The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1853-08-20
4 living SuspensIOn RrIgde.

They are coming towards the bridge: The
will most likely cross by the rocks yOnder, ola
served EAOul How swim it 4 asked. i
l. torrent there oh no.. answered the french
man, monkeys would rather go into fire than
water. II hey cuunot leap the stream the,
will bridge IT. Bridge i'll and howf Stop
moment, Captain, you shall see. The half hu
man voices nov sounded nearer, and we coull
/ perceive that the animals were approaching tb,
| spot whore We lay. Prcsen ly they appeared
up on the opposite bank, headed by an old gray
| chlcItaln. and differed Ike so many soldiers
/ They were n, RIoGl had stated. OF the oaMA
DGtGa, or ring tailed tribe. One--anaid. de
camp or chief pioneer, perhaps ont upor
I a projecting rock, and lupk.g across the stream
as II calculating the distance, compared back anu
appeared TO communicate with lbe leader. 1hi.
produced movement IN the troops Com
mnnds were issued. and fatigue parties were de
! tacled, aud mUrchrd 10 the front Meanwhile
several OF the cnmndftJn--englneer no doubt
Ian along the bank eX,mlrng the tree. on both
sides Of The arroyo At length they all collect
ed around a tall cotton wood that grew over the
narrowe,t part Of the river, aud twenty or ,hlr.
~ Of them scamyrfrd up It's trunk. On reach
ing high point the foremost--a strong fellow
ran out upon limb, and taking several tlrGs oi
his tail around II, slipped off, and hung head
dOwnwaIds The next on the limb, also a stout
one, clmcd down the body Of the tjrst aud wLip.
ping his tail lightly around the neck aud fore
arm oi the latter, dropped of in his turn and
hung head dOwnnarIs. The third repeated thi.
rnaucGver upon the second and the fourth upon
the third Hni - on until the last upon the string
re,ted hl' ioirpows upon the ground
lhe living cham now commenced swinging
backwards 'ui forwards. like the pendulum Of
a clock The motIon was slight at first, but
gradually increased, the lowermOst monkey strik
ing b.. hands violently upon the ground as hs
passed the tangent of the Oscill.,ing cur,e--
Several others upon the limbs aided thc move
ment THIS con 'nucd until the monkey at the
end ui the cham was thrown among the branch.
e. ota tree "n the opposite bank. Here, after
two or three vibrations. be clutcbed ? limb and
held :tst. THIS movement was performed adroI,
~ just OF the cuImnatUg punt Of The osciIa
il"n, m orter to save the intermediate Inks
from the Violence "f n too sudden ietk! The
chain was now fast at both cnds t.rmIng com.
pIetc Suspension bridge over which the Whole
troop to the number Of four or tive hundred,
passed si'h the rapidity OF thought. 1t was one
Of the most comicul sights ever 6eheId to wit.
meas the quSlca EXPIRE rslon oi cOuD enances along
the living chain The troop was nov on the
other side. but how were the ANIMALS forming
the bridge TO get Themselves over This was
he question that suggested nseIf Manliesty
by No. one letting 60 his tail But lhen ,he
ooi-t deoYPm IN the other side was much lower
Iown, and numbering o,e with a half dozen
u his nclglhur.. would be dashed against tho
opposite bank or .nused i,to The water. Here,
hen, was problem, aud We waited with some
HfIu-I'y for It's solution II was soon solyrd
monkey was seen alta ching his tail TO the