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Chambers's Edinburgh Journal, No. 435 - Volume 17, New Series, May 1, 1852 by Various
page 40 of 68 (58%)
bewildered, and had very serious doubts as to my own identity.

I was roused from this state of bewilderment by the snorting and
splashing of the horse: he was making a bold attempt to scale the
perpendicular bank. Had I been thrown into the body of the stream, I
should have been swept away, and the animal must have perished; but in
all heavy rapid runs of water, salt or fresh, there is what is termed
an eddy stream, running close inshore, in a contrary direction to the
main body of the water. I have seen Highlanders in their boats
catching fish in the eddy stream of the Gulf of Corrievrekin, within a
short distance of the main tide, which, had it but got the slightest
hold on their boat, would have swept them with fearful velocity into
the jaws of the roaring gulf. I was caught by this eddy, which kept me
stationary, and enabled me, by a few strokes, to reach the horse's
side. To cross the river, or to land here, was alike impossible; so I
took the reins in my right hand, wheeled the horse from the bank, and
dashed at once with him into the strength of the current. Away we
went, Satan and I, in capital spirits both; not a doubt of our
effecting a safe landing ever crossing my mind. And the horse evinced
his certainty upon that subject, by snatching a bite out of a heap of
hay that floated at his side, and eating it as composedly as if he had
been in the stable.

We soon swept round the high bank that had caused our misfortune, and
came to a level part of the country, which was flooded far up into the
fields. I then struck strongly out in a slanting direction for the
shore, and soon had the satisfaction of finding myself once more upon
the green turf. Satan shook himself, pricked up his ears, and gave a
low neigh. I then stroked him, and spoke kindly to him. He returned
the caress by licking my hand. Poor fellow! he had contracted a
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