MOUTH OF A LARGE RIVER. 215 



but 1 did not feel well enough to accompany 

 them. 



April 30. — The wind was very light to-day, and 

 the tides ran so strongly in and out of the river that 

 the ship was not able to stem them, and obliged 

 twice to come to an anchor while sounding about the 

 edge of the bank. 



May 1. — The Captain returned with the first gig. 

 They had gone first for the south point of the open- 

 ing, carrying depths varying from one to three fa- 

 thoms, and landed in the evening near some deserted 

 huts, at which they slept. These huts were raised 

 on posts, with gable ends, like the houses of the 

 Malays. Abundance of cocoa-nuts were growing 

 near them. Next morning they stood across the 

 mouth of the river to its northern shore. It was 

 about five jniles wide, with a depth of nearly four 

 fathoms for great part of the way, and the water so 

 fresh as to be quite drinkable. They saw no in- 

 habitants till they approached the north shore, 

 when, just as they were going to land, a great body 

 of people rushed out of the woods towards them. 

 Captain Blackwood estimated the number of men as 

 fully five hundred. Not wishing to shed blood un- 

 necessarily, and not having force enough to overawe 

 so large a body of men, Captain Blackwood decided 

 on returning. As soon as he put the boat's head 

 round, and made sail for the open sea, they ran 

 down to their canoes, and manned four of them, and 

 gave chase, pursuing our boat with great eagerness 



