From the Illustrated London News of 1863: the Viceroy and his party cross a Himalayan river on mussucks ("inflated bullock skins")

Source: ebay, Oct. 2005

"Peasants of Pendjab, with an inflatable sarna used to cross the rivers," by Racinet, 1888

Source: ebay, Apr. 2006

*"Inflating bullock-skin boats - for crossing the swift Himalayan River Sutlej, N. India," c.1903* (BL)

*"Crossing an Indian River," from The King's Empire, by J. H. Bacon, London, 1906*

Source: ebay, Aug. 2006