Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-16

| little experience are heightened by the cir
| cumstance that at the foot of the average
Indian hill road miniature torrent runs
This is crossed only by a narrow foot
bridge, and into the stream the oxen
plunge, to fetch up painting on the rising
ground on the opposite side. 1t is needless
to state, perhaps that the occupant of the
chopaya also fetches up painting, and CO.
piously bruised from head to feet, at the
same point.
Do Not Warn Friends.
Such is the effect of trip in a chopaya
| thar even soft-hearted Europeans who have
ridden in II do not think 1t incumbent on
them to warn their friends and acquaint-
ar.ces against travelling In the same man
ner The only way to keep the incidents Of
chopaya trip from ranking forever in
ones mind is to know that some friend or
acquaintance Is innocently preparing to
undergo similar torture.
Bad is the chopaya for making the
traveller ache sorely in every muscle and
joint, ii is not to be mathematical in the
same breath with the Indian mail cart
After Rousselet, the famous French trav-
eler had covered the first stage of a GER
tain journey in a chopaya, he began casting
about for another mode of travel, was told
that the mail cart would soon be along, and
at once determined to take 1t. In the In
terval of the carts arrival and departure
from the station RouSSelet scrambled on
to the high box set on two immense wheels,
and seated himself with his back to the
driver. From the time the driver cracked
his whip until the next station was reached
he had to hang on for life itself. Up hill
and down the cart shot 1t took curves on
one wheel. 1t leaped. 1t swayed from side
to side. 1t did everything that the handi-
work of man could do to bruise poor Rous-
seet. So that when the drivers trumpet
blew to clear the road, and, a moment later,
Rousselet got a glimpse of his chopaya,
with his baggage, pulled up by the roadside,
he implored the driver to let him get off,
that he might continue the journey in 1t. To
his great sorrow, he learned that an In
dian mailcart does not stop for anything
short OF smashup between stations
Crossing River on Water Jugs.
Surprises. adventures and novel sensations
are frequently the portion of the traveller
when he finds himself confronted by an I'M
brldged river or other formidable body of
water.
When R0usselet one day. while travelling
by carriage reached the banks of the Par
butti he found the ford impossible by rea-
son of the swollen condition of the stream.
His attendants thereupon rushed off to
neighboring village. Soon the entire popu-
lation appeared at the ford and began con-
structing raft out OF about thirty CUR
has, light spherical pitchers which the
women used to fetch water from the spring.
These gurhas were coupled together and
solidly attached TO poles in such manner
that their orifices were uppermost. On
this raft the men of the village placed
the carriage and invited the traveller to
seat himself. I'm this manner, pushed for
ward by the arms OF these good people,
our vehicle glided smoothly over the water
and reached the opposite shore. The con-
struction of the raft and the passage Of
the river did not take more than half an
hour"
Inflated Bullock Skins.
In some parts of the Punjab the only
means of crossing the rivers are bullock
skins inflated with air. man wanting
to get to the opposite river bank carries
skin on his back to the waters edge
straddles II and so drifts paddles his
way across. Rats are also built out OF
these skins and poles, and on them mer-
chandise, vehicles and animals are trans
ported Natives who have to do much
travelling away from the railway lines
carry bullock skins with them for crossing
bodies of water. There are also stations
along some rivers-the Beas in particular
where the bullock skins be hired In
sufficient number TO take caravan across.
European travellers have been known to
study these bullock skin ferries closely be-
fore trusting their precious bones to them.
The Himalayan rope bridge has caused
many a traveller TO give up his journey and
turn back on his tracks.
Terrifying Rope Bridges
This primitive bridge is thrown over tor
rents that rage. boiling, toward the sea.
Across Il the traveller. swung In a loop,
suspended from block and tackle is pull
ed by a bridge attendant stationed on the
bank. A bridge Is usually OF several
strands of rope, each theoretically capable
of bearing the weight of man. The bridge
keepers do not think II worth while to re-
port when a strand gives way for any
cause. Are not the other eleven still whole?
And when another breaks are not ten still
whole, and is not one sufficiently strong
to bear the weight of a man? The traveller
who does not hesitate to cross q rope
bridge all too evidently sadly neglected Is
brave man indeed. II he himself does
not feel this on starting, he will when he
nnds himself dangling over the center of
torrent, raging perhaps fifty hundred.
or more feet below him To be precipltated
therein by the giving way of rotten ropes
would mean certain death
While Ii is rarely employed by Europeans
as method OF travel, even In emergencies
| the catamaran of the Madras fishermen Is
by all odds the most extraordinary OF In
dian water vehicles. II is simply three logs
dashed together and flush with the surface
Of the water On these a fisherman (some-
times two or more hshermen) stands and
with a single oar paddles himself far out
to sea. A Madras fisherman will venture
out when boatmen will not launch their
craft, and even In weather when boats
cannot be launched he will go through the
surf and out to ships with letters for the
delivery of which he gets a few pence. In
order TO catch their ships a few belated
travellers have been known to trust them
selves on eatamarans. They are united in
the statement that the ride on the logs
4