THE AVATCHA RIVER 137 



such as one only sees in northern regions. We passed 

 a few fishing-huts along the shore, and presently 

 reached the bar at the mouth of the Avatcha. 

 Thoucjh it was still high tide, the water at places was 



NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE AVATCHA RIVEK. 



so shallow that even the canoes, into which we em- 

 barked, had to be hauled some hundred yards along 

 the sand by the Admiral and crew till we got into 

 the bed of the stream. It took us over two hours 

 to negotiate the bar. and it was solely owing to the 

 energy of our nien that we surmcjunted the difhculty. 



