418 MEMOIR OF A SURVEY OF 



in the very last boat of the fleet, which happened to be a Saugor row- 

 boat, mounted with a carronade, which was whirled round and sunk 

 instantaneously, while an immense portion of the bank was as suddenly 

 cut away. This appeared to be a flood from the Noa Diking, the im- 

 mense force of which was not exhausted in crossing through the volume of 

 water of the Brahmaputra, upwards of one mile, at an angle of forty-five 

 degrees, with the current of the latter. The gun-boat Avas never recovered. 



The common bridge for foot passengers, which is re-built yearly, 

 had been broken up in the night by the rise of water, and, though 

 with some difficulty the elephant forded at a favourable place, the current 

 was found too strong for our ponies, which we had brought thus far. 

 The suspension bridge, or Saku, consists of two strong canes, stretched 

 between stages of bamboo, which are secured in piles of the largest 

 portable stones heaped up around them. Whenever the passengers were 

 few, and a cheap bridge were needed, this would answer admirably. A 

 cradle, or long basket, in which a man may sit or lie, is hung on the canes 

 by two loops, and the exertions of two or three men easily pull it across 

 when loaded. The " rushing" of the " arrowy" river below, with its loud 

 roar, cause not perhaps the most pleasing sensations to the novice — but it 

 is perfectly safe. The distance between the points of suspension is eighty 

 yards. The view from the bridge is fine : its features are grand, the moun- 

 tains are very lofty andbold — their summits were all hidden in dense clouds, 

 but we could see some of the snow, and with the telescope the little 

 threads of bright water trickling down from it in the ravines and chasms. 

 There is a large gap, where the Inke falls in from the north between 

 mountains, which we distinguished by the names of 'needle peak,' and 

 ' brown hill.' The gap is filled in the rear by a snow-capped ridge. We 

 had gone some distance up the river to the bridge. We now returned to 

 within half a mile of the Diking, and ascended the sand-stone hills to the 

 village of Pasila, on one of the steppes. It is a new village, of six or 



