iturn, quite
intoxicated by an earthquake. Whilst others were thinking of
their safety, she ran about the courtyard on her hands and
feet, rolling over, laughing and whooping, as if she were a
devil and this was news from the infernal regions.--ED.

The water still continued to rise, and to foam over the margin of the
island. We were compelled by degrees to retreat towards the centre, and
as there was no sign of abatement, and as the whole valley had become
one rushing river, covered with floating trees,--some shooting singly
along, others entangled into rafts or floating islands, I began to
entertain serious misgivings. Never was there a more perfect picture of
a deluge! It was the Biblical deluge in miniature: and I calculated with
intense interest how many inches additional rise would utterly destroy
our goods, and how many inches more peril our lives. The most gloomy
forebodings troubled me. I had always looked forward to Aheer as a haven
of safety, and instead thereof it had proved to be a place of
persecution. When men had ceased to fight against us, nature began. I
thought I could hear the fanatical people of Tintaghoda say one to the
other, "Ah! they saved their lives by money, but now God comes in to
punish and destroy them." Yet whilst I stood apart and tortured myself
in this wise, our people, children of the day, who take no thought for
the morrow, satisfied that the waves had not yet reached them, were full
of merriment and laughter, and seemed to mock the flood, that still rose
and rose, bending the largest trees, sweeping away the brushwood, and
roaring angrily around the margin of the islands. Perhaps they knew that
their lives, at least, were safe; whilst I reflected that, if even we
could swim to shore, leaving our property to the wild mercies of the
waves, we should land in an enemy's country, without the means of
satisfying the cupidity of the first bandit who chose to attack us, and
would most probably soon be sacrificed.

I was anxiously watching the progress of the inundation when at last it
seemed to be checked, and no longer to rise. God had not, then,
abandoned us, and we were not driven from the fire to the waters to
perish! The flood remained stationary for awhile, still rolling along
the valley, which it seemed to fill from side to side; then we noticed a
slight decrease, then a progressive and rapid one: hope buoyed up our
spirits, and we thanked the Almighty for ou