The River Had Been High For Many Days; So High That A Party Of Men, Who
Were Taking A Dray
Over to a run which was then being just started on
the other side (and which is now mine), had
Been detained camping out
for ten days, and were delayed for ten days more before the dray could
cross. We spent a few minutes with these men, among whom was a youth
whom I had brought away from home with me, when I was starting down for
Christ Church, in order that he might get some beef from P-'s and take
it back again. The river had come down the evening on which we had
crossed it, and so he had been unable to get the beef and himself home
again.
We all wanted to get back, for home, though home be only a V hut, is
worth pushing for; a little thing will induce a man to leave it, but if
he is near his journey's end he will go through most places to reach it
again. So we determined on going on, and after great difficulty and
many turnings up one stream and down another we succeeded in getting
safely over. We were wet well over the knee, but just avoided swimming.
I got into one quicksand, of which the river is full, and had to jump
off my mare, but this was quite near the bank.
I had a cat on the pommel of my saddle, for the rats used to come and
take the meat from off our very plates by our side.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 84 of 167
Words from 22429 to 22696
of 45285
