106 



PERU. 



fectly 5 and I agreed to his proposal, upon his ex- 

 plaining, that, during the greater part of the 

 night, the wind and tide would be favourable, 

 whereas in the day-time, both were likely to be 

 adverse. 



The river was, in general, broad and deep, 

 though, at some places, there were abrupt turn- 

 ings, and many shoals, which sometimes obliged 

 us to keep so close to the banks, that it seemed, 

 in the dark, as if our yard-arms must get entang- 

 led with the branches of the trees, which grew 

 down to the very water's edge. The wind was 

 gentle but steady, and just enough, in such per- 

 fectly smooth water, to keep the sails asleep, as 

 seamen express it when in light winds they do not 

 flap against the mast. 



By means of this faint air, and the tide toge- 

 ther, we shot rapidly up the river ; threading our 

 way, as it were, through the woods, which stood 

 dark and still, like two vast black walls along the 

 banks of the stream. Men were placed by the 

 anchor ; and all hands were at their stations, rea- 

 dy, at an instanfs warning, to perform any evolu- 

 tion : not a word was spoken, except when the pi-« 



