314 PROGRESS IMPEDED. 



mystery ; and it seemed that we were destined to 

 remain long in suspense; for the day soon closed in, 

 leaving only the pale light of the moon to guide us. 

 The depth continued regular, at two and a half 

 fathoms, and the width two hundred yards. We 

 hastened onwards ; the night scenery being almost 

 more beautiful than the day. The heavens seemed 

 more deep, the water more glittering, the trees 

 more graceful and feathery ; and here and there a 

 tall palm reared its thin and spectral form above 

 the dense foliage throuo^h which the moonlio-ht 

 broke at intervals, and fell, as it were, in showers 

 of silver on the placid waters. 



Nearly seven miles had been traversed in the same 

 S. W. ^ S. direction, when our hopes of proceeding 

 further were suddenly for a time destroyed, by the 

 appearance of a dense woody mass ahead. A little 

 further on, the moon peering through the matted 

 foliage shewed one branch of the river turning off to 

 the southward, whilst another, in the mouth of which 

 we found ourselves, trended west. The lead giving 

 the great depth of six fathoms, we were induced to 

 follow the latter. Utter darkness soon surrounded 

 us ; the trees, on either side, over-shadowing the 

 river, which in this branch was not eighty yards 

 wide. Our progress, also, at length began to be 

 impeded by fallen or sunken trees, which not only 

 rendered the ascent dangerous, but at the end of 

 about two miles fairly brought us to a stand still, 

 and forbade our further advance. This detention 

 was a bitter disappointment to us all, and we crept 



