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 rocks in the torrent more
than a hundred feet beneath me. I therefore stopped
instantly, and allowed myself to swing with the
bridge until it came to a state of rest, and then
again went on slowly, and safely reached the opposite
bank. My companions, who stood on the bank
behind me, became greatly alarmed when they saw
me stop in the midst of the long span, and were sure
that I had either become giddy, or was frightened,
and that, in either case, I would grasp hold of the
side of the bridge contrary 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 js a
vertical motion, and its whole floor, instead of moving
in one piece, is continually rolling in a series of waves.
An official, who had taken very careful measurements
of it in order to make an estimate of the cost of erecting
a true bridge, for this airy way does not deserve
such a substantial name, gave me the following figures:
total length, 374 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 village while the natives were taking
our carriage to pieces and bringing them over one at
a time.
Although I am not one of those who allow them