48 
SURVEY OP THE INTERTROPICAL 
1^. the high round hill near the entrance was seen 
July 28 , midway between the hills that form the banks of 
the river. 
Proceeding a little way farther, we were sud- 
denly whirled into a rapid amongst large stones, 
in the midst of which, as the stream was running 
at the rate of five or six knots, the grapnel 
was instantly dropped, which had the effect of 
reversing the boat’s head. After this the grapnel 
was weighed, and by very great exertions we 
extricated ourselves from the rapid, and then 
landed at a hundred yards below the fall, on 
the east bank, where the mangroves were so 
thick that it was with difficulty we penetrated 
through them: having succeeded, we walked to 
the bank near the rapid, and found that it was 
occasioned by the tide falling over a barrier of 
rocks, which probably at low-water confines the 
fresh- water above this place ; a few minutes af- 
terwards it was high-water, and the tide sud- 
denly ceased to run; when the water became 
quite smooth and motionless. 
A fresh-water rivulet, at that time the mere 
drainings of what occasionally is a torrent, joined 
the main river, just above the rapid, by a trick- 
ling stream ; and made us the more desirous of 
extending our knowledge of this extraordinary 
river: we therefore re-embarked, and, passing 
