THE WATERS OUT.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume 12, Issue 952, 16 June 1868, Page 3

THE WATERS OUT.

PAEI 11. (Concluded from our last.) Everywheee water— rushing water—eddying water — water covered with ruins; portions of haystacks, heaps of straw, here .floating slowly down the mighty stream, there grounding, and then turning as if upon an axis, till floated off once more, and continuing their course. Now and then, we could make out swimming animals, and more than once carcasses ; whilst in several places, cattle stood upon ever-lessening islands, lowing dismally. Carts, fagots, planks, thatch, from cottages, fences, and now and again huge trees, torn out of the banks, floated down the stream ; while the height to which the water had risen since I left home, made my heart sink as we passed on. "Don't spare him," I shouted to Harris as his horse refused to cross a lane along which the water rushed fiercely and deeply enough to take my. cob right off his legs for a minute; but he swani boldly till he touched bottom again. But my words were unnecessary, for at tho same moment the frightened beast leaped into the yellow stream and dashed across. We were now in the lower ground again ; but the road once more ascended, till we reached the toll-gate, where the man shook his head ominously as he saw me, and said something ; but without studying the payment of toll, we had galloped through. Another mile brought us in sight of the Mill, round which the waters were rush- . ing, and even at that distance, to my horror, I could see that the sitting-room windows were nearly covered. Han-is: must 1 have seen it at ■ the same moment, for he whipped his horse smartly, and we galloped hard down the long hill, till, reaching the valley through which the river ran, we were stopped by the water, and stood looking for a favourable place to try and reach the bridge. "Better come a'little lower down here," I said. " "What for ?" said Harris huskily. "To reach the bridge." "Where is it ?" he said despairingly. I started, for as I looked along the track of the rushing water, there was no bridge visible, and my worst fears were realised. " Come here," said Harris, dashing through the water to a turn in the road where the Mill could easily be seen ; and on reaching this spot, we could see, about five hundred yards lower down, the place we sought to reach, with the waters just covering the sitting-room windows, and figures in the bed-room making signs for help. I suppose they saw us then ; but all seems so mixed up in one strange whirl, that I hardly know how the occurrences of the next few hours took place. Moved as it were by one impulse, Harris and I forced our horses into the water with the full intention of trying to swim them till we could float down to the windows, and then tiy and bring off two of the endangered lives ; but the snorting, terrified beasts dashed back in spite of all our efforts, Harris's horse plunging so furiously that he was thrown, and the animal galloped splashing by me, while' for a few seconds my companion vanished beneath the water. I spurred the cob to where he had disappeared, and the next minute he stood holding by its mane, panting and wringing the bitterly cold water from his clothes. " What are you going to do ?" I said hastily ; for he had stripped off his over and under coat, and I could see that he was pushing off his boots as he stood there up to his middle in water. ".Swim for it," he said coolly. "But it is impossible," I said huskily. "Do you think I can stand here till she is swept away ?" he said sternly. I could give no answer, but slipping off the cob, I followed his example, and then, after clasping hands for an instant, we waded to a suitable place for a startingpoint, and then continued wading till the water was up to our breasts, when we pushed off, and half-facing up the stream, swam quietly on, and without much difficulty, for we were now in an eddy which aided us a little. The valley was about half a mile wide here, and quite one-half of that distance was now converted, into a rushing, turbulent stream ; but we swam boldly on, husbanding our strength for the rough water through which we should have to fight our way ; for though we had started jjoriie four hundred yards above the Mill, our dread was lest we should be swept past without reaching so far across. It was fierce work. Eveiy now and then we had to avoid: some obstacle — woodwork, tree, or the carcass of some drowned beast ; while once I shuddered as my hand struck upon a human form. Our clothes