On the morning of the following day, I accompanied Mr. Henry Fearon, (the supercargo), and the commander, on a visit to the shore, to have an interview with the rajah; one of his attendants having previously been on board, bearing a multitude of salaams from his highness, and intimating that he would be happy to receive the gentlemen arrived in the ship. At the entrance of the river, we crossed the bar, upon which a surf is continually breaking, more violently at low water, or when the sea breeze blows fresh, than at high water.[140] At this time there was comparatively but little surf, so we passed without getting wet. We then entered the small winding river, which, although deep at some parts, suddenly shoaled at others, except the channel was kept, which usually had a sufficient draught of water for light boats; but an inexperienced person had better have a native to pilot him, which prevents the annoyance of continually getting the boat perched upon spits and sand-banks. The course of the river is very serpentine; and after entering it, the banks are covered with shrubs and plants, forming a dense vegetation, among which _Acanthus ilicifolia_, covered by a profusion of cærulean blossoms and other flowering shrubs, were numerous, as also the _Achrosticum aureum_, and other ferns. Native houses appeared mingled with the graceful, waving bamboo, cocoa palms, plantains, and other trees. After proceeding a short distance up the river, we arrived at the small village of Pedir, which is a collection of thatched Malay habitations. Herds of buffaloes were refreshing themselves in the stream, and had a strange appearance when seen with only the head above water. The natives informed us that alligators were numerous in the river. We did not observe any during the time we remained at Pedir; and from the buffaloes not being attacked, it is probable they are not numerous about the lower part of the river. After bathing, the buffaloes not being troubled with many of the projections called hairs, had their hides covered with a thick coating of blue mud, which preserved them from the attacks of insects. Those on the banks, both old and young, stood, with their ludicrous physiognomies, staring at us as we passed them. A number of the small humpbacked Bengal breed of cattle were also observed feeding about the plain. On leaving the ship, arms had been placed in the boat as a precautionary measure on this coast, where the natives are reported to be oftentimes unable to distinguish between _meum_ and _tuum_; but on landing they were left in the boat, and our Jacks, not having the fear of the natives, or of a reprimand from their commander, before their eyes, took a morning’s walk about the village, leaving the boat, together with our weapons, under charge of a boy, which proved the precaution was needless, as the arms, reposing at the bottom of the boat, were in this instance equally as effective as if they had been in the hands of the men.