Page:History of Australia, Rusden 1897.djvu/391

"a very strong bony stallion was brought from England by an officer." The studs had thus been improved, and there were more than 300 brood mares, but the Governor looked for more benefit "if two blood stallions could be sent by a safe conveyance."

In the memorable March of 1806 trouble from the elements descended upon the settlement. "The great flood" took place at the Hawkesbury. Traces of high floods had been observed by Phillip and his companions when they discovered the river. The natives confirmed their surmises. Partial floods occurred after the farms had been taken up, and damage was done, especially in March 1801; but the mountain torrents of the Nepean, the Wollondilly, the Grose, and other tributaries had never poured down their fully-collected wrath upon the colonists until 1806. Early in March a flood covered the lower portions of the alluvial flats between the river and the low ranges at a varying distance from its channel. More rain fell. The waters rose higher and higher; and at last the only refuge for the hapless settlers, who had not betaken themselves to the distant hills while yet the waters permitted, were the roofs of islanded huts round which the tawny torrent was foaming and gurgling. Many cast themselves on heaps of straw, which, floating on the waters, still cohered as a mass and moved ungovernably in the current, some of them even reaching the sea with wretched pigs and poultry clinging to them.^[1] Mr. Arndell, the magistrate who represented the government in 1804, was still at the Hawkesbury, and guided the work of saving lives. Boats under his orders plied their humane mission. But the boats were few, and the flooded huts were many. Several settlers distinguished themselves by noble acts of daring and endurance. At night the howling of dogs, the signal-shots of distress, the surging, sullen, sound of the sea of waters, not overwhelming but saddening every voice, gave a horror to the scene which can be understood only