ON RIVERS 83 



or with a snap. For a long time the atmosphere 

 has been close, languorous, comforting only to the 

 indolent ; but with the Lammas Flood there arises 

 a sudden change, which brings joy to the active. 

 The Flood has the habit of punctuality. It is not 

 like the frost and the snow that are traditionally 

 associated with Christmas. These are so infrequent 

 as to be practically obsolete outside certain cherished 

 literature ; but the Lammas Flood is in most years 

 unfailing. However wet or dry May and June and 

 July may have been, there will be a flood between 

 the first and the thirteenth of August. The thir- 

 teenth is Lammas Old Style, and the first is Lammas 

 New Style. The Flood, in its time of arrival, 

 favours now one calendar and now the other. Last 

 year it began on Thursday, the third, and was at its 

 height on Saturday. Then summer gave way a 

 little. The wind, which had been from the south- 

 east when the rain came on, was from the north-west, 

 and high and cool. It brought a feeling that had 

 been unknown for three months. That was the 

 touch of autumn. Summer would advance again, 

 and again, and again, withdrawing between-times, 

 until October was well on the way into the past; 

 but with that north-west wind, following upon the 

 storm of rain, we perceptibly entered upon the third 

 period of the year. After it, more rain and more 

 chill breezes were to be expected at any time. One 

 was agreeably wakened up. The earth had become 

 fresher and fairer. The grass and the trees by all 

 the waysides had been washed free of dust, and had 



