37* 



pleafant and interefting, we might purfue it to 

 the. extent of nearly two hundred miles up the 

 river. If on the other hand we mould find 

 it perplexing and inconvenient we were to 

 return after the fir ft or fecond day— thus go- 

 verning ourfelves wholly by events. 



Among the obftacles faid to prefent them- 

 felves, was that of it being a bad period of the 

 year ; and it was fuggefted that from the heavy 

 rains of the wet feafon, the river would be 

 fwelled, and the current fo rapid, that the 

 negroes would not be able to row againft the 

 ft ream. Upon this account it was contended 

 that we could journey oaly a very fhort dif- 

 tance each day, and not even that without 

 great labour and fatigue to the flaves. Had 

 we not received other more happy reports, 

 this would have deterred us from the under- 

 taking. It certainly was a circumftance that 

 merited confideration, and we found in it an 

 additional reafon for avoiding everything like 

 a fettled plan. The opportunity mail always 

 prefent itfelf of learning at one eftate how far 

 diftant we were from others, and we mould 

 then have the power of judging by the tide, 

 and by the labour required, at which to paufe : 



B B 2 



