itigate the calamity of unfettered
waters.

Our raftmates had witnessed the effect of all these freaks and
caprices, except that of a widespread and devastating flood, during
their voyage, and as they drew near its end they became aware that an
acquaintance with this most terrible of all the river's efforts at
destruction was to be added to their experience. The drought of summer
had been followed by an almost unprecedented rainfall during the
autumn. The earth in every direction was like an oversoaked sponge,
and the surplus water was pouring in turbid torrents into the rivers.
From every quarter of the vast Mississippi Valley these watery legions
were hurried forward to join the all-conquering forces of the great
river.

It had been high-water in the Ohio when the _Venture_ lay at Cairo.
When it passed the mouth of the Arkansas its crew were amazed at the
mighty volume of its muddy flood. From this on they floated in company
with ever-increasing masses of drift--trees, fences, farming
implements, straw-stacks, cotton-bales, out-buildings, and every now
and then a house, lifted bodily from its foundations, and borne away in
the resistless arms of the ever-swelling tide. Most of the houses were
empty, but from several of them the ready skiff of the _Venture_
effected rescues, now of a solitary individual driven to the verge of
despair by the lonely terrors of his situation, and then of whole
wretched families who had lost everything in the world except their
lives. A cow, several pigs, and dozens of barn-yard fowls also found
an asylum on the friendly raft, until, as Billy Brackett said, it
reminded one of the original and only Noah's ark menagerie.

Besides supplying the raft with passengers, the river helped to feed
them. Floating straw-stacks and shocks of corn were always in sight,
while fresh milk and eggs, pork and chickens, drifted with the current
on all sides. In vain were these passengers landed at the nearest
accessible points. A new lot was always found to take the place of
those who had left, and for ten days the raft resembled a combination
of floating hotel, nursery, hospital, and farm-yard. The resources of
our raftmates were taxed to their utmost during this time to provide
for the manifold wants of their welcome but uninvited guests, while
Solon declared, "I hain't nebber done sich a sight er cooken durin' all
de days ob my life."

By the time the mouth of the Red River was reached, half