84 CAPTAIN TUCKEY'S NARRATIVE. 



and in two hours and a half we reached the Congo sloopy 

 laying about ten miles from the point. 



The berth she occupied I found was about half a mile 



from the south shore, nearly opposite Sherwood's creek, 



(Fuma of the natives). The current here at its maximum ran 



3i miles an hour, but was subject to very great irregularities, 



apparently from the combined effects of a regular tide, and 



of eddies formed by the points of land or banks. These 



effects were frequently so great as to entirely overcome the 



stream, and create perfect slack water of various duration 



from half an hour to five minutes. The rise and fall of 



tide by the shore, as marked on the roots of the mangrove, 



was 2^ feet. The water thus high is too brackish for use, 



and though perfecdy colourless in a glass, has the same red 



appearance as we remarked off Cabenda, 



Hitherto the river has presented no appearance to inspire 

 the idea of magnitude equal to that of a river of the 

 first class ; unless we were indeed to consider tlie estuary 

 formed between the Sonio and Moena Mazea shore, as 

 the absolute embouchure of the river, than which certainly 

 nothing would be more erroneous ; the true mouth of the 

 river being at Fathomless Point, where it is not three miles in 

 breadth ; and allowing the mean depth to be 40 fathoms, 

 and the mean velocity of the stream 4j miles an hour, it 



