1839.] Capt. Vembertorts Mission to Bootan, 1837-38. 287 



least ought to be, kept in motion by the action of water. In some 

 places where running streams are not obtainable, as in the Soobah's 

 houses, these are revolved by the hand. 



There is nothing particular in the construction of their flour mills, 

 which are very small ; the pivot is vertically attached at the bottom 

 to an horizontal water wheel, and passing above through two horizontal 

 stones, of which the upper one alone revolves, the flour is hindered 

 from falling off the under stone by the* person in attendance. 



Of bridges they have two kinds, the suspension and wooden ; the 

 latter are, I think, of better construction than the former, although not 

 of equal ingenuity. The finest suspension bridge in Bootan is that 

 across the Monass, below Tassgong, and has a span of about sixty yards. 

 The chains are slight, and the links too long ; the masonry by which 

 the chains are supported is massive, and built into tall respectable 

 looking towers. The motion is very considerable. The great fault in 

 this bridge, and in this respect it is inferior to that of Chicka, is that 

 its bottom or platform is not flat, but forms the segment of a circle, and 

 is continuous with the sides, which are made of bamboo matting. 



The wooden bridges, which are thrown over all the second class 

 torrents, are solid looking, and impress one with the idea of great 

 strength. Considerable pains are taken in the selection of such spots 

 where the span is less, and where solid abutments either exist, or may 

 be readily made. The supports are large beams placed in pairs, with 

 a cross timber between each, and which pass through the abutments, 

 on which towers are erected for the purpose of giving stability. The 

 beams gradually increase in length from below upwards, so that each 

 projects somewhat beyond that immediately below it. On the upper 

 pair, which form a slightly inclined plane, planks are placed. As the 

 upper beams only project over perhaps one-third of the span, the centre 

 of the bridge is made up of horizontal beams and planks ; if quite com- 

 plete the bridge is covered with a chopper, and provided on either side 

 with a stout open balustrade. Small streams are crossed by planks, or 

 timbers, the upper surface of which is rendered plane. From the consi- 

 deration of their buildings it would appear that they possess consider- 

 able architectural genius ;* but we were told that all those of superior 

 construction are built by Thibetans or Chinese; this was certainly 

 the case with the bridge erecting over the Deo Nuddee, not far from 

 Dewangiri. As long as nature supplies rocks of easy and perfect cleav- 



* Turner in mentioning their aqueducts draws a comparison between the Booteas and 

 the wonderful ancients; he compares a few wooden troughs, applied end to end, and so 

 badly constructed that one kick would demolish considerable portions, to those master- 

 pieces of master minds which laugh at time. 



