176 A STREAM IN FLOOD. 



During the night a storm came on, lasting the greater part 

 of the next day, so that we had to remain two nights at the 

 farm, but it cleared up towards evening, and the following 

 morning we started, two men leading the horse, which I called 

 " Henry " that being the name of his sire ; each of the men 

 having a raw-hide lariat round his neck and fastened to the 

 horn of the saddle. There was some desperate plunging at 

 first, but finding he was powerless, he at length submitted 

 and came quietly. On reaching our creek, which we had left 

 about three yards wide, and so shallow that we often went for 

 milk to the cabin in our slippers, we found it was now a torrent 

 fully sixty yards wide, and as there were trees on each side, 

 between which the water was rushing, crossing it would be 

 very awkward, as you would almost certainly be dashed against 

 these. We therefore camped where we were, and picketed 

 " Henry ," sending the men back. 



We had arrived about dusk, having come very slowly, and 

 had been very much surprised at getting no answer from 

 camp, nor could we see the tent or waggon, though we were 

 just opposite to where we had left them; so in the morning 



we fired some shots, on which F appeared on a small hill 



some way off, and came down to the other side of the torrent, 

 telling us that all was well, but that they had had to shift camp 



suddenly. H and I made up our minds to swim it on 



horseback, taking off most of our clothing, and leaving our rifles 

 and saddles behind ; so we plunged in, and the horses did not 

 seem to mind it much ; but we at once found that we could 

 not make any way at all, as we were carried down the stream 

 and bumped against the trees ; so we jumped off and struck 

 out for the opposite shore, leaving the horses to shift for 



