FLOODS IN THE FINDHORN. 149 



of the lower orders, that almost all the Highlanders who had 

 come down to the coast, according to their custom, for the 

 herring fishing, had returned homewards without putting 

 their foot in a boat, to the great loss and inconvenience of 

 the owners of the boats and nets, who had reckoned on the 

 usual assistance of these men. It is singular that floods of 

 a most mischievous and unusual extent should actually have 

 taken place at the very time this woman had foretold. 



For my own part I felt chiefly annoyed at the alarm our 

 absence would occasion at home, as it was already evening, 

 and we had no means of making signals or of sending word 

 where we were, it being quite impossible to cross the river at 

 any point. 



The water still rose, and continued to do so for half an hour 

 longer, washing away our standing-place slowly but con- 

 stantly. On looking round I could not but feel most 

 grateful at our not having been overtaken by it before we 

 reached this part of the island. Had we been in many of 

 the places over which we had so lately passed we must have 

 been swept away at the first rise of the river, or at best have 

 had to wade and scramble, at the risk of our lives, to some 

 elevated point of land. 



While standing near the house we saw two or there boats 

 belonging to the ferryman and the salmon-fishers whirl past 

 us. The flood having come on without the least warning, 

 their owners had had no time to secure them. The rise, as I 

 have said, continued for about half an hour, then suddenly it 

 stopped, and in a few minutes the water began visibly to fall. 

 Before long it fell more quickly, but still in no proportion to 

 the rapidity with which it had risen. After it had been 

 sinking somewhat above an hour, the tops of furze bushes 

 began to appear above the water, and soon afterwards we 

 saw a boat belonging to the salmon fishers, well maimed, and 

 assisted by a rope held on the shore, coining down to a 

 cottage a quarter of a mile above us. The main stream of 

 the river was still quite impracticable ; but this boat was 

 coming down an old channel which was generally dry. By 

 firing off my gun several times I caught the attention of the 

 crew ; and I was quite certain that they would know who it 

 was that wanted help, and would come to us if possible. 

 When the torrent had become somewhat less violent they 

 came down, whirling through the flood to where we were. 

 They took us on board, and by dint of skilful and strong 



