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too was pitchy dark, and in nearing the ford, he was rather startled by the angry sough of the rolling river. Still, he apprehended no great danger, and urged his horse to enter the water. The animal obeyed, and had hardily waded 5 or 6 yards, when the body of the cart became so bouyant, that it separated and parted company from the wheels and iron-axle—never, perhaps, to be re-united. The horse, too, yielded to the current, and the Carter, while sailing down the stream, had great difficulty in keeping his perilous barge from upsetting. A wooden bridge is thrown across the Nith a little way below where the accident happened, and in floating downwards, poor Gilmour actually passed through the span, steadying the wheelless cart whichever side happened to be highest. At this juncture, the voyage was arrested by a small mass of sand; and on jumping out, the car man was well pleased to find that he was only about half-thigh deep in water. The next care was to save the horse, but on making a spring to regain the halter, he missed his object and was precipitated some feet farther into the stream. As he was now immersed nearly to the waist, he ran the greatest risk of being swept away; but by dint of struggling and personal strength, he very fortunately reached the shore, drenched, breathless, and otherwise exhausted The burgh of Sanquha lay at the distance of a quarter of a mile, and to it he repaired without delay; obtained the assistance of two friends, prudently furnished himself with a coil of rope, and returned
