224 WAVES OF THE SEA 



from a letter written by Mr. Glyn to the author, 

 January 14, 1902 : 



' This river [ the Tees ] has its source at the 

 foot of Crossfell, in Westmorland, and with a con- 

 siderable watershed is fed by mountain streams 

 and a number of tributaries between Middleton 

 and Crossfell, running through the extensive moors 

 in that district. 



" One of the peculiar characteristics of this river 

 is the roll -wave, 2 feet or 3 feet high, which sud- 

 denly, and sometimes quite unexpectedly, comes 

 down the river, filling from bank to bank the 

 stream, which but a minute previously had, 

 perhaps, been at low summer level. Many lives 

 have in consequence been lost, while I personally 

 experienced a most unpleasant sensation some 

 years ago. I happened to be fishing for salmon 

 from a dry rock in the centre of the river, some 

 few miles below Barnard Castle, when I suddenly 

 heard a rushing noise, as if the wind had suddenly 

 risen and caused the branches of the trees to rustle . 

 I looked up the river and saw the roll-wave almost 

 upon me . Before I could get to land it had washed 

 me several yards down, and but for a side stream 

 that, fortunately, brought me to land, I should not 

 have been able to record the facts. As it was, 

 I lost my salmon -rod, cap, &c., but was most 

 thankful for such a providential escape. 



