As if Providence were now resolved to visit us with marked favour, just
at the moment when the waters began visibly to decrease, and patches of
land to appear here and there, the escort sent by Sultan En-Noor came
riding over the neighbouring heights. Our people discovered them, and
shouted, "See, the Kailouees! the Kailouees!"
The waters rose above the general surface of the wady full two feet and
a-half. Had this deluge come during the night we should scarcely have
saved ourselves; or, at any rate, the greater part of our property and
our camels must have perished. The power of such a body of water rushing
along is tremendous. A great number of houses of Tintaghoda were carried
away, and the inhabitants declared that they never remembered such an
occurrence to have happened before. I can well believe them, otherwise
the site of the town would have been changed for higher ground. Trees
numberless were uprooted, and brought down by the mighty current, which
must have considerably altered the appearance of the valley. We could
already see that the earth was ploughed up in all directions; and when
the inundation was at its height, serious fears were entertained lest
the island on which we stood should itself be swept from under our feet.
When the waters had subsided a little the nephew of En-Noor came to us
from the town, to see our situation. He then went to meet the Maharees
which had arrived from his uncle, and soon sent to tell us that all was
right, that this party came purposely to afford us protection, and that
it included the sons of En-Noor, their nephews, and a son-in-law,
besides many household servants; in all, thirty-one men mounted, and the
rest on foot.
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