RESCUED AT LAST. 297 into the channel of the river, and that then one day's rowing landed them at Shambil. He had brought down a large nuggar, with provisions, soldiers, and wood, to help to extricate us. The next morning the nuggar was able to approach to within a mile and a half of us ; it was decided to pull her through the grass barrier which still separated us, and at 7 A.M. the work of bringing her through began. The boat was about ten tons burthen and very heavy, and the way in which the men worked was as follows. First they trampled down the tall grass, which is sufficiently dense and firm to bear their weight; this was done in the direction in which the boat had to be pulled, and a path a little broader than her beam was made. Two ropes were then made fast to the grass fifty yards in advance, and part of the men in the boat pulled at these ropes, part lifted up the bow, and part pushed behind. It took forty-five soldiers and twenty sailors to do this ; it was fearful work for them, but by 3 P.M. they managed to get her within two hundred yards of us, when lines were run out from the steamer, and we all had to help, and in about half an hour she floated in our lake. As they worked the men sang a song, finishing with " He ! Ho ! ! " when a great pull is given, and a pause occurs between each haul to enable them to take breath. Coffee-drinking, hand-shaking, and praying followed the accomplishment of this difficult task. Early next morning,