nd fell,
upon a perpendicular, after we had anchored, twenty-one feet. The
weather was misty, with drizzling rain, and clear, by turns. At
the clear intervals, we saw an opening between the mountains on the
eastern shore, bearing east from the station of the ships, with low
land, which we supposed to be islands lying between us and the main
land. Low land was also seen to the northward, that seemed to extend
from the foot of the mountains on the one side to those on the other;
and at low water we perceived large shoals stretching out from this
low land, some of which were at no great distance from us. From these
appearances we were in some doubt whether the inlet did not take an
easterly direction through the above opening; or whether that opening
was only a branch of it, and the main channel continued its northern
direction through the low land now in sight. The continuation and
direction of the chain of mountains on each side of it, strongly
indicated the probability of the latter supposition.

To determine this point, and to examine the shoals, I dispatched two
boats under the command of the master, and as soon as the flood-tide
made, followed with the ships; but as it was a dead calm, and the
tide strong, I anchored, after driving about ten miles in an east
direction. At the lowest of the preceding ebb, the water at the
surface, and for near a foot below it, was found to be perfectly
fresh; retaining, however, a considerable degree of saltness at
a greater depth. Besides this, we had now many other, and but too
evident proofs of being in a great river; such as low shores; very
thick and muddy water; large trees, and all manner of dirt and
rubbish, floating up and down with the tide. In the afternoon, the
natives, in several canoes, paid us another visit; and trafficked with
our people for some time, without ever giving us reason to accuse them
of any act of dishonesty.

At two o'clock next morning, being the 1st of June, the master
returned, and reported, that he found the inlet, or rather river,
contracted to the breadth of one league, by low land on each side,
through which it took a northerly direction. He proceeded three
leagues through this narrow part, which he found navigable for the
largest ships, being from twenty to seventeen fathoms deep. The
least water, at a proper distance from the shore and shoals, was ten
fathoms; and this was before he entered the narrow part. While the ebb
or stream run down, th