146 WHITE— A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White. 



day I ascertained from the natives, that it was the Wanumbi 

 Eiver. As we pulled up easily with the tide I could see that it 

 was a river or channel, and not a blind inlet. At the entrance 

 this river was about 200 yards wide, with dense mangrove 

 scvub on either side. After this it gradually narrowed for 

 aibout four miles, when it struck off into several 

 branches, and I determined to follow the largest, but 

 afier following it for another three or four miles it rapidly 

 decreased in width and depth, and in a short time ceased to be 

 .navigable at low water; in fact the river ends in a 

 ( maiss of bare rocks of a kind of limestone like 

 hardened white clay, and appears to be coraline 

 limestone, such as we found all through the islands. 

 Fresh water was running into the river here at several 

 places, and what appeared curious, there is scarcely any soil 

 anywhere near the place; yet there is a dense growth of scrub 

 growing as well as mangrove trees. At the top, or where the 

 rock dries v at low water, is situated the village of Wanumbi, 

 consisting of two houses raised on piles in the usual way, 

 placed on a piece of rock about 300 yards from the creek, and 

 surrounded with dense scrub, with the exception of a small 

 piece of partly cleared ground, where there is shallow covering 

 of black rich soil, and which the natives cultivate. • When we 

 arrived the rocks were bare and dry near the creek, and it be- 

 ing a neap tide the water did not rise much that night, so we 

 made our camp on the bare rocks, as all the scrub was wet and 

 dirty after the continued heavy rains we have had lately, in- 

 deed the day we started was the first fine day we have had for 

 a fortnight. Next morning we awoke with the water under us 

 and all round us, the fire put out, and everything afloat, the 

 water having covered every particle of the rock, so we had to 

 take refuge in the boat. Seeing several old praus lying up, I 

 determined to take possession and live in one if permission 

 of the owner could be obtained; this was soon arranged, and 

 after the old craft had the boat's sails thrown over, it made a 

 very respectable dwelling, particularly so, as it rained all day, 

 and night, then the weather cleared up, and the sun came out 

 hotly. I took my gun and went into the scrub. Found numer- 

 ous tracks or paths, but after the heavy rains they were half 

 way up to the knees in sticky mud, and the roots of trees also 

 stems lying about made walking very trying and troublesome. 

 I saw villages of one or more houses and plantations every- 

 where during my rambles, frequently met men on their way 

 from one home to another, always with a bow and a handful of 



