"
I commanded them to put the smaller ones back into the river, reserving
only as many as we could eat. I was truly thankful to discover another
means of support.
We now landed our timber. I had looked at Jack's site for the bridge,
and thought my little architect very happy in his selection; but it was
at a great distance from the timber. I recollected the simplicity of the
harness the Laplanders used for their reindeer. I tied cords to the
horns of the cow--as the strength of this animal is in the head--and
then fastened the other ends round the piece of timber we wanted moving.
I placed a halter round the neck of the ass, and attached the cords to
this. We were thus enabled, by degrees, to remove all our wood to the
chosen spot, where the sides of the river were steep, and appeared of
equal height.
It was necessary to know the breadth of the river, to select the proper
planks; and Ernest proposed to procure a ball of packthread from his
mother, to tie a stone to one end of the string, and throw it across the
river, and to measure it after drawing it back. This expedient succeeded
admirably. We found the breadth to be eighteen feet; but, as I proposed
to give the bridge strength by having three feet, at least, resting on
each shore, we chose some planks of twenty-four feet in length.
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