ly to the northward and westward.
Mr Austin chose this channel, suspecting that it would lead into the
river again, a suspicion which another quarter of an hour proved
correct.

The sun was by this time within half an hour of setting, and Shark
Point--or rather the tops of the mangroves growing upon it--lay
stretched along the horizon a good eleven miles off, so it was high time
to see about returning. But the tide had by this time turned and was
running out pretty strongly in mid-channel; the land-breeze also had
sprung up, and, though where we were, close inshore, we did not feel
very much of it, was swaying the tops of the more lofty trees in a way
which I am sure must have gladdened the hearts of the boat's crew; so
the oars were laid in, the mast stepped, and the lug hoisted, and in
another ten minutes we were bowling down stream--what with the current
and the breeze, both of which we got in their full strength as soon as
we had hauled a little further out from the bank--at the rate of a good
honest ten knots per hour.

The sun went down in a bewildering blaze of purple and crimson and gold
when we were within five miles of Shark Point; and, ten minutes
afterwards, night--the glorious night of the tropics--was upon us in all
its loveliness. The heavens were destitute of cloud--save a low bank
down on the western horizon--and the soft velvety blue-black of the sky
was literally powdered with countless millions of glittering gems. I do
not remember that I ever before or since saw so many of the smaller
stars; and as for the larger stars and the planets, they shone down upon
us with an effulgence which caused them to be reflected in long
shimmering lines of golden light upon the turbid water.

Presently the boat's lug-sail, which spread above and before us like a
great blot of ghostly grey against the starlit sky, began perceptibly to
pale and brighten until it stood out clear and distinct, bathed in
richest primrose light, with the shadow of the mast drawn across it in
ebony-black. Striking the top of the sail first, the light swept
gradually down; and in less than a minute the whole of the boat, with
the crew and ourselves, were completely bathed in it. I looked behind
me to ascertain the cause of this sudden glorification, and, behold!
there was the moon sweeping magnificently into view above the distant
tree-tops, her full orb magnified to three or four times its usual
dimensions and painted a glorious rud