A SUSPENSION BRIDGE OF RATTAN. 429 



loose and slipped over to one side^ so that, if I had 

 stepped as I had intended, I should have put my 

 foot through, if indeed I had not fallen headlong 

 and been dashed on the roeks in the torrent more 

 than a huudj-ed feet beneath me. I therefore stopped 

 instantly, and allowed myself to swing with the 

 i)ndga until it came to a state of rest^ and then 

 again went on slowly, and safely reached the oppo- 

 site bank. My companions, who stood on the bank 

 behind me, became gi'eatly alanned when they saw 

 me stop in the midst of the long span, and were sure 

 that I had either become giddy, or was fi'ightened, 

 and that, in either ease, I would grasp hold of the 

 side of the bridge eontraiy to their express orders* 



The difficulty in crossing this bridge, which is as 

 flexible as Manilla rope, is so great, not only because 

 it oscillates to the right and left, but because there is a 

 vertical motion, and its whole floor, instead of moving 

 in one piece, is continually rolling in a series of wavea 

 An official, who had taken very careful measurements 

 of it ia oi'der to make an estimate of the cost of erect- 

 ing a true biidge, for this airy way does not deserve 

 such a substantial name, gave me the following flg- 

 urea ; total length, S'r4 feet ; height of the middle 

 and lowest part of the first span above the torrent, 

 108 feet ; height of the middle and lowest part of the 

 second span, 137.5 feet. The inspector then came 

 over safely, and we walked a short distance to a 

 neighboring \Tllage while the natives were taking 

 our carnage to pieces and bringing them over one at 

 a time. 



Although I am not one of those who allow them- 



