descent along the side of a mountain torrent and afterwards over its
bed, which is a narrow gorge between high hills. This walking was very
rough and difficult; the path being covered with great stones and often
undistinguishable. Indeed it was no path at all, only the ground
occasionally a little trodden. Through the stream, backwards and
forwards _innumerable_ times we went. I found that my feet, though naked
except where covered by the straps of the sandals, were able to take
care of themselves, and avoid contusion almost without the help of my
eyes. Then I came to a large and rapid river called the Kishun-gunga
crossed by a rope bridge. Let me describe the bridge. Three or four
leather ropes about one inch in diameter tied into a bundle to walk
upon, three feet above this, a couple of ropes, two feet apart, the
upper ropes connected to the lower one at intervals of four or five
yards by stakes. This formed a V shape, and you walk on the point of the
V and hold on by the two sides. The breadth of the river is sixty yards,
and the bridge which is high above the water forms a considerable curve.
The description of the bridge is easy enough, but how shall I describe
my feelings, when I had gone a few yards and found myself poised in
mid-air like a spider on a web, oscillating, swaying backwards and
forwards over a foaming and roaring torrent, the rush of the water if I
looked at my feet, made me feel as if I was being violently carried in
the opposite direction; the bridge swayed and jumped with the weight of
half a dozen natives coming from the opposite side whom I had to pass,
the whole thing seemed so weak and the danger so terrible that I turned
giddy, lost my head, and cried out to be held. A firm hand at once
grasped me behind and another in front. I shut my eyes and so proceeded
a few yards. Then those dreadful men had to be passed. Imagine meeting
a man on a rope fifty feet above a torrent and requiring him to "give
you the wall." However they were passed by a mysterious interlacing of
feet; and when half way over I regained confidence, and bid the men