ANCHOR FOR THE NIGHT. 



85 



them pointed to Ince's chin, which had been re- 

 cently shaved, and then to his own straggling beard, 

 as if begging to have it cut off, and he submitted 

 quite patiently while Ince cut or rather sawed it off 

 with his pocket knife. They expressed a wish to go 

 into the boat with us, and sat down very quietly while 

 we hauled off into the stream, only making signs 

 for the guns to be put away on one side. Presently 

 the rest of their tribe came down, and seeing them 

 in the boat were very clamorous, either to come in 

 themselves, or for them to come ashore again. As 

 it was now sunset we accordingly hauled in, and 

 they immediately landed, and we wished them good 

 night. We then proceeded a little way down 

 the stream, in order to get into a clear open space, 

 below the shoals, in which to anchor for the night. 

 Seeing us stuck on a sand-hank, and all wading in 

 the water, six of them came off and lent their assist- 

 ance to get the boat over. It was now low water ; 

 so when we came to a spot where the general depth 

 was three feet, and were out of spear- throw from 

 each bank, we anchored. After dark we saw 

 several fires lit on both sides of us at the native 

 camps. At 10 p.m. it was high water, and we had 

 then a depth of ten feet, and the water very slightly 

 brackish. 



May 14. — At daylight we made preparations for 

 our return. To this we were induced by our un- 

 certainty as to how we should get out of the river, 

 whether we could find another passage out, or if 



