hurled
their spears at us. Thirteen of them followed us to our resting place.
They kept rather apart from us, and kindled their fire in a little
hollow about fifty paces to our right; nor did they venture to approach
the tents unless we called to them, so that by their quiet and
unobtrusive conduct they made up in some measure for the unruly
proceedings of others of their tribe.

We had now arrived at a point at which I hoped to gain some information
from the natives, respecting the sea. It was to no purpose, however,
that I questioned these stupid people. They understood perfectly, by my
pointing to the sky, and by other signs, that I was inquiring about
large waters, but they could not, or would not, give any information on
the subject.

CHANGE IN THE GEOLOGY OF THE COUNTRY.

As we proceeded down the river, its current became weaker, and its
channel somewhat deeper. Our attention was called to a remarkable
change in the geology of the country, as well as to an apparent
alteration in the natural productions. The cliffs of sand and clay
ceased, and were succeeded by a fossil formation of the most singular
description. At first, it did not exceed a foot in height above the
water, but it gradually rose, like an inclined plane, and resembled in
colour, and in appearance, the skulls of men piled one upon the other.
The constant rippling of the water against the rock had washed out the
softer parts, and made hollows and cavities, that gave the whole
formation the precise appearance of a catacomb. On examination, we
discovered it to be a compact bed of shells, composed of a common
description of marine shell from two to three inches in length,
apparently a species of turritella.

BANKS OF PETRIFIED SHELLS.

At about nine miles from the commencement of this formation, it rose to
the height of more than 150 feet; the country became undulating, and a
partial change took place in its vegetation. We stopped at an early
hour, to examine some cliffs, which rising perpendicularly from the
water, were different in character and substance from any we had as yet
seen. They approached a dirty yellow-ochre in colour, that became
brighter in hue as it rose, and, instead of being perforated, were
compact and hard. The waters of the river had, however, made horizontal
lines upon their fronts, which distinctly marked the rise and fall of
the river, as the strength or depth of the grooves distinctly indicated
the levels it generally ke