NATURE OF THE RIVER. 359 



to which the tide reaches, distant from the Nun 

 sixty-four miles. At the farthest extremity are 

 sandbanks, the first we have seen ; and it was the 

 first place at which we could disembark after 

 leaving the Nun, the country being nothing else 

 but swamps. Mr. Lander appeared still to be 

 very ill. 



About an hour after noon the river began to 

 widen, and we observed a gradual improvement 

 in the general appearance of the country : 

 sandbanks were now to be seen. In the course 

 of the afternoon we had the wind south-west, 

 with very heavy rain ; and to us it was very 

 cold, quite as cold, indeed, as a December 

 morning in England. From the imperfect state 

 of the roof of the house which had been built 

 over the after part of the boat, I was compelled 

 to put over it my blanket-cloak, counterpane, &c. 

 to keep out the rain. The depth of the water 

 close to the bank is seven fathoms : the grass 

 on the banks of the river is upwards of twelve 

 feet high. At 5 p. m. we had heavy rain. The 

 country appeared a little less wooded than lower 

 down. The rain continued at intervals until 10 

 p. M. At 7. 30 p. M. we stopped, and made fast 

 to the jungle. This kind of anchorage is very 



