Page:Old Westland (1939).pdf/193

Rh cross. De Silva, however, knew better and I trusted entirely to his judgment in the matter, and off we went; we got over the first ford all right, but found on reaching the second that we could not get across, the river having risen very rapidly. De Silva then came to the conclusion that the best thing we could do was to hurry back, which we did, and just managed to re-cross the first ford, the river having risen over a foot in half an hour. And a good thing we did, for sure enough a heavy fresh did come down which prevented traffic for some days. Had we succeeded in getting over the second ford the chances are that we should have had to remain in the river-bed, between the second and third crossing, until the fresh went down.

“We had no alternative, so rode back to the Grey. There being no prospect of my getting to the Greenstone for a week at least, and having collected all the information I could about the place, I thought it advisable to return to Nelson, which I did. My report, on the whole, being a favourable one, it was determined to send me back by return steamer with a view of opening up in business on the West Coast.”