Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1850-09-19
A Novel suspension Bridge.

'They are coming towards the bridge;
they will most likely cross by the rocks yon-
der observed Ranul
How-swim FTP asked. 1t is tor
rent there!
sob, MOP answered the Frenchman;
monkeys would rather go into fire than
! water. If they cannot leap the stream,
they will bridge it,
Bridge it! aud how?
Stop moment, Cap,ain--you shall seef
The half human voices now sounded
nearer, aud we could perceive that the ami
mails were approaching the spot where we
! lay. Presently they appeared upon the OPP
posite bank, headed by an old grey chief
tain and ofiicered like SO many soldiers-
They were, as Raoul stated, of the comad-
rgGk or ringtailed tribe.
/. One-an abide camp, or chief pioneer
ran out upon projecting rock, and, after
! looking across the stream, as if calculating
the distance, scamPered back, and appear
ed TO communicate with the leader This
produced movement in the troop. Com
maids were issued, AID fatigue parties were
detailed, and marched to the front. Mean
while several OF the comadraI ahs-engn-
GERS, no doubt-ran along the bank, EXAM
ining the trees on both sides of the arrayo.
At length thew all collected around tall
cottonwood, that grew over the narrowest
part OF the stream, aud 20 or 80 of them
scaHipe5ed up its trunk. Ga reaching
I lIga point, the toremOst-a strong fellow
ran cut upon liab, ana, taking several
tlrns Of his tail around il. slipped of, aud
hung head dowuwards. The next on the
/ limo, also stout one, climbed down the
/ body Of the first and whipping his tail tight
~ round the neck and forearm of the latter.
dropped of IN his turn, asd hung head
down. Tie third repeated this mannuvre
upon the string, and rested his paws upon
the ground.
/ The living chain now commenced swing
ing backwards and forwards like the pend
ulum OF clock. The motion was slight
at first, but gradually increased, the lower
most monkey striking his hand violently on
the earth as he passed the tangent of the os-
eillsting curve Several others upon the
limbs above aided the movement
This continued until the monkey at the
end Of the chain was thrown among the
branches Of tree on the opposite bank
Here, after two or three vibrations, he
cluiched d limb, and held fast This move
ment WAS executed adrotly, Just at the cul-
minaliug point of the oscillation, in order
TO save the intermediate links from The viol-
ence Of TOO sudden jerkl
The cham was now fast at both ends,
forming a complete suspension bridge, over
which the whole troop, to the number of
four or five hundred passed with the rapid
ty of thought.
1t was one Of the most comical sights | ever
beheld, to witness the quizzical expression
OF countenances along that living chain!
The troop was now On the other side,
but how wefe the animals forming the bridge
tion that suggested itself. ManifestIy, by
number one letting 60 his tail. But then
the point doPpai on the Other side was
much lower down, and number one, with
half doz IN Of his neighbors, would be
dashed against the opposite bank, or soused
INTO the water.
Here, then, was problem, and we wait
ed with SOME curiosity for lis solution. 1t
was soon solved. A monkey was now seen
attaching his tail to the lowest on the bridge,
another girded him in Il similar manner, aud
: another, and SO on. until dozen more were
added to The string These last were all
powerful fellows; and, running up to high
limb, they lifted the bridge into position
almost horizontal.
Then scream from the last monkey of
the new formation warned the tail end that
all was ready; and the next momen! the
whole chain was swung over and landed
safely on the opposite bank. The lower
most links now dropped off like melting
candle, while the higher ones leaped to the
branches and came down by the trunk
The whole troop then scampered off into
the chapparal and disappeared Captain
Reds AdUcnturcs IN Southern We1ico.