ain
Hemming and Murray went in their respective gigs, and Jack, who had
command of the pinnace, took Tom with him, while Desmond accompanied
Adair in one of the barges; the soldiers and the marines were
distributed among the boats. The whole, including officers, bluejackets
and soldiers, mustered upwards of 250 men. The two gigs, accompanied by
the consul's boat, went ahead. They had not proceeded far before they
felt the strength of the current, for although the river was wide it was
shallow, and so great was the mass of water coming down that it ran with
the rapidity of a mill-stream. The men had to bend to their oars with
might and main, and even then, the heavier boats in several places
scarcely seemed, at times, to go ahead. Though the sun struck down with
intense heat, the gallant bluejackets took no notice of it, nor relaxed
their efforts, but hour after hour pulled on, encouraged by their
officers. In some places, the water was so shallow that the boats could
with difficulty move along, and frequently they had to shove off till
another channel was found; undaunted, however, they laboured on till
midday, when they landed at the most convenient spot to be found on the
banks of the river to dine and recruit their exhausted strength.

An hour only was allowed for rest, and once more they embarked and
toiled on as before.

The forest on both sides of the river came close down to the water's
edge, the lofty trees towering high above their heads, shutting out
everything behind. Here and there a few clearings were seen, with huts
and other buildings, tenanted by settlers, and now and then a native in
his light canoe paddled by, but few inhabitants were seen; the views as
they proceeded consisted chiefly of the tumbling waters and the forests
as the hand of nature had left them. At length night approached; the
captain gave the order to land, and the hardy crews, their strength
taxed to the uttermost, pulled in quickly to a somewhat more open spot
than was usually seen on the banks, where they might find room to
bivouac for the night.

The boats were made fast, and all hands leaped on shore and began with
their axes to cut away the underwood. A space sufficient for their
object was soon cleared. The campfires were lighted, pots and pans
brought on shore, and the men, told off to act as cooks, set to work to
boil the coffee and cocoa and warm up the messes of turtle which had
been prepared.

The only spots w