376 



horse's belly in the water, to be sure), but at least 

 without tumbling into holes and quicksands ; and 

 here we set out, conscious that our whole chance 

 of reaching the opposite shore consisted in keeping 

 precisely the path which he had gone already, and 

 determined to stick as close as possible to his 

 horse's tail. But no sooner were we fairly in the 

 water, than my young horses found themselves 

 unable to resist the strength and rapidity of the 

 torrent, which was rolling down huge stones as 

 big as rocks from the mountain ; and to my utter 

 consternation, I perceived the curricle carried 

 down the stream, and the distance from my guide 

 (who, by swimming his horse, had reached the des- 

 tined landing-place in safety) growing wider and 

 wider with every moment. We were now driving 

 at all hazards ; every moment I expected to see a 

 horse or a wheel sink down into some deep hole, 

 the chaise overturned, and ourselves either swal- 

 lowed up in a quicksand, or dashed to pieces 

 against the stones, which were rolling around us. 

 I never remember to have felt myself so com- 

 pletely convinced of approaching destruction, and 

 I roared out with all my might and main : — " We 

 are carried away! all is over!" although, to be 

 sure, I might as well have held my tongue, seeing 

 that all my roaring could not do the least possible 

 good. However, my horses, although too weak 

 to resist the current, were fortunately strong 

 enough to keep their legs; while they drifted 



