JOURNEY OF FERNANDEZ, 
47 
the first day's journey, came again to the banks 
of the terrible Zebee. Here they fell into " new 
" agonies/' for while the stream rolled still with 
tempestuous rapidity, there was not even a plank 
which could assist them in crossing. Their con- 
ductors, however, lighted upon a contrivance, 
which Fernandez particularly describes, that, as 
he say§, the mathematicians and engineers of 
Europe may see, that they do not enjoy a mono- 
poly of the power of invention, but have rivals 
among the Gingiros, from whom such refinements 
could be little expected. 
They killed a cow, and fornied the hide into 
a species of large bladder, into which they put 
some of their clothes, partly with the view of 
conveying them over, and partly to serve as bal- 
last. The bladder was then strongly inflated, and 
to each extremity was attached a piece of wood, 
like a common walking cane ; to each end of 
which was fastened one of the party, so that four, 
altogether, were at one time attached to it. The 
instrument formed a species of balance ; it was 
necessary that the two sides should be made per- 
fectly equal, and particularly, that the passengers 
should remain immoveable, and should not stir 
or bend their body in any direction, otherwise 
the equipoise was lost, and the machine overturn- 
ed. An able swimmer, before, performed the oft 
fice of a prow, and drew the machine on by a rope 
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