[ 129 ] 



CHAPTER IV. 



About the middle of the day we proceeded up the river in 

 the double boats, the transport's long boat, two gigs, and one 

 of the punts, having with me the lieutenant, master, one mas- 

 ter's mate, the four scientific gentlemen, and Mr. Galwej. 



We found the river running between two high ridges of 

 barren rocky hills, chiefly mica slate, with masses of quartz 

 rising above the surface ; the slate running out in points, 

 and the rocks under water forming strong ripplings and 

 little eddies. In some spots, where the current has been 

 turned aside by the rocky points, the river has deposited 

 its mud, and formed little strips of soil covered with reedy 

 grass, and some few little spots of Indian corn. Off these 

 places anchorage is always found on a good clay bottom in 

 from four to eight fathoms, a boat's length from the grass ; 

 besides these narrow strips we this day counted several 

 little vallies between the hills, forming the mouths of the 

 ravines, the largest of which is named Vinda le Zally, and 

 extends two miles along shore. In those vallies were some 

 corn and manioc plantations, and many palm trees. The 



S 



