"Yes, and running right in. Before long the water, instead of being like this--a bit thick--will be quite muddy, and this time to-morrow we shall be bidding good-bye to the sea, I suppose, for some time to come." Lynton's words were quite right, for the next day, after a most satisfactory run, Brace stood gazing over the bows of the brig at the thick muddy water that was churned up, and finding it hard to believe that he was sailing up the mouth of a river; for, look which way he would, nothing was to be seen but water, while when he tried his glass it was with no better success. But at last the land was to be made out on the starboard bow, or rather what was said to be land, a long, low, hazy something on the distant horizon. A couple of days later there was land plain enough on both sides of the brig, and they commenced a long, dismal progress up stream, of a monotonous kind that was wearisome in the extreme. As time went on, though, there was a change, and that was followed by plenty of variety in the shape of huge trees, with all their branches and leaves tolerably fresh, floating seaward, just as they had fallen from the bank after the mighty stream had undermined them. In one case there were land birds flitting about the few boughs that appeared above the water, but generally they were gulls snatching at the small fish attracted by the floating object. Once there was a great matted-together patch of earth fully thirty yards long and half as wide, a veritable island with bushes still in their places, floating steadily seaward, and helping to explain the muddiness of the water and the shallowness of the ocean far out and to right and left of where the great river debouched. Several consultations took place between the captain and Sir Humphrey as to the course to be taken, and the latter politely asked Briscoe to join in the discussion and give his opinion. "No," he said; "I shan't say anything. I've only one idea about it, and that is to sail up one of the big rivers that run out of this, one that has not been explored before, so as to get amongst what's new." "Well, that's what we want, isn't it, Free?" said Brace. "Exactly." "Then I needn't interfere in any way, gentlemen," said Briscoe. "I only say choose your river, and let's get to work: only pick one that has banks to it where we can land and do something." "Then you don't want us to go as far as we can up one of the explored rivers?" said the captain, smiling. "Certainly not," cried Brace. "I understand, gentlemen. Give me time, and I'll take you to just the place you want. I know the river, but I never heard its name. It runs, as far as I could make out, due nor'-west: that is, as far as I went up. After that it went no one knows where." "That's the place," cried Brace. "Is it very big?" "Tidy, squire," said the captain. "It's very deep, and there's plenty of room for the brig; and, what's better, the current's sluggish, so that we can make our way."