304 EXPLORE AN OPENING. 



out, pipes and cigars were lighted, the jest was 

 uttered, the tale went round ; some fished, though 

 with little success ; and the officers busied them- 

 selves with preparations for the morrow's work. 

 But all things must end ; the stories at length 

 flagged ; the fishermen grew tired ; and getting 

 into our blanket bags, with a hearty good night, 

 we resigned ourselves, with the exception of the 

 look-out, to the arms of slumber. 



July 30. — The morning broke with a strong 

 breeze from S.S.E. and although the temperature 

 was not below 52°, we were all shivering with cold. 

 Soon after daylight we entered the opening, which 

 for three miles was almost straight, in a S. by W. 

 direction, with a width of two hundred yards, and 

 a depth of from 2J to 5 fathoms. The banks were 

 fringed with mangroves, behind which stretched 

 extensive mud flats, which from being encrusted 

 with salt and glistening in the sun were mistaken 

 at first for sheets of water. 



The inlet now became slightly tortuous, pursuing 



a general S. W. by S. direction ; but the width 



being greater our hopes rose as we proceeded. 



Eight miles from the mouth two islands were passed, 



and two others four miles further on. The breadth 



at this point was nearly a mile, but the depth was 



s carcely two fathoms ; one less than we had before 



found it. The above-mentioned islets, one of which 



was of some size, lay at the upper end of a reach, 



trending south, where this inlet or river, as we 



