221 
cm d the Sou7'ces c^tlie Jumnet and the Gauges. 
side of the water ; and round these beams ropes are strained, ex- 
tending from the one to the other across the river, and they are 
Jiauled tight, or kept in their place, by a sort of windlass. The 
rope used in forming this bridge is generally from two to three 
inches in circumference, and at least nine or ten times crossed, 
to make it secure. This collection of ropes is traversed by a 
block of wood hollowed into a semicircular groove, large enough 
to slide easily along it, and around this block ropes are suspend- 
ed, forming a loop, in which passengers seat themselves, clasp- 
ing its upper parts wdth their hands to keep themselves steady ; 
a line fixed to the wooden block at each end, extending to 
each bank, serves to haul it and the passenger attached to it 
from one side of the river to the other. 
The J-lioola at Rampore was somewhat formidable, for the 
river tumbles beneath in a very awful way, and the ropes, 
though they decline in the centre to the water, are elevated 
from 30 to 40 feet above it. The span is from 90 to 100 yards. 
Although it was evident that the actual danger was small, it 
was not without certain uncomfortable feelings that I first 
launched out in the machine to cross the Sutlej.'’ — p. 260. 
Singular method of treating Iifants when asleep. 
At a miserable village called BaJiun,.we witnessed a very ex- 
traordinary practice, to which the inhabitants of the hills submit 
their young children. Several straw sheds are constructed on a 
bank, above which a cold clear stream is led to w^ater their fields, 
and a small portion of this, probably of three fingers breadth, is 
brought into the shed by a hollow stick, or piece of bark, and falls 
from this spout into a small drain, which carries it off about two 
feet below. The women bring their children to these huts in the 
heat of the day, and having lulled them to sleep, and wrapped 
their bodies and feet warm in a blanket, the^^ place them in a 
small bench or tray horizontally, in such a way that the water 
shall fall on the crown of the head, just keeping the whole top 
wet with its stream. We saw two under this operation, and se- 
veral others came in while we remained, to place their children 
in a similar way. Males and females are equally used thus, and 
their sleep seemed sound and unruffled. 
‘‘ The mode, too, of lulling asleep was singular: seizing the 
infant with both arms, with these, aided by the knee, they gave 
VOL. 111. NO. 6. OCTOEF.R 1820, Q 
