RIDE UP COUNTRY. 55 



mostly undulating, but with one remarkable pyramidal 

 mass standing far above the other hills. We continued 

 descending and ascending alternately, going through swamp 

 and rushes, mandioca and milho fields, and pitchy-dark 

 forests, until at length, about seven, we saw below us the 

 distant glimmering light of a camp fire, and in another 

 quarter of an hour we were distributing a large packet of 

 letters and newspapers among our friends. 



We were regaled on ham and cacha5a, and then, after 

 a long talk with the chief of section, I turned in for the 

 night on a folding chair, covered by my rug and poncho. 

 After an excellent night's rest, and some tinned beef, cakes, 

 and tea for breakfast, we set off once more, and soon 

 crossed the Rio Para by the Bombassa bridge. It was as 

 ramshackle as all the other bridges I have come across, 

 with hardly any exception. Bridge construction here is 

 generally as follows : longitudinal timbers are laid upon 

 the top of the piles which are driven into the river bed, and 

 on these timbers are placed boughs and sticks — unprepared 

 in any way — while the crevices are filled up with sods. 

 There are no side rails, the footway is always full of holes, 

 and many of the timbers are rotten, and give way under 

 your weight, so that it is always impossible to ride over 

 them ; you have to dismount and lead your animals with 

 much coaxing, as they are often frightened to cross. This 

 bridge has a specially broken-down look from not being 

 straight : it extends three-quarters across the river in one 

 direction, and then suddenly bends up stream to the other 

 bank. 



An hour later we re-crossed the river by another bridge, 

 which had side railings, but the footway was in a very 

 dangerous condition, and we hardly dared to go over it. 

 At midday a very heavy storm came on, so we were obliged 



