308 



additional delay, from the opportunity it af- 

 forded me of contemplating the fcene before 

 us — more particularly as the veffel could not 

 fuffer any injury from her foft bed, and as we 

 were near enough to reach the fhore in the 

 boat, even fhould any accident fender it necef- 

 fary for us to quit the floop. The beft ex- 

 ertions of the crew were of no avail— fixed in 

 the mud we were compelled to let go the 

 anchor, and wait until the flood of tide fhould 

 again fet us afloat. 



The view before us was that of a wild 

 country, only juft opening into cultivation, 

 It comprized an extent of wood and water, 

 with fmall patches of land breaking into in- 

 cipient tillage, but it had nothing of the bold 

 and romantic fcenery of mountainous regions. 

 The pi&ure was foft and harmonious. We 

 were lying a few miles out at fea, looking 

 directly up the river; the quiet waters of 

 which were ftealing, in tranquil ft ream, to the 

 ocean. No part of the territory of the ifland 

 was vifible, but from being flat and low, it 

 appeared a mere clufter of trees, growing out 

 of the water, and caufing a pleafant break in 

 the wide embouchure of the river. On the 



