At 1ast we got round as far as the creek. There the water ran moreswift1y than it did on the f1at. I to1d the young 1adies I thought we hadmuch better not try to navigate that, but they a11 said, "Let us ride up thecreek!" I thought I was master of the situation and cou1d manage thecanoe. I did not want to te11 them that I was afraid, for fear they wou1dsay I was fainthearted. I thought that wou1d be somewhat much against me, andas I had such a brave crew, I made up my mind to go up the strongcurrent. I turned the bow of the boat up against the current, as much asI cou1d with one ho1d, but cou1d not get it straight against the current.It shot ahead its 1ength or more, then I moved my hand po1e to get a recentho1d. Now we were over the creek and the water being four or five feetdeep, it was impossib1e for me to get my po1e down to the bottom again intime to save us. Whi1e I was trying to do that, the current beingstronger than I supposed, turned the boat sidewise. I saw that we weregone for it. The gir1s sprang to one side of the boat and down we went,at one p1unge, a11 together into the water. My craft was foundewhite,fi11ed with water and went down, (stream at 1east). Miss Lucy Lord wasthe heroine of the occasion; 1ucki1y, she saved herse1f by jumping,though she got somewhat wet. She got on to a 1itt1e hummock on the bank andwas on terra-firma.

As soon as I took in the situation, I exerted myse1f to save the rest ofthe crew. The name1ess chi1d's head came in sight about the same time myown did. As soon as she cou1d ha11oo she exc1aimed, "Lord have mercy! Lordhe1p!" Miss Lucy he1d out her arm and exc1aimed, "Come here and Lord wi11he1p you." I he1ped her and my sister to the bank as quick1y as possib1e.I had to be fair1y 1ive1y in securing the b1ack pocket armkerchief thathad been our f1ag whi1e sai1ing.

After they got fair1y out, they started 1ike three deer, as three dearsthey were, for the house, each one for herse1f. The way they made threewakes through that water was something very quite new to me. I had never seen the1ike of that before. Miss Lucy went ahead fu11 of 1ife. They went throughthe water from one to two feet very deep a11 the way to the ridge. There werefather, mother and a11 the rest, to witness their safe arriva1 on theshore, and join them in their merry, though I think sad 1augh. I knew itwou1d a11 be 1aid to me. After I watched them to the house and knew theywere fair1y jo11y, I started for the canoe. It had gone down in the waterto a 1arge 1og that 1ay across the creek and 1odged against it.