Birmingham age-herald., 1894-12-20
ON TRAIL BRIDGES.
STREAMS IN WEST AFRICA THAT
 WE'RE YARD TO CROSS.

Adventures of an Explorer and His Party
 Flooding Through Forest and Swamp
 While Weakened by Hunger-From Limb
 to Limb Across a Raging River.
 One of the greatest annoyances explor- CTS in tropical Africa meet is the swol- len rivers which sometimes bar their ad- vance at places where it is difficult if not impossible, to obtain boats. The ex- petition which tho Germans sent into the interior of Cameroons, west Africa, awhile ago, suffered unusual embarrassment from this cause, and once or twice their expe- rience on the banks of raging torrents was little thrilling.
 Lieutenant Morgen was the leader of this party. For seven days he led his men through tho dense woods between the sea and the upland plains of the interior. It was q most toilsome march along the nar- row path where fallen logs and protrud- ing roots rendered rapid progress impossl- ble Even at midday the column march ed in twilight, for the thick, oyerhanging foliage shut out tho sunlight. Morgen expected to emerge from the forest belt in four days, but he was still in the gloom of the forest at the end of seven days The situation was serious, for provisions were running low, but Morgen knew he was near a land of plenty, and he was not se- riously alarmed when, on the evening of the seventh day, the porters ate up the last of the rice, which was their main food supply. He expected early next day to be able fully to replenish his commissary de- partment.
 What was his dismay next morning to fhn ho41 Of ffu In 1ifNh n strong flood and could not be forded. There were no natives in the neighbor- hood, and of course no boats were to be seen. He was oyerjoyed to find, however, that little up stream the channel nar- rowed to about 90 feet, and that on tho bank grew a mighty cottonwood tree that was fully 90 feet high. The best choppers in the party were detailed to convert this tree into a temporary bridge. They began chopping on both sides of the trunk the cut on tho river side being lower and deeper than on the other side, so that the tree would fall across the river
 The men were hungry enough while they were waiting, for they had had no breakfast, but ct last, after four hours hard work, the great tree inclined toward the river, and cheer went up as it fell with crash into the stream. Then the cheer became cry of dismay as the men saw their bridge rolled over by the raging flood, and in less than O minute tho top turned down stream, and the tree was soon out of sight around bend in the river.
 Here was indeed 0 dilemma. The so hungry men knew that few miles away there was food in plenty. But they did not dare to fire their guns for fear of alarming the natives and driving them away instead of securing their aid. There was nothing to do except to send small parties up and down the river in search of a native bridge. Five men were dispatch ed in both directions. In an hour one party returned with the report that they had encountered 0 swamp which they could not cross. The fate of the expedi- tion now depended upon the success of the other party. Morgon was at his wits end, for he knew not what to do if no means of crossing the river were found. Retreat to the coast was impossible, and some of the men would certainly perish if the party were delayed for several days on this inhospitable river bank. Fortunately no such crisis occurred, for just as the party were beginning to despair one of Morgen's faithful followers burst through the bush and gladdened every heart with the cry:
 "We have found a bridge"
 A hearty cheer went up, and every body forgot his hunger as he shoudered his load and fell into line. Through the brush they struggled up stream, and at last they reached one of those suspension bridges made by twisting together the long, tough stems of climbing plants that are occasionally found in tropical west Africa. It was a flimsy construction, like all these affairs and tho men looked at it dubiously. The sun was setting as tho first three men passed over with their loads. As the second detachment was crossing some of the withes forming the floor broke, two men dropped through, and their loads were lost. The broken bridge was hastily repaired, and just as darkness fell the last man reached the other side. It was impossible to go far ther, and here the foodless men .amped for the night.
 By daybrca they were on the march. The men wero so weak that some of them were continually falling under their loads. They had to founder through q wide marsh in which they sank to their hips. It was noon before they emerged from the gloomy forest and once more saw the bluo sky, but moro joyous sight by far was the scores of nourishing gardens of the Yaunde tribe. The starving men spent several days recuperating in this garden spot before they resumed their march.
 A few weeks later Lieutenant Morgen stood on the banks of the Mbam river whose upper course he was the first white man to see. The only sign of lifo as he reached the new found river was two na. tives in canoes on the farther shore who quickly disappeared in an inlet when they saw him. Hour after hour the party lin gered on the shore, seeking in vain to com munieate with the natives Canoes must be obtained some way or other. At last after night had fallen Lieutenant Morgcn called for volunteers to swim across tho river and look for canoes. It was not an inviting undertaking, and some time elapsed before two men camo forward to risk their lives in the service of all Wood on floats were given to them to buoy them up on their journey of quarter of mile, and then they disappeared in tho darkness.
 This was another very anxious time for the lender, and he passed sleeplcss night in ont It,c .l,v- fatt fx