nd half an hour later a slight but distinct
subsidence in the level of the water could be perceived. In another
hour it had fallen a foot, and after that the fall was rapid and steady.
The deep roar caused by the rushing torrent and the rumbling of the
huge boulders and rocks swept along in the narrow defile, gradually
subsided, and soon the bullocks were again standing on their feet.

The natives set to work to wash away the thick sediment which the flood
had left on the floor of the waggons, and before nightfall the goods
were all repacked. But few signs of the recent flood now remained in
the valley. A stream still rushed through the centre. Trunks and
branches of trees lay here and there, as the water had left them, and
the bodies of some twenty or thirty natives were lying amongst the
rocks. In some places shallow pools remained; in others were sheets of
glistening mud.

"We shall have no more trouble with the natives," Mr Harvey said; "the
fighting-men of that tribe must have been nearly annihilated."

"Do you think that those below were caught, as well as those above?"

"Certainly," Mr Harvey answered; "the water went down with the speed of
a race-horse; they had only a few minutes' start, and would have been
overtaken before they could have even gained the lower bed of the gorge.
We can journey on peacefully now. We have been fortunate indeed; we
have only lost one man, and the three who were hit with stones are all
likely to do well. We have not lost a single bullock, nor a bale of
goods."

"We shall have hard work to get the waggons up that place where the
natives made the stand tomorrow."

"It is quite likely," Mr Harvey said, "that the obstacle there no
longer exists. A flood like that of to-day would carry away anything.
Look at those great blocks, some of which must weigh more than a hundred
tons. Likely enough some of them have formed part of that great pile.
I have already sent Tony and Blacking up the defile to see how the flood
has left it, and in an hour they will be back to report."

The hunters on returning brought the good news that the great block had
been removed, and so far as they had explored no other of any importance
had been found. They said indeed that the defile was now more open than
either of the two gorges they had already passed through.

This was very satisfactory, for all had had enough of lifting and
heaving rocks. Their hands were all cut and wounded, and every