Page:A tour through the northern counties of England, and the borders of Scotland - Volume II.djvu/138

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is yet fresh in the recollection of all the neighbour- ing country, though it occurred nearly half a cen- tury ago. An old fisherman sat out to cross the sands from Cartmel one morning, driving in his little cart his two daughters, followed by his wife on horseback; the whole party in gala dress for a day's enjoyment at Lancaster fair. Having jour- neyed half-way across the sands, a thick fog sud- denly arose, and involved them in its darkness. The track now became obscure, and whilst the travel- lers were anxiously endeavouring to trace it, the water began to deepen around them. Bewildered with alarm, the poor man stopped his cart, and de- siring the women to remain quiet, said he would go a few steps forward, and endeavour to discover his well-known marks. He accordingly went, but returned no more. Distracted with apprehensions for his safety, the faithful and affectionate wife would not listen to the prayers of the daughters, to hasten on from the inevitable destruction with which the rising waters now threatened her; but wandered about the spot where she had missed her husband, calling vainly on his name, till she was washed from her horse, and found the same com- mon grave with him. The sagacity of the horse saved the lives of the young women. Perfectly pe- trified with grief and alarm, they lost the guidance

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