On his way home he and one of his companions walked in one day from Ashbourne to Birmingham, a distance of forty-three miles. For many days heavy rains had fallen, and the river Dove had overflowed its banks:— “When we came to a turn in the road, about a furlong from the bridge, we were surprised to find the road and the fields on each side, as far as the eye could reach, covered with water. The top of the bridge was the only dry spot we could see.... It was a distressing sight. Most of the fields had but a few days before been mown. The tops of the haycocks could just be seen above the water. A great number of men were employed in carrying away as much of the hay as could be saved from the flood. Whilst we were waiting, undetermined what steps to take, two men came up who had ridden through the flood on horseback. They told us that the road was inundated for a mile and a-half, that in some places it was very deep, and that the water was rising very fast. “We inquired if there was any other road by which we could reach Lichfield (the next town on our road), and were informed that there was none but what, it was most probable, would be in the same situation. Our only alternative, therefore, was either to go back to Sudbury, and perhaps remain there two or three days, or wade through the flood. As we were both able to swim, should it be necessary, we determined to proceed. We were able to reach the bridge by going out of the road and along a field, but could proceed no further in that way. We now sat down and took off the lower parts of our dresses, made bundles of them, which, together with our folios, we fastened upon our backs, that our arms might be at liberty if we should find it necessary to swim, and waded through the water. We did not find it so deep as we expected. By keeping the highest part of the road, we never found the water more than three feet in depth.” They reached Lichfield at five in the afternoon. Not having yet had enough of the water, they stopped to bathe in the canal, and saw the Birmingham coach go by:— “After bathing, I found that my heel, in consequence of the continual rubbing of my shoe, had become very painful, so much so that it was with the greatest difficulty that I could walk at all. But I managed to double the heel of my shoe under my foot, and tie on the shoe with strings, and then I could walk very well. “The next coach passed us when we were within about eight miles of Birmingham, and then we determined to walk the whole of the way. “Before this it began to rain, and did not cease till we reached home, which was at about eleven o’clock. Having walked forty-three miles, we were not ashamed to own ourselves tolerably well tired.” Writing in 1817, he records in his Journal:—