第46章 CHAPTER X(6)

Well,we had followed these directions for some way,as far in fact as the terrace,when,the river coming into full view,I saw that the Rangitata was very high.Worse than that,I saw Mr.Phillips and a party of men who were taking a dray over to a run just on the other side of the river,and who had been prevented from crossing for ten days by the state of the water.Among them,to my horror,I recognised my cadet,whom I had left behind me with beef which he was to have taken over to my place a week and more back;whereon my mind misgave me that a poor Irishman who had been left alone at my place might be in a sore plight,having been left with no meat and no human being within reach for a period of ten days.I don't think I should have attempted crossing the river but for this.Under the circumstances,however,Idetermined at once on making a push for it,and accordingly taking my two cadets with me and the unfortunate beef that was already putrescent--it had lain on the ground in a sack all the time--we started along under the hills and got opposite the place where I intended crossing by about three o'clock.I had climbed the mountain side and surveyed the river from thence before approaching the river itself.At last we were by the water's edge.Of course,I led the way,being as it were patronus of the expedition,and having been out some four months longer than either of my companions;still,having never crossed any of the rivers on horseback in a fresh,having never seen the Rangitata in a fresh,and being utterly unable to guess how deep any stream would take me,it may be imagined that I felt a certain amount of caution to be necessary,and accordingly,folding my watch in my pocket-handkerchief and tying it round my neck in case of having to swim for it unexpectedly,I strictly forbade the other two to stir from the bank until they saw me safely on the other side.Not that I intended to let my horse swim,in fact I had made up my mind to let my old Irishman wait a little longer rather than deliberately swim for it.My two companions were worse mounted than I was,and the rushing water might only too probably affect their heads.Mine had already become quite indifferent to it,though it had not been so at first.These two men,however,had been only a week in the settlement,and I should have deemed myself highly culpable had I allowed them to swim a river on horseback,though I am sure both would have been ready enough to do so if occasion required.

As I said before,at last we were on the water's edge;a rushing stream some sixty yards wide was the first instalment of our passage.It was about the colour and consistency of cream and soot,and how deep?I had not the remotest idea;the only thing for it was to go in and see.So choosing a spot just above a spit and a rapid--at such spots there is sure to be a ford,if there is a ford anywhere--I walked my mare quickly into it,having perfect confidence in her,and,I believe,she having more confidence in me than some who have known me in England might suppose.In we went;in the middle of the stream the water was only a little over her belly (she is sixteen hands high);a little farther,by sitting back on my saddle and lifting my feet up I might have avoided getting them wet,had I cared to do so,but I was more intent on having the mare well in hand,and on studying the appearance of the remainder of the stream than on thinking of my own feet just then;after that the water grew shallower rapidly,and I soon had the felicity of landing my mare on the shelving shingle of the opposite bank.So far so good;Ibeckoned to my companions,who speedily followed,and we all then proceeded down the spit in search of a good crossing place over the next stream.We were soon beside it,and very ugly it looked.It must have been at least a hundred yards broad--I think more,but water is so deceptive that I dare not affix any certain width.I was soon in it,advancing very slowly above a slightly darker line in the water,which assured me of its being shallow for some little way;this failing,Isoon found myself descending into deeper water,first over my boots for some yards,then over the top of my gaiters for some yards more.This continued so long that I was in hopes of being able to get entirely over,when suddenly the knee against which the stream came was entirely wet,and the water was rushing so furiously past me that my poor mare was leaning over tremendously.Already she had begun to snort,as horses do when they are swimming,and I knew well that my companions would have to swim for it even though I myself might have got through.