RETURN OF CAPT. WICKHAM. 47 



October 27. — The winds for the last few days 

 had been from W.N.W. to N.W., light after mid- 

 night to near noon, then moderate and sometimes 

 fresh. The tides, as they approached the springs, 

 increased their velocity, occasionally coming down 

 in bores at the rate of four and five knots. Captain 

 Wickham returned this morning, having discovered 

 the river to be fresh about seventy miles above 

 the ship. For some distance it had not decreased 

 in size, which was very delightful news. I had 

 been several times on the point of inquiring 

 on this subject ; but fearing an unfavourable reply, 

 hesitated. Now my hopes were at their highest 

 pitch, and I was quite impatient to start on an 

 expedition up the river. 



On the 29th the ship was taken under my guid- 

 ance up the river, as far as the commencement of 

 the long southerly reach. As the shoals in that part 

 had not been sufficiently examined, we proceeded 

 to do so in the evening, and two channels were 

 discovered ; one between a bank, dry at low water, 

 and a covered patch of one and a half and two 

 fathoms, and the other between the covered bank and 

 the east shore ; the latter, although the narrower, I 

 found to be the better. The tides set direct through 

 it, and to keep close to the bank is a simple and 

 sure guide. The least water is four fathoms, half 

 a fathom more than was found in the other, the di- 

 rection of which crossed the set of the tide when the 

 bank on the west side became covered. Next morning 



