r houses on the top, where they go when it is high-water,"
said the pilot.

Just then a row-boat came to the crevasse, and fearlessly headed into
the opening. In an instant it was swamped, and the two men it had
contained were struggling in the mad current. They held on to their
oars, and were swept rapidly inland.

"There will be a hundred lives lost by that break," added the pilot.
"There are several plantations on that knoll, and the water is lifting
the houses on it."

I could see the houses toppling over, half a mile from the levee.

CHAPTER XXV.

SAILING ACROSS THE FIELDS.

I was appalled at the terrible sight. It was an open country, and there
were few trees to be seen, except around the houses at the plantations.
It looked like an inland sea. I saw the two men struggling in the water
at some distance from the levee. They were evidently trying to touch
bottom with their feet, but the water was over their heads.

"How deep is the water on that flat, Mr. Pilot?" I asked, not a little
excited at the idea of witnessing such a loss of life as he had
predicted.

"I should say it was from eight to ten feet deep all the way to those
plantations," he replied.

"Why don't one of the steamers waiting here go over to the assistance
of those poor people?" I inquired.

"They can't get through, and they would be swamped if they should try
it. The breach is not more than thirty feet wide, and these boats would
stick till they were torn to pieces. They are so low in the water that
it would put their fires out when they went through and fill their
holds."

I looked about the decks of both our steamers, and found that all the
passengers were on board of the Islander. I told Ben Bowman, who was on
duty in the engine-room, to put on all the steam she could safely
carry. He assured me he had enough for anything.

"Look out, Captain Blastblow, if you please, for I am going to cast
off," I called to the Islander. "Keep the ladies in a safe place. All
the Sylvanias on board!"

I went into the pilot-house, and rang to back the steamer. I kept her
moving until we were in the middle of the river. I had carefully
examined the crevasse, and I judged that the water was not more than
two feet lower on the flat than it was in the river.

"How deep is the water in the cut, Mr. Pilot?" I asked.

"Not less than eight feet; and it may be ten. You can't tell."

I stopped the Sylvania, and then rang to go ahead at full spe