NARRATIVE OF MR. CARRON. 149 



SO deeply into the mud that they were completely 

 set fast. We were now oblig'ed to miload^ and 

 cany the g-oods ashore. Some of the flour-bag's 

 fell into the water^ but were quickly taken out — ■ 

 very little damag-ed. We had g-reat difficulty in 

 getting- the carts out of the mud. 



A number of natives had accompanied us all day^ 

 and pointed out to us the best place to cross the 

 river. Some of them also assisted us in carrying* 

 our thing's across^ while one or two attempted petty 

 thefts. I caug'ht one with two straps belong'ing* to 

 a saddle^ and a pair of Mr. Kennedy^s spurs in his 

 basket^ \^hich I took from him and sent him away. 

 Many of these natives were painted all over with a 

 sort of red earthy but none of them had visited us 

 armed with spears for several days past. Some of 

 them had learned to address several of our party by 

 name, and seemed j)leased when they received an 

 answer. We frequently made them small presents, 

 and endeavoured to impress upon them the anxiety 

 we felt to remain on friendly terms with them. 



After having- crossed the river we turned inland, 

 cutting* our way throug'h a belt of mang-rove scrub, 

 about half a mile wide 5 we g-ot the carts throug-li 

 with comparative ease, the ground being* harder than 

 usual. We camped on a rising ground, with good 

 grass around us, by the side of a small creek running 

 here almost parallel with the beach, and coming 

 from the westward. At this camp I obtained seeds 

 of a dwarf spreading tree, with alternate, exstipulate. 



