10 THE VOYAGE. Chap. I. 



mouth of the river had become so unsafe, from the 

 breaking up of the sandy spit, and as no one knew 

 the direction of the deep channels — for the whole 

 breadth of the mouth of the river was one unin- 

 terrupted line of breakers — we resolved to land 

 everything on the beach through the surf. But on 

 some days the breakers were so bad, continuing all 

 day long without a single lull, that it was impossible 

 to do anything. 



On the 15th of October we made a commencement. 

 Three native canoes were brought alongside, and 

 I began by loading them with my most valuable 

 articles. In one of them I placed all my scientific 

 instruments, sextants, chronometers, prismatic com- 

 passes, barometers, &c., besides five large Gleneva 

 musical boxes (intended as presents to the native 

 chiefs), and five barrels of salt meat, a case containing 

 1,500 rifle bullets, a box of medicines, and many other 

 things. Captain Yardon and myself embarked in 

 this boat on account of the value of its cargo, and 

 away we went amidst the cheers of the dusky 

 paddlers. 



The two other canoes took the surf first. The 

 rollers were terrific, and the boats seemed buried in 

 the seething spray without a chance of coming out of 

 it safely, but they reached the shore without up- 

 setting. The captain himself had misgivings as to 

 the result of our venture. I advised him to put on 

 his life-belt, but in the excitement of the moment 

 he neglected the precaution. We now came near the 

 ranges of breakers, and our only chance of safety was 

 to ride on the back of one of those smoother rollers 



