[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

So the people tied themselves together and walked in chest deep water to High Island.

That sounds chillingly like the story of the orphans(?) and their caregivers in the Hurricane of 1900 who did the same thing. Their bodies were found still tied together.

[Spktyr]

Yes, but the good thing is that these people actually made it - this time there were large strong men in the group, which is what may have made the difference.