SURVEY OF THE GANGES. 513 



Yi'ith verdure and beautiful plantations of young ^/^w trees.* Several 

 lields of rice and barley, now in the stubble, lay by the road side. 



Over a very rapid but narrow part of the river, v^^as thrown a substitute 

 for a bridge, called in the language of the country,: Kw. It consists sim- 

 ply of two or three strong ropes, fixed by stakes, into the ground, on each 

 .bank, and elevated about eight or ten feet above the water. On these, a 

 person conveys himself across, by chnging to them- 'with his hands and 

 feet, While a small hoop, suspended frpm the ropes, serves as a.restfoif 

 theb?iGk., and is a trifling, though it rnii?t b^ allowed,, a very frail security, 

 .should the person quit his hold. This passage is not calculated for all 

 descriptions of travellers ; the water rolls below ,with such foaitiing vio- 

 lence and stunning roar, that it requires no 'S:m all degree of resolution 

 to make, the attempt. However, where the inconvenience is without 

 remedy, the hands' and feet of the person are tied, above the ropejs, 

 liis eyes blindfolded, to prevent his s:eeing the danger ; and he is drawn 

 across by a cord passed round the waist. 



In the evening arrived an Harcarah from Shista Tap ah, charged to 

 report what progress we had made, and apparently to deter us from the 

 prosecution of our design, by exaggerated representations of the difficul- 

 ties which we should have to encounter. Finding this scheme defeated 

 l)y pur incredulity, he took his departure. At ten at night came on a 

 "Violent storm of rain, with thunder and lightning. 



24th. Therm. 76". Ourencampment this day was on the banks of the 

 Birhl Gangd. The road was in general good, and the distance wliich we 

 travelled could not be less than ten or eleven miles. Yet we passed some 



Dalbergia siso Roxb. 



G 6 