seemed to grow heavier and drag us down, while, when at last we were swimming in the full current of the stream, my heart sank, for I felt that we should never be able to cope with it for long enough to achieve our object. Not two yards below me swam Harris, keeping level with me stroke for stroke ; but in the glance I caught I could read the same thought in his eye, though we tried to cheer one another on as well as we could with that cold rushing water at our lips trying hard to drag us down. Onco I thought it was all over, and I threw up my arms with a wild cry ; for, in trying to avoid a tree-trunk that came surging down upon us, I did not make any allowance for the long snake-like roots, one of which seemed to curl round my legs and drag me down. I went under once, twice, and even now I can recall the horrible thundering of the water in my ears ; but the noxt moment I was clear, when, if it had not been for Harris's sustaining arm, I must have gone down in that flurry and excitement, for, breathless and half-strangled, my nerve was completely gone. But on again, cleaving the water with firm strokes, feeling that tho lives of all in the Mill perhaps depended upon our exertions, though tho stream had swept us far down, and I could see how much way we had lost as we camo nearer and nearer to the cottage. " Turn more up-stream," 1 panted Harris ; and we battled on, lower and' lower in the water, while, though fighting with the energy of despair, I could feel that we should never reach 'the Mill, for the stream seemed swifter and swifter as we reached the true bed of the river. " Fred !" hissed a voice at my elbow all at once, and I turned my head to see the most pale and ghastly face I ever beheld — "Fred, if over you get to them, tell her I was true to the last, and did all I could. But I can't reach her; I'm about done." As ho spoke, my hand struck upon the thin branches of a willow-pollard, whose head was above water ; and then reaching out my other hand, I caught Harris's just in time, for the stream was sweeping him away, ; but the next instant we were both among the branches of the pollard, \ resting with the water above our breasts. Upon looking round, I tried to make out whether there was no eddy at hand of which we could take advantage, and then, swim down upon the island ;, but no— the water seemed to bear down upon the house with one tremendous rush till it struck the walls, and then divided right and left, , as though embracing' the^place, and trying tor f) li|k it bodily in its watery arms. . I cduld'^see that tho watchers at the window saw our peril ; and holding on With one hand, I waved the other in a way meant ..for .encouragement. But I saw a figure, clasp, her hjands to her eyes, and shrink back;, as thpugii in despair at our position, "when, tuirning, ;rpund to Han-is, I asked him, if he* could manage the other fifty yards that lay between us and

■■): the. position" that "should sweep us down upon the Mill. : 'He set his teeth and nodded; and' then without a word darted off with a bold rush that astonished me' after the tokens of weakness he had shewn ten minutes before. However, I tried hard to imitate him, and followed some two or three yards . behind,, always half-swimming against the stream, as it swept us nearer and nearer to the house. All seems now to have been one wild dream of rushing water and howling wind, . mingled with the screams of women, as once more beaten in strength, we were driven down almost with the swiftness of arrows right upon the Mill, whose trellis woodwork afforded a secure hold, though the stream beat furiously against us in its efforts ■- to tear us away. The hext recollection I have is, of being half-helped, half-dragged in at an open window by Harris, and then feeling Helen's warm tears upon my face as I lay completely exhausted upon a bedroom floor. But it was a time of per;I — a time to be up and doing, for the water was still rising fast,; and now, as it rushed past the house, seemed to grow more furious ■ at the obstacle in its way. Had we felt assured of safety, it would' have been an interesting though , sad sight to watch the waifs borne upon the - breast of the flood; but we were in danger, for I could not feel assured that the place „- would stand the pressure now brought to bear upon it. The lower windows had been early broken in by the woodwork ': swept against them, so that the water had a •..clear course through the lower part of the : .house ; sheds had been swept away ; furni- :. ture floated out ; while the greater part of the old wooden