On the fourth day of their march the Ammi came to a body of water, which threatened to turn them back and defeat their expedition. The great earthquake, in tilting the country, had caused the Swamp to overflow, and cover a great part of the dry land. There was a large lake formed in this way, which was connected with the Swamp by a strait, or narrow neck of water. It was necessary for the Ammi to cross this strait, or else go round the new lake. “This lake was not here when I passed this way before,” said Koree, “so that it cannot be deep. Let us, therefore, go through it, for we can easily wade.” He thereupon marched in, leading the way for the hosts of mankind to follow. He was soon, however, beyond his depth, and ordered a retreat. “We have not struck the right path,” he said; “let us cross farther away from the Swamp.” He accordingly made a second attempt, but with no better result. The water was everywhere too deep to ford. “I think,” said another, “that we had better go round. If the lake is a new one it cannot be large.” “If the water is so deep,” replied a third, “it must extend far into the country. I think we had better go through the Swamp.” “There appears,” said still another, “to be more water in the Swamp than anywhere else. I wonder where all this water comes from.” “To settle the matter,” said Cocoanut-scooper, “I will climb this palm tree. From its top I can see the end of the lake if it is small.” Suiting his action to his words he bounded up the tree, which was an easy matter for one who had climbed so many in prospecting for fruit. “There is no end of the water,” he said, on returning. “The Swamp is flooded and the new lake extends far out of sight.” “There is then nothing to do,” said Koree, “but to cross it. So let us spread out, and each hunt for a shallow place.” “We might,” observed another, “wait till the water subsides.” “Or,” said Oko, “we could go back and give up the war. If the country is flooded everything beyond is destroyed, and we will make nothing by conquering the Lali, who have no doubt been washed out with all their provisions.” “There is plenty of fruit beyond,” said Cocoanut-Scooper, “I observed that before coming down from the palm. We shall have a prosperous march if we only get over this water.” The great flood, however, rolled, like Jordan, between them and the promised land; and no power, human or apian, had yet crossed such a stream. A few limbs and trunks of trees were floating in the water, which suggested an idea to Koree. “If we could each get on one of these pieces of floating wood,” he said, “we might get over the water; for the wind is driving them in that direction.” “Good,” said Pounder, “and I will be the first to try it. I can handle a wild beast or an alligator, and so need not fear a log.” So he rushed into the water and seized the trunk of a dead tree floating near, and was soon astride it drifting toward the other shore.