In short, we went merrily up the river with the flood and the wind blowing
still fresh at E. and E.N.E. We stemmed the ebb easily also, especially
while the river continued broad and deep; but when we came past the
swelling of the tide, and had the natural current of the river to go
against, we found it too strong for us, and began to think of quitting our
bark; but the prince would by no means agree to that, for, finding we had
on board pretty good store of roping made of mats and flags, which I
described before, he ordered all the prisoners which were on shore to come
and take hold of those ropes, and tow us along by the shore side; and as we
hoisted our sail too, to ease them, the men ran along with us at a very
great rate.

In this manner the river carried us up, by our computation, near 200 miles