mill by the side had early in the fight succumbed, though the top of . - the large undershot wheel yet shewed above the flood. Shivering as I was with cold and excite- ... ment, I can remember a grim smile coming upon my face at seeing how thoroughly my timid little sister, who aforetime would .hardly have stolen a look, now clung helplessly to friend Harris as if protection lay in his arm ;' but I told myself t it was human nature, and began to look out for help. , Water all around — savage, living, rushing . water, leaping up at us, and even splashing in- at the open window sometimes, while step by step it was slowly creeping up the • stairs with a strange lapping sound, as it . came nearer and nearer to the bedroom door. There was still the attics to flee to, even '■•if -we were driven from the bedroom; but that was not the dread; there was not much prospect of so high a rise ; the question was, whether the building would stand. At another time, I should have pooh, : : poohed a doubt, and talked of the strength : of the old place, and pointed to the stout walls; but now, with a torrent ■ rushing through, and every window up-stairs rattling with the vibration, the only question seemed to be time — how long it would be , before the place was undermined and crumbled bodily into the water. It was a horrible dread; and even with the strong love of life upon me, I could not help looking with sorrow; on my gentle sister's pale face, as she clung helplessly to Harris, with her , eyes asking that same question again and ; . .again : " Shall we be saved ?" y. "Come, Han-is," I said gruffly; "up and doing ; this is no time for fooleries." I did not mean it unkindly; but however it was taken, it had the effect of bringing my friend to my side in an instant, when webegan to look out for a means of escape. ; • j" I dare not trust the place," I said, "or I would stay. Can't -we contrive a raft somehow ?" . :: Harris shook his head doubtingly, as, following my example, he ascended to one of the attics, and looked out upon the dreary waste. In a straight line, the nearest high ground was ahout two hundred yards distant; but the stream would sweep boat or raft far down : towards the flooded meadows, where the watery waste spread out apparently a mile • wide. No help of any kind in sight, neither boat nor barge, though a couple had rushed by earlier in the day, my sister had told me, one of which dashed down the old . wooden bridge, while afterwards they were in dread lest it should come in contact with the house. But we so&n finished our survey, finding that, unless we could make a - raft of furniture and the woodwork of the house, we must keep to our perilous position. Our blank looks told our disappointment to those below when we again descended ; and now our only hope seemed to be the ■'' 'chance of making signals to some one in the distant road, though we still thought it ' possible that a boat might come within hail. : ; Night fell at last, dark and hideous, the wind howling through the elms at the back, and the water running by ever with its wild, ravening, hissing ciy ; the house trembled ; the woodwork in the old mill again and ■ '-■■ again, during the long watches of that awful night, cracked and gave way, portions falling heavily into the furious river, which seemed to leap and bound, as if rejoicing, sending up a faintly seen spray, and then hurrying on fierce and black as ever. Step by step, the water had risen till we were driven from the bedroom, and took refuge in one of the attics ; while the two wonien-servents wailed loudly, to add to the misery of the night. Light we had none ; food we had none ; but the old miller, who had hardly spoken since he helped ■ to drag us both in at the window, calmly Hi his pipe and sat smoking, with the lighi ••■ • glowing in the bowl, to tell us of his presence. "Tell you what," he said at last, slowl> - tapping the ashes from his pipe, and we al! started, for so quiet had the old man been, that we had almost ignored his existence— 1 " tell you what ; we shall have, to dive aftei the old punt as soon as it's light ;" when ht . went on to explain what seemed to me s most hopeless project — namely, that one o; us should be secured by a rope round the body, and then dive, and tiy and unchaii the old flat boat, moored head and stern bj : chains to the posts beside the mill-pool. Morning, which came at last, though il shewed how impracticable was the scheme, even if the boat had not been torn awaj from its fastenings long before; and faini and despairing, we watched the light