Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/67

 48 SURVEY OP.THE INTeRTROPICAL the. high round hill near the entrance was seen midway between the hills that form. the banks of the river. Proceeding a little way farther, we were sud- denly whirled into a rapid amongst large stones, in the midst of which, as the stream was running at the rate of five 'or six knots, the. grapnel was instantly dropped, which had the effect of reversing the boat's head..After this the grapnel was weighed, and by very great exertions :we extricated ourselves from the rapid, and.then landed at a hundred yards .below .the fall, on the east bank, where the mangroves were so thick that it was with dlt%nlty we penetrated through them: having succeeded, we walked.to the bank near th6 rapid, and found that it occasioned by the tide falling over a barrier of rocks, which probably at low-water confines the fresh-water above this place; a few minutes af- terwards it was Mgh-water, and the tide sud- denly ceased to run; when the water became quite smooth and motionless. A fresh-water rivulet,. at that time.the mere drainings of what occasionally is a torrent, joined the main river, just above the rapid, by a .trick- ling stream; and made us the more desirous of extending our knowledge of this extraordinary river: we-therefore re,embarked, and, passing

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