EFFECTS OF THE FLOOD. 
255 
have mentioned, I have seen floods before, but never 
one on so grand a scale as this, which was truly 
African in its magnitude and character. 
As if Providence were now resolved to visit us 
with marked favour, just at the moment when the 
waters began visibly to decrease, and patches of 
land to appear here and there, the escort sent by 
Sultan En-Noor came riding over the neighbouring 
heights. Our people discovered them, and shouted, 
" See, the Kailouees ! the Kailouees ! " 
The waters rose above the general surface of the 
wady full two feet and a -half. Had this deluge 
come during the night we should scarcely have 
saved ourselves; or, at any rate, the greater part 
of our property and our camels must have perished. 
The power of such a body of water rushing along is 
tremendous. A great number of houses of Tintag- 
hoda were carried away, and the inhabitants de- 
clared that they never remembered such an occur- 
rence to have happened before. I can well believe 
them, otherwise the site of the town would have been 
changed for higher ground. Trees numberless 
were uprooted, and brought down by the mighty 
current, which must have considerably altered the 
appearance of the valley. We could already see 
that the earth was ploughed up in all directions ; 
and when the inundation was at its height, serious 
fears were entertained lest the island on which 
we stood should itself be swept from under our 
feet. 
