174 CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 
returning to the S. E.; this last reach not appearing to be 
more than three or four miles, but entirely filled with rocks, 
and absolutely, as far as we could judge with our glasses, 
without the smallest passage or carrying place for a canoe. 
At noon we reached banza Inga, having turned off to the 
west considerably from the river,and found it situated on one 
of the usual plateaus. ‘The Chenoo, we learned, was blind, 
and that the government was in a kind of commission, com- 
posed of the Macaya, Mambom, &c. which portended me 
no good; a palaver being immediately assembled to know 
what white men came here for. I now found it would be 
necessary to deviate from my former assertions of having 
nothing to do with trade, if I meant to get forward; and 
accordingly I gave these gentlemen to understand, that I 
was only the fore-runner of other white men, who would 
bring them every thing they required, provided I should 
make a favourable report of their conduct on my return to 
my own country. At length I was promised a guide to 
conduct me to the place where the river again became 
navigable for canoes, but on the express condition that I 
should pay a jar of brandy, and dress four gentlemen with 
two fathoms of baft each, ‘These terms I complied with, 
stipulating on my part that the guide should be furnished 
immediately, (as this part of the river was said to be not 
