ther to the southward.

We took that which led to the north-west, and continued all
day rowing up this arm, which was in general shoal water, from
four to ten and twelve feet, and its breadth from about 20 to 40
fathoms; the banks of this branch were in general immense
perpendicular mountains of barren rock; in some places the
mountains did not reach the margin of the river, but fell back a
little way from it, and were joined by low marshy points, covered
with reeds or rushes, which extended from the foot of the
mountains to the edge of the river. At five in the evening, we
put on shore, and raised our tents at the foot of one of the
mountains, where we found a tolerable dry spot for that purpose;
and in the morning of the 2d, we proceeded higher up, but this
morning's progress was a good deal retarded by many large trees
having fallen from the banks, and which reached almost across the
river; for here it was so narrow, that it hardly deserved that
name.

By ten o'clock we were so far up, that we had not room for the
oars, nor indeed water to float the boats: we therefore found it
necessary to return, and before noon we put on shore, where I
took the meridian altitude of the sun, which gave our latitude
33 deg. 21' south, and we judged, by the estimated distances
marked in my sketch, that we were about thirty-four miles above
Mullet Island.

At the place where we passed the last night we were examining
the ground round us, as was customary wherever we placed our
tents for the night; and about half a mile distant, some of the
gentlemen found a small hut; they saw a person whom they took for
a native woman, and who, upon our approach, fled with great
precipitation into the woods. They went to examine the hut, and
found two small helpless children in it; the poor little
creatures were terribly frightened, but upon their being kindly
treated, they seemed to recover a little from their fear. They
appeared to be in great distress, apparently for want of food;
they had a little fire by them, and in it was found a few wild
yams, about the size of a walnut: upon a supposition that the
parents of these children would soon return, after our leaving
the place, a hatchet and some other trifles were left in the
hut.

Next morning, while the people were employed in striking the
tents, some of the gentlemen again visited the hut which they now
found unoccupied; the whole family were gone, and the hatchet,
etc. were left lying