is of the same description, but now (fortunately for us) dry.  The country north-east of us, along the dry edge of which we were obliged to keep, is as bad as possible, being in wet seasons full of water-holes, and consequently impassable.  The river still continues undiminished, as we find that the branches and small streams that frequently run from it join it again at short distances, and that they owe their existence at this time to the full state of the river, which is certainly some feet above its usual level.  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:  no retreat presented itself except the station we left in the morning, and even there it was impossible that we could, with any regard to prudence, remain longer than to carry the arrangements which I had in contemplation into effect.  The horses were therefore ordered back, and two men succeeded, after wading through the water to the middle, in making the river about three miles below the place they set out from.  Fortunately the boats had not proceeded so far, and on their coming up were directed to return.  The boats arrived at sunset, having had to pull against a strong current.  The river itself continued, as usual, from fifteen to twenty-five feet deep, the waters which were overflowing the plains being carried thither by a multitude of little streams, which had their origin in the present increased height of the waters above their usual level.  The river continued undiminished, and presented too important a body of water to allow me to believe that those marshes and low grounds had any material effect