formed this bank of the
river, so that we were compelled to wade, feeling with a stick for the
edges of the creeks in our route, over each of which Mr. Helpman and
myself had alternately to swim in order to pass the arms undamaged; and
then Ask, making the best jump that he could muster for the occasion, was
dragged ashore on the opposite side. At length we reached a creek, the
breadth of which rendered this mode of proceeding no longer practicable,
and we were compelled to stop, being fortunately very near the point
where I had directed the boat to meet us. Our situation was now anything
but pleasant, the water being already above our knees, and the tide
having still several hours to rise; while the mangrove trees by which we
were surrounded, were all too slender to afford the least support.

In this state of affairs, leaving Mr. Helpman with Ask--who had secured a
piece of drift timber as a last resource--I made my way to the edge of
the shore, only to find that the boat, unable to stem the current, had
anchored some distance above us! Mr. Helpman and myself might have
reached her by swimming; but even could I have easily reconciled myself
to part with our arms and instruments, at any rate to abandon poor Ask in
the dilemma into which I had brought him was not to be thought of. By
repeated discharges of my gun I at last succeeded in attracting the
attention of the boat's crew, who made an immediate and desperate effort
to come to our assistance: while their strength lasted they just
contrived to hold their own against the tide, then, drifting astern, were
again compelled to anchor. The attempt was renewed, when an equally
desperate struggle was followed by just as fruitless a result: the force
of the stream was clearly more than they could overcome, and an
intervening bank precluded any attempt to creep up to us along the shore.

Most anxiously did I watch the water as it changed its upward level
almost with the rapidity of an inch a minute, being in doubt whether it
would rise above our heads, ere it afforded a sufficient depth to carry
the boat over the intervening bank, and bring us the only assistance that
would afford a chance for our lives. I breathed a short, but most fervent
prayer to Him, in whose hands are the issues of life and death, and
turned back to cheer my comrades with the chance of rescue.

AND PROVIDENTIAL ESCAPE.

Nor shall I ever forget the expression of thankfulness and gratitude
which lit up