150 CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 
the river; but to my great vexation, instead of being 12 or 
13 miles, as I expected, I found we were not above four 
miles from Yellala, our guide having persuaded me out of 
my own judgment, that the river wound round in a way that 
made the crescent we took necessary. Here we found the 
river still obstructed with rocks and islets sometimes quite 
across, but at one place leaving a clear space, which seems. 
to be used as a ferry, as we found here a canoe with four 
men ; no inducement we could ofter them had however any 
effect in prevailing on them to attempt going up the stream, 
which I wished to do to examine the state of the river more 
exactly. 
In this day’s journey we crossed three deep ravines, the 
beds of torrents in the rainy season, but now quite dry, and 
but once found water ata very small spring. One antelope’s 
skin was seen with the natives, and the dung of these animals 
occurred in many spots ; several porcupines’ quills were also 
picked up. On quitting the river | determined to cross the 
hills ina direction that I expected would again bring me 
to it considerably higher up, but the setting sun obliged 
us to halt on the side of a steep hill, at whose foot we for- 
tunately found a fine spring, forming the only brook we had ~ 
yet seen; and here we passed the night, which was much 
warmer than the preceding one, the thermometer not falling 
