80 FRESH ATTEMPTS AT TREACHERY. 



ternoon I sounded across the river and found 

 an average depth of five and a half fathoms 

 within two yards of both banks, the breadth 

 being about five hundred yards. I concluded 

 from this that we should find no more shallow 

 water unless the river spread out. The water 

 was perfectly fresh here, although it was in- 

 fluenced by the tide, the rise and fall being 

 about four feet. In the course of a walk on 

 shore with Dr. Briggs, I purchased a goat of 

 Lilliputian dimensions. 



As we were getting under weigh on the following 

 morning. King Boy was particularly anxious that 

 we should stop at a village which he pointed out. 

 There was something peculiar in his anxiety to 

 get us to stop at several places in the afternoon, 

 and I thought it not unlikely that we should fall 

 into trouble soon. Indeed the busy, pertinacious 

 conduct of this fellow kept me on the alert in 

 meeting his manoeuvres, and I felt a great desire 

 to seize on his person and keep him on board the 

 vessel until our return. Certainly, in the event 

 of any mischief occurring, I was determined that 

 if he were within reach he should be the first to 

 suffer. 



The course of the river varied from N.E. 



