native character. 
143 
unproductive as the worst of the country we had passed 
through. On the other hand, the alluvial flats on the river 
increased in size, and were less subject to flood ; and the 
river lost much of its sandy bed, and its current was 
greatly diminished in strength. 
It blew so fresh, during the greater part of the day, from 
the westward, that we had great difficulty in pulling against 
the breeze. The determined N. W. course the river kept, 
made me doubt the correctness of the story of the little old 
black ; yet there was an openness of manner about him, 
and a clearness of description, that did not appear like 
fabrication. He pointed to the S. S. W. when he left us, 
as the direction in which he would again join us, thus con- 
firming, without any apparent intention, what he had stated 
with regard to the southerly course the river was about to 
take. Among the natives who were with him, there was 
another man of very different manners and appearance. Our 
friend was small in stature, had piercing grey eyes, and 
was as quick as lightning in his movements. The other was 
tall, and grey headed ; anxious, yet unobtrusive; and con- 
fident, without the least mixture of boldness. The study 
of the human character on many occasions similar to this, 
during our intercourse with these people, rude and uncivil- 
ized as they were, was not only pleasing, but instructive. 
We found that the individuals of a tribe partook of one ge- 
neral character, and that the whole of the tribe were either 
decidedly quiet, or as decidedly disorderly. 
The whole of the blacks left us when ive started, 
