FIRST GREAT MARSH. 
37 
boat was consequently hauled ashore, and turned over to 
afford us a temporary shelter. The lightning was extreme- 
ly vivid, and frequently played upon the ground, near the 
firelocks, for more than a quarter of a minute at a time. 
It is singular, that Mr. Oxley should, under similar cir- 
cumstances, have experienced an equally stormy night, 
and most probably within a few yards of the place on which 
I had posted myself. Notwithstanding that the elements 
were raging around me, as if to warn me of the danger of 
my situation, my mind turned solely on the singular failure 
of the river. I could not but encourage hopes that this 
second channel that remained to be explored would lead 
us into an open space again ; and as soon as the morning- 
dawned we pursued our way to it. In passing some dead 
trees upon the right bank, I stopped to ascend one, that, 
from an elevation, I might survey the marsh, but I found it 
impossible to trace the river through it. The country to 
the westward was covered with reeds, apparently to the 
distance of .seven miles ; to the N.W. to a still greater 
distance ; and to the north they bounded the horizon. 
The whole expanse was level and unbroken, but here and 
there the reeds were higher and darker than at other places, 
as if they grew near constant moisture ; but 1 could see no 
appearance of water in any body, or of high lands beyond 
the distant forest. 
As soon as we arrived at the end of the main channel, 
we again got out of the boat, and in pushing up the smaller 
one, soon found ourselves under a dark arch of reeds. 
