the railway to Warsaw ; 

 the other, a .flying bridge, as it is called, but of a 

 very different construction from those bearing the 

 same name, with which the traveller on the Rhine is 

 familiar at Bonn, Konigswinter, and Neuwied. The 

 movement of the Rhine bridges, as the reader probably 

 knows, is carried on by the action of the stream, and 

 controlled by a chain, which is attached to the stern of 

 the two barges which support the platform of the 

 bridge, and thence passing through a high wooden frame- 

 work, is drawn over a series of boats stationed at inter- 

 vals up the stream, and is fastened over the stern of the 

 hindmost boat, to the bottom of the river. The Niemen 

 bridge is likewise set in motion by. the stream; but, 

 instead of being attached to boats, its course, from one 

 bank to the other, is controlled by a stout cable, which 

 passes upon rollers, through two upright posts fixed on 

 each side of the bridge, and is fastened at each end to a 



