36 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

were tied ; a third layer of short sticks were placed

transversely over these, and formed the floor of the

bridge. Substantial stakes were driven into the bed

of the river on either side of the bridge, and fastened

to the two creepers to steady and strengthen the whole, and finally two other long creepers had been passed over the branches of trees on either side to serve as

handrails and give additional support. As originally

designed, it showed no small amount of ingenuity and skill, and must, when new, have been strong and reliable ; but now it was old, the sticks of the

floor were smooth and polished by the naked feet of

countless passengers, many of the supports were

broken, and there were great gaps in it here and there

which told the traveller plainly that a false step must

send him into the boiling water beneath, while the

whole structure shook and vibrated to such a degree

that one had to hold on firmly to keep one's balance.

At length, however, all were safely over with the

exception of the donkeys, and how were they to

be transported across ? They certainly could not

walk over the bridge, and the river lay deep in its

banks, which were very steep, and was foaming along with a powerful stream ; also there were probably

crocodiles, though the wapagazi made noise enough

to have frightened away any ordinary crocodile

within several miles of us. The r river being the only

alternative, ropes were procured, tied together, and

passed across the stream ; one of the donkeys was then