BIVOUAC FOR THE NIGHT. 107 



spirit nearly all the rest of the voyage. At midnight we 

 arrived at the mouth of the river, where we found a fine 

 dry sandy beach, with a line of creamy surf rippling 

 gently against it, in a wild and uninhabited country. We 

 landed, found plenty of wood to kindle a large fire ; ate 

 our supper, which we shared with our voyageurs ; for 

 which they gave us another song under the exhilarating 

 influence of a coup or two of brandy. We then wrapped 

 ourselves in our cloaks, looked out for a soft stone for a 

 pillow, placed our guns by our sides, put our feet to the 

 fire, and soon fell asleep. 



" The morning sun awoke us : we started up and took a 

 refreshing swim in the salt water, whilst our attendants 

 were getting breakfast ready. When the meal was over 

 we prepared our rods and set out to reconnoitre the stream, 

 the banks of which were covered with almost impenetrable 

 jungle; but after great exertions, we explored to the 

 distance of four or five miles, yet only got one small 

 salmon, which my friend caught, for our pains. The 

 river, as far as we could reach, was a continuous succes- 

 sion of rapids and falls from one enormous granite rock to 

 another. 



" On our return we disturbed a huge bear, who was busily 

 employed in tearing up a large rotten pine to get at a 

 colony of ants that inhabited it. We stopped and so did 



; feeling, no doubt, as displeased as any Christian, at 



jing interrupted in his meal. He then walked away, and 



