FRESHWATER CHANNELS. 2^7 



great height above the tops of the trees. During 

 the night we heard the howlings of wild dogs, and 

 many strange noises in the jungle around us, a com- 

 bination of croakings, quackings, and grun tings, 

 proceeding, probably, from large birds aud wild 

 pigs. We of course kept a sentry on duty, but the 

 night passed away without any accident or interrup- 

 tion. 



May 12.— This morning broke dark and lower- 

 ingly, with heavy rain, and though these deep woods 

 and sluggish streams lay still and undisturbed, we 

 could see the clouds drifting rapidly over head, 

 shewing it was blowing strongly outside. As soon 

 as we had breakfasted and the rain had cleared off 

 a little, we proceeded along the channel leading to 

 the east, expecting to gain the arm from the mouth 

 of which we were repelled by the sand bank yester- 

 day evening. Accordingly, in about half a mile, we 

 came out on to a fine-looking deep stream, three- 

 quarters of a mile wide, coming from the north. We 

 immediately hoisted sail, and went up it, but had 

 not gone half a mile before we came on some native 

 huts on the bank at our left hand. Seeing no signs 

 of inhabitants or smoke of fires, we landed to ex- 

 amine them. There were five or six huts, two of 

 which were small and only just finished, but one 

 was much larger and older. This house was quad- 

 rangular, with a gable-shaped roof, its ground 

 plan being about twenty feet long by twelve in width. 

 It was raised on stout posts, full five feet from the 



