CAPTAIN TUCKEY’S NARRATIVE. 209 
owners. ‘The division of the price usually creates a dis- 
pute, if there shouid happen to be an odd bead. 
Sept. 6th. After a constant battle with the natives from 
daylight, and after using every possible means, by threats, 
persuasions, and promises, I at last, about two o’clock, 
got the canoes, which I was to have had at daylight, under 
way, having first paid eight fathoms, and given a present of 
two fathoms of chintz each to four different gentlemen. 
As the canoes, though promised to carry twenty men 
each, would barely hold eight, I was obliged to walk along 
shore with a part of the people. About three miles from 
the place of departure we passed two small rapids, but the 
other side of the river was clear. 
Wecame to a bay in which were ten hippopotami ; as 
the canoes could not venture to come on until these huge 
creatures were dispersed, we were obliged to fire vollies at 
them from the shore, and although many shot evidently 
told, not one of the beasts seemed in the least to be af- 
fected by them. The noise however, together with the 
exorcism of our old guide, drove them away. 
The river now, for the first time, bore a majestic appear- 
ance, having the land on each side moderately elevated, 
with little hills of lime-stone further back, but still almost 
without wood. 
Ee 