gro\\ brighter as the sun rose upon the desolate - scene, for it was a blight clear morning. "■'" "Hooroar!" cried the old miller; "here's ; a boat, sir;" and on looking in the direction in which he pointed, there, sun enough, was a small boat floating slowlj down towards us, but evidently held bj ■something beneath the water. ; ■"' : " Dragging her anchor," said Harris, a; he clirhed out on the'roof, but immediatelj returned to descend with me into the bed- \ room, where we stood with the water abov( our knees, eagerly watching the boat, as ii :- .. catrie slowly nearer and nearer. Now th< .stream bore her off, as though to sweep hei ''-'•' right away ; then she swerved back again, ; ; 'always checked by the chain which hun£ • ' ;from the bows. But at length she became ;•■'/ stationaiy some thirty yards off; for it was ' evident that the little anchor had caughi .in ; phe of .the willow-pollards, while the • ,' boat swung about tantalisingly out of oui ;.;' : *each. V;;-' ;.: ■ ■ ' '" ./ '*-_■ •' ; Safe or unsafe, our nerves were so un- ;'; Strung that we should have tried to escape ;. : even on a frail raft ;jdr it never once oc- ;-; ; : ijiirred't6 either of us'that the large elm-trees 5/ ..bjaKind/'the'-.-house pi-esented a haven o: •;;X. .could haVe readied them, anc ■: !i ' I '*climbed > '^midst theii- branches; No easj $:~?M^.s:frUyilyJ- : :--J r : -■.-■[■:•-.■-■ ' ...•■■

task, though, for the women with us. So, with eyes eagerly fixed upon the boat, it now became the question as to which of us should try and reach it by swimming. Harris was all ready for starting, when my sister's arms were thrown around him, begging him not to venture ; so, almost numbed though I was with cold, I sought for the most favourable window for my exit ; and then, after seeing Harris and the miller standing ready at the fepot, each with a sheet-rope in Ins hand re^dy jx> throw to me as I was swept back, I left them all in the bedroom, and with a fierce dash pushed off. The first stroke took me a good three out of the twenty yards or* so I had to swim, and then the battle began. So short a distance, but in the fierce stream, I seemed hardly to make the slightest way ; while it was all dead against the torrent. Now I gained a yard, then I lost it ; then setting my teeth firmly, I pushed on again, using every effort to keep from being dashed back. Once I was on the point of giving up, when, with the energy of despair, I turned first on ■ one side, then on the other, tearing the water back in my frantic efforts to dash through it. Two yards off— a yard offaim ost within reach — but the boat swerved on one side. Another frantic effort for the i last; and then, as the breath came from my breast in panting sobs, I hung with one i ami over the boat's side, too helpless to > move for a few minutes. A loud cheer from the miller roused me - again, and after several sharp struggles, I • succeeded iv performing that rather diffi--1 cult feat — namely, climbing into a boat from the water ; and then, seizing the chain, I began to haul, so as to set the little ark \ of safety free. To my great joy, I found that sculls and hook lay ready for use ; and, armed with the latter, I felt no fear of hitching on to the house 1 , when I had set the boat free, \ and it was drifting down with the stream. Just as I had expected, the chain had secured fast in one of the willows, and as 1 hauled, the boat's head came right over the spot. Slowly, though, I found that I was overcoming the obstacle, and foot after foot • of chain lay in the boat, till I drew a dark ■ object to the surface, and then, as it turned i over, the small iron grapnel broke away, i and horror-stricken, I gazed for an instant , upon the face of a corpse before it slowly sank again beneath the muddy current. Almost before I had recovered myself, the boat was swept down upon the house, r and the chain grasped by Harris and the i miller; when, with a heavy freight, we went whirling down the stream some hundreds of yards, in momentary fear of upsetting, so low were we in the water. But we made land in safety ; and a fortnight after, wore sitting in the old house once more, 1 trying to keep off the effects of the damp by huge fires. My sister could not reconcile herself to the place again, but under the name of Mrs. Harris, resides in the town. Yet I have only been drowned out once since ; while I can't find it in my heart to leave the spot ; for, as the old miller agrees with me, there are not finer chub to be found anywhere in the river ; while it is not often that the waters are otit.