THE CHEMECK. 447 



they seem somewhat puzzled. Several of the elders of the 

 tribe go to the outer ends of the boughs, and appear to be 

 measuring the distance across. As they have an especial dis- 

 like to wetting their hairy skins — although they would un- 

 doubtedly swim if no other means could, be found of getting 

 to the opposite bank — they have devised a method more 

 suited to their tastes. They leap from bough to bough, till 

 they find one projecting in a line with the trunk or branch of 

 any tree inclining over the water from the opposite side. 

 The larger and stronger members of the tribe now assemble, 

 leaving the younger ones to gambol and frisk about among 

 the boughs, and amuse themselves in juvenile monkey fashion. 

 One monkey — the Hercules, probably of the tribe — twist- 

 ing his tail round the outer end of the branch, now hangs by 

 it with his head downwards, at his full length. Another 

 descends bj^ the body of the first, round which he coils his 

 tail. A third adds another link to the chain : and thus, one 

 by one they increase its length, till the surface of the water 

 is almost reached. The chain now begins to oscillate back- 

 wards and forwards towards the opposite bank, each move- 

 ment increasing the length of the arc, till the lower monkey, 

 with fore-arms outstretched, reaches the stem of the tree on 

 the opposite bank. He grasps it tightly, gradually clamber- 

 ing up, and drawing the line composed of his comrades after 

 him, till the monkey immediately below him is also able to 

 feeize the trunk, and assist in dragging up the rest. They 

 thus form an almost horizontal bridge above the water. The 

 rest of the agile tribe, now summoned from their sports, 

 begin to cross ; the younger ones, in the exuberance of their 

 spirits, taking the opportunity of playing all sorts of pranks 

 during their passage over the bodies of their self-sacrificing 



