56 BOAT STAKED AND SINKS. [CH. III. 



The sailors swam about like frogs, and swimming, divided 

 with a cross cut saw, trees under water. I found, I could 

 survey the river as we proceeded, by measuring, with a 

 pocket sextant, the angle subtended by the two ends of a 

 twelve feet rod — held in the second boat — at the opposite end 

 of each reach — the bearing being observed at the same time. 

 By referring to one of Brewster's tables, the angle formed 

 by the rod of twelve feet, I ascertained thus, the length of 

 each reach. This operation occasioned a delay of a few se- 

 conds only, just as the last boat arrived in sight of each place 

 of observation. 



Several black swans floated before us, and they were appa- 

 rently not much alarmed even at the unwonted sight of boats 

 on the " Nammoy." The evenness of the banks and reaches, 

 and the depth and stillness of the waters were such, that I 

 might have traced the river downwards, at least so far as 

 such facilities continued, had our boats been of a stronger 

 material than canvass. But dead trees lay almost invisible 

 under water, and at the end of a short reach where I awaited 

 the reappearance of the second boat, we beard suddenly, 

 confused shouts, and on making to the shore, and running 

 to the spot, I found that the boat had run foul of a sunken 

 tree — and had filled almost immediately. Mr. White had, 

 on the instant, managed to run her ashore, across another 

 sunken trunk, and thus prevented her from going down in 

 deep water, opposite to a steep bank. By this disaster our 

 whole stock of tea, sugar, and tobacco, with part of our flour 

 and pork, were immersed in the water, but fortunately all 

 the gunpowder had been stowed in the first boat. This catas- 

 trophe furnished another instance of the activity of the sail- 

 ors ; the cargo was got out, and the sunken boat being hauled 

 up, a rent was discovered in the canvass of her larboard bow. 

 This, the sailniaker patched with a ])iece of canvass; afire 

 was made ; tar was melted and ajjplied ; the boat was set 

 afloat ; reloaded, and again underway in an hour and a iialf. 

 " Once more upon the waters," every thing seemed to pro- 



