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down through the rice fields , through jungle and over bridge |
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From Mon the path descends steeply through jhum fields. On some the rice was still standing and becoming over-ripe. The good weather of the past two weeks may have ripened the rice more quickly than usual. |
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The path was good as long as we were in the fields, but later it led through secondary jungle, and then it had not been cleared and we were walking through high grass. I was reminded of my trips to Oting and Hungphoi in 1936, when I had walked in similar terrain. At last we came to a river, the Tapti river I believe. It was brown and sluggish and there was a suspension bridge consisting of three steel ropes and a few connecting eaves of bamboos. It was a fragile structure, though not dangerous - at most one would fall into the deep water and have to swim ashore. |
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The porters preferred to ford the river by wading a little way below the bridge. There it widened and was only knee deep. |
