The Breadth And Depth Of
The River Were Various Throughout The Day:
In the places where it
overflowed its banks, there was not more than from ten to twelve feet; in
others, where it ran very broad, but was confined within them, fifteen
feet; and in narrower places, under the same circumstances, upwards of
twenty feet.
Thus it seemed to vary with the capacity of the channel to
contain its waters, which were very muddy, the current running at a
medium rate of a mile per hour. The boats arrived at about half past
four o'clock, meeting nothing to interrupt them.
June 30. - After making every arrangement that we could devise to ensure
our keeping company with the boats, we proceeded down the river. Our
progress was, however, interrupted much sooner than I anticipated; for
we had scarcely gone six miles, and never nearer to the river than from
one to two miles, when we perceived that the waters which had overflowed
the banks were spreading over the plains on which we were travelling,
and that with a rapidity which precluded any hope of making the river
again to the north-west by north, in which direction we imagined it to
run for some distance, when its course appeared to take a more northerly
direction. Our situation did not admit of hesitation as to the steps we
were to pursue. Our journey had, in fact, been continued longer than
strict prudence would have warranted, and the safety of the whole party
was now at stake:
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