1853.] Notes upon a Tour in the Sikkim Himalayan Mountains. 543 



and kept in proper order, the platform or bridge is about a foot in 

 width. Those bridges that are constructed by the natives have only one 

 single bamboo for the feet to rest upon ; and across these frail bridges, 

 the most wild and turbulent streams are crossed with safety. Out- 

 riggers, to prevent the main chains being brought together with the 

 weight of the passenger, are rigged out at every ten or twelve feet, 

 in the following manner : under the platform, and at right angles to 

 it or parallel to the stream, strong bamboos are passed, and from 

 their extremities to the main chains, split ratan-ropes are firmly 

 tied ; this prevents the hanging loop or bridge from shutting up and 

 choking the passenger. The piers of these bridges are generally 

 two convenient trees, through whose branches the main chains are 

 passed and pegged into the ground on the opposite side. 



The bridge over the Rungeet is about fifty yards in span, and 

 fifteen feet above the stream. Across this narrow bridge I was 

 surprised to see a hill dog trot, apparently quite regardless of the 

 raging torrent beneath him. 



The water being too rapid for the passage of our ponies, they were 

 sent back from the right bank of the river, and from this spot our 

 wanderings commenced on foot. 



At this spot which is twenty-two miles in a direct line from the 

 plains, and nearly 2,000 feet above the sea, I observed termites or 

 white-ants who, under the shelter of their pierced earthen covering, 

 were destroying the bark of an oak-tree. The many varieties of lepi- 

 doptera and dragon-flies that were fluttering about the gneiss rocks 

 were remarkable for their great numbers and beauty. 



On our way down the hill our attention was markedly arrested 

 by a flock of birds — which our Lepchas described as being about the 

 ■size of a black-bird and of a black and white plumage, for we did not 

 get a glimpse of them — whose united voices exactly resembled a set 

 of human maniacs screaming and laughing in horrid chorus. I never 

 remember to have heard such a peculiarly wild and attention-rivetting 

 sound as the voice of these birds ; it was perfectly startling. 



Left the Eungeet at 2 p. m. and ascended to the Groke guard- 

 house, in an hour. The forest is particularly beautiful, the fici on 

 a grand scale being the most remarkable feature in the forest. It 

 is interesting to trace amongst the various specimens of this natural 



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