36 TERMINATION OF THE RIVER. 
sequence of heavy rain : this was upon the left bank. In 
the afternoon, however, we again pushed forward, and soon 
lost sight of every other object amidst reeds of great 
height. The channel of the river continued as broad and 
as deep as ever, but the flood mark did not shew more than 
a foot above the banks, which were now almost on a level 
with the water; and the current was so sluggish as to be 
scarcely perceptible. These general appearances continued 
for about three miles, when our course was suddenly, and 
most unexpectedly, checked. The channel, which had 
promised so well, without any change in its breadth or 
depth, ceased altogether ; and whilst we were yet lost in 
astonishment at so abrupt a termination of it, the boat 
grounded. It only remained for us to examine the banks, 
which we did with particular attention. Two creeks were 
then discovered, so small as scarcely to deserve the name, 
and which would, under ordinary circumstances, have 
been overlooked. The one branched off to the north — the 
other to the west. We were obliged to get out of the boat 
to push up the former, the leeches sticking in numbers to 
our legs. The creek continued for about thirty yards, 
when it was terminated ; and, in order fully to satisfy my- 
self of the fact, I walked round the head of it by pushing 
through the reeds. Night coming on, we returned to the 
tree at which we had stopped during the rain, and slept 
under it. The men cut away the reeds, or we should not 
have had room to move. At 2 a. m. it commenced rain- 
ing, with a heavy storm of thunder and lightning ; the 
