CAUSE OF FLOOD 223 



occurred, as I should certaiul}^ have got into trouble, 

 and probably have had to pay a heavy indemnity. 



On August 24 the river rose rapidly, probably 

 fifteen feet during the day, the boat rocking so much 

 as to ' prevent writing. Tliis flood was caused by the 

 Tung and Ya Eivers, the Min above the town being in 

 its usual state, so that probably hot weather caused a 

 large quantit}^ of snow to melt in the mountains around 

 Ta-tsien-lu. 



The following day the river was still rising, and the 

 boat in an awkward place, from which it was impossible 

 to move her, the river rushing past in a roaring torrent 

 and about twenty-five feet above its ordinary height, 

 being the colour of mud. Three anchors were down, 

 and luckily all the cables held, or we should have been 

 swept miles down the stream and probably wrecked. 

 The water was rushing down the Tung and Ya Rivers 

 with such violence into the Min that it had not time 

 to run down to a level surface, but could be plainly 

 seen running up in the centre to a height of several feet 

 above the level at the banks. Without havincr seen 

 such a flood it would ])e difficult to imagine the force 

 of the enormous volume of water so suddenly set free. 



On the morning of the 26th the flood began to abate, 

 m\d as soon as practicable the boat was shifted to a 

 more secure anchorage. 



