soon the water burst through the river bank, spreading over the country, sweeping down the tall grass jungle and surging and roaring round our hill. packing all that was valuable in small parcels, we gathered them in a heap, hoping that the flood would subside ere it reached the building. all round about large trees, uprooted by the terrible force of the deluge, were swept along, several animals vainly trying to keep a footing among their roots and branches. at last the water reached the steps of the house; so, pulling our boat close up, we stepped in with what we could save and hung to the wooden posts of the building, vainly trusting that the worst had come; but it was not so, for we soon had to leave go the post and pass the boat's rope round a tree. the water then rushed in, the house toppled over, and it and its contents were swept away by the flood.