d knew some of their tricks.
Guapo, therefore, boldly pronounced that it was their intention to cross
the igaripe by these two trees. He was about to explain the manner in
which they would accomplish it, when the movement commenced, and
rendered his explanation quite unnecessary.

At a commanding cry from the chief, several of the largest and strongest
monkeys swung themselves into the tree that stood on the edge of the
water. Here, after a moment's reconnoissance, they were seen to get upon
a horizontal limb--one that projected diagonally over the igaripe. There
were no limbs immediately underneath it on the same side of the tree;
and for this very reason had they selected it. Having advanced until
they were near its top, the foremost of the monkeys let himself down
upon his tail, and hung head downward. Another slipped down the body of
the first, and clutched him around the neck and fore-arms with his
strong tail, with his head down also. A third succeeded the second, and
a fourth the third, and so on until a string of monkeys dangled from the
limb.

A motion was now produced by the monkeys striking other branches with
their feet, until the long string oscillated back and forwards like the
pendulum of a clock. This oscillation was gradually increased, until the
monkey at the lower end was swung up among the branches of the tree on
the opposite side of the igaripe. After touching them once or twice, he
discovered that he was within reach; and the next time when he had
reached the highest point of the oscillating curve, he threw out his
long thin fore-arms, and firmly clutching the branches, held fast.

The oscillation now ceased. The living chain stretched across the
igaripe from tree to tree, and, curving slightly, hung like a
suspension-bridge! A loud screaming, and gabbling, and chattering, and
howling, proceeded from the band of araguatoes, who, up to this time,
had watched the manoeuvres of their comrades in silence--all except the
old chief, who occasionally had given directions both with voice and
gestures. But the general gabble that succeeded was, no doubt, an
expression of the satisfaction of all that the _bridge was built_.

The troop now proceeded to cross over, one or two old ones going first,
perhaps to try the strength of the bridge. Then went the mothers
carrying their young on their backs, and after them the rest of the
band.

It was quite an amusing scene to witness, and the behaviour of the
mon