Along the footboard

[constantinusphilo]

He swung himself along the footboard...
A Passage to India by E.M. Forster
What did he do exactly? Was he rocking on the footboard or what?

 

[Skrej]

No. He's moving himself along the length of it by swinging from something like handrails or posts, etc. Without a bit more context, it's hard to elaborate further, but it's likely he's not completely suspended in the air like a monkey, but rather using whatever handhold to propel himself along in spurts.