RIO NEGRO. 97 
Fish, with the scientific gentlemen ; it proved to be the wrong one, 
and on the tide falling the schooners both grounded. Our situation 
was not the most agreeable, for in the event of the sea rising, we 
should have been exposed to all the fury of the surf without any 
escape from the numerous sand-bars. It became necessary as the 
tide rose to make the river. The Sea-Gull having got oif, I put the 
scientific gentlemen on board of her, and ordered Lieutenant- Com- 
mandant Ringgold to proceed in, keeping in what the chart pointed 
out as the channel-way and deepest water. He finally succeeded in 
getting into the river, after thumping heavily over a sand-bar, with 
some fears on the part of the passengers, but without injury to the 
vessel, and anchored after dark about half a mile up the river. 
During this time an amusing occurrence took place in the roadstead. 
I had directed Lieutenant-Commandant Ringgold, in case of accident 
or requiring aid, to make signal, and that I would order boats at once 
to his assistance ; when the night closed in, the signal was seen, when 
the requisite signal was made from the Flying-Fish to the different 
vessels to send boats to assist. The commanding officer's mind being 
somewhat impressed with an idea of the hostility of those on shore, con- 
cluded the boats were required to repel an attack, and had them fully 
armed ; in this state they were met in a short time exerting themselves 
to their fullest strength at their oars to be in time to take part in the 
fray, and appeared greatly disappointed when it proved a false alarm, 
and that none was to take place. 
Shortly after the schooner anchored a voice was heard from the 
shore ordering a boat to be sent immediately, when a party landed, but 
no one was found to receive them. Seeing a light at a distance they 
proceeded towards it ; it proved to be the pilot's house, a long low 
barn-like building, but no inhabitants were visible, and none made 
their appearance until our party had taken a survey of the premises. 
The furniture was of a rude and scanty description, a table, bench, 
two or three bunks in one corner, and in another a number of arms, 
consisting of cutlasses, carbines, and pikes, in good order; in the 
others various accoutrements. The two pilots, one an Englishman 
and the other a Frenchman, with a negro, then made their appear- 
ance, and unravelled the mystery, by informing them that the vessels 
had been taken for the French squadron, and much alarm had been 
created by our visit ; they also said that the guard of about thirty 
Guachos were in ambush near where they landed, with the intention of 
cutting our party off, but hearing them speaking English, they found 
VOL. I. ^5 
