lieutenant followed him, and stood watching as the master
again manipulated his parallel ruler and dividers.

"Yes," remarked Bates, after a few moments' diligent study, "that's just
about where we are," pointing to the mark that he had made upon the
chart while in his own cabin. "And see," he continued, glancing out
through the nearest lee port, "we have reached the river water; look how
brown and thick it is, more like a cup of the captain's chocolate than
good, wholesome salt water. We will try a cast of the lead, Mr Young,
if you please, just to make sure; though if we are fair in the channel,
as I think we are, we shall get no bottom as yet. Nor shall we make any
headway until the wind freshens or the sea-breeze springs up, for we are
already within the influence of the outflowing current, and at this
season of the year--which is the rainy season--it runs very strongly a
little further in."

The lead was hove, but, as Bates had anticipated, no bottom was found;
whereupon the master rolled up his chart again, gave orders that the
ship was to be kept going as she was, and returned to his cabin, while
the watch mustered their buckets and scrubbing-brushes and proceeded to
wash decks and generally make the brig's toilet for the day.

Our worthy master was right; we did not make a particle of headway until
about nine o'clock, when the wind gradually hauled round aft and
freshened to a piping breeze before which we boomed along in fine style
until we came abreast of a low, narrow point on our port hand, protected
from the destructive action of the Atlantic breakers by a shoal
extending some three-quarters of a mile to seaward. Abreast of this
point we hauled up to the northward and entered a sort of bay about
half-a-mile wide, with the low point before-mentioned on our port hand,
and a wide mud-bank to starboard, beyond which was an island of
considerable extent, fringed with mangroves and covered with thick bush
and lofty trees. On the low point on our port hand were two
"factories," or trading establishments, abreast of which were lying two
brigs and a barque, one of the brigs flying British and the other
Spanish colours, while the barque sported the Dutch ensign at her
mizen-peak. We rounded-to just far enough outside these craft to give
them a clear berth, and let go our anchor in four fathoms of water.

It was a queer spot that we now found ourselves in; queer to me at
least, who was now entering upon my fi