MANGROVE TREES. 77 



and three fathoms ; and in gratitude to our 

 pilot, we named this narrow channel Louis 

 Creek. 



We had proceeded about thirty miles up the 

 river before we saw anything like land or even 

 mud, the mangroves only marking the channel. 

 Afterwards the banks began to appear and as- 

 sumed a more decided character, the man- 

 groves* being no longer seen, — thus showing 

 the limits of the tide. We also discovered some 

 barracoons erected on cleared spots on the banks 

 for the shelter of the canoe-men and their car- 

 goes, as we supposed, on their passage to the 

 Eboe country. 



At four in the afternoon we passed some mi- 

 serable-looking huts tenanted by as miserable- 

 looking men. Mr. Lander landed and made 

 them a few presents. We continued under 

 steam until seven in the evening, and I con- 

 sidered made good a distance of about forty- 

 five miles in a northerly direction. The river 

 had now increased in breadth, which averaged 

 about three hundred yards, with a depth from 



* This beautiful but deadly tree does not grow in fresh 

 water. See Humboldt, who supposes that it gives out a pe- 

 culiar and dangerous exhalation. 



