JULY. ESCAPE OF A SHEPHERD. 263 



upon a high bank, the flood soon reached her, and 

 she was kept a prisoner, standing in the water, 

 which at one time reached to her middle, till the 

 fishermen heard her cries, and succeeded in rescuing 

 her. Had we been in many spots where we fished 

 almost every day, nothing could have saved our 

 lives. 



A singular instance of preservation from a similar 

 danger happened during this same flood, but on a 

 different river. On perceiving that the water was 

 rising, a young man hurried across a shallow part 

 to an island, on which were a few sheep grazing, 

 intending to recross with them to the main land 

 before the flood had attained any serious height. 

 He was, however, out in his reckoning ; for he had 

 scarcely set foot on the island when the river 

 became so swollen that it was quite impossible for 

 him to return. The flood soon covered the island, 

 and the man had great difficulty to keep his footing, 

 being up to his waist in water. To add to his 

 danger, great pieces of timber and floating trees 

 came sweeping past, any one of which, had it struck 

 him, would have at once dashed him off" the island. 

 Several people who were on the shore, although so 

 near, could do nothing to assist him. Presently, 

 the flood brought down, right upon the island, a 

 gigantic tree, with all its roots and branches, and 



