They very soon found two obstacles in the way of easy progress, due to the small size of the engineers who had designed this extraordinary road.

In the first place, the notches on the branches were too small; and in the next, the tunnel was too low for their height, so that they had to stoop; while it was also evident that the overland swing-bridges between the trees were too frail for their weight.
They quickly, therefore, resorted to their Ghoorka knives and to the rope.

Venning, being the lightest, crossed over first by the monkey vine-bridge, when he made the rope fast to his end.

It was then secured at the other, enabling the heavy weights, Mr.Hume and the chief, to pass next, Compton bringing up the rear with the rope round his waist, to guard against a fall in case of accident.
Naturally, their progress was at first very slow, though not so much slower than it would have been had they to force a way through the undergrowth below; and the river-man found his work cut out to keep pace underneath when at times he encountered dense thickets.
By the time they had covered the three hundred yards and reached the next platform, they were finding their "tree-legs." They stopped a while to take their bearings, looking out on the same unbroken expanse of tree-tops, tossed up into all manner of inequalities, and then recommenced their acrobatic, performance, making for the next "station." With a few slips, a few scratches, and bruised shins, they kept on until they had covered about a mile, when the growing dusk warned them to form camp.
"We'd better go down below," said Mr.Hume.
"Not I," said Venning.

"I had enough of down below last night; I'm going to sleep on deck, sir." "Ditto," said Compton, emphatically; "and I don't see why we all should not camp out aloft.