"They have been worn some time, and the cloth is no longer strong.

It would need a broad strip to support us." "That is so, Nessus, but we have materials for making the rope long enough, nevertheless." "I do not understand you, my lord.

Our other garments would be of but little use." "Of no use at all, Nessus, and I was not thinking of them; but we have the skins of the bears--the hide of the old bear at least is thick and tough--and a narrow strip would bear our weight." "Of course," Nessus said.

"How stupid of me not to think of it, for in the desert we make all our rope of twisted slips of hide.

If you will stand sentry here, my lord, I will set about it at once." Malchus took the spear, and Nessus at once set to work to skin the bear, and when that was done he cut long strips from the hide, and having fastened them together, twisted them into a rope.
The bernouses--which when on the march were rolled up and worn over one shoulder like a scarf, as the German and Italian soldiers carry their blankets in modern times--were also cut up and twisted, and in three hours Nessus had a rope which he assured Malchus was long enough to reach to the bottom of the precipice and sufficiently strong to bear their weight.
One end was fastened to the trunk of the young tree, and the rope was then thrown over the edge of the platform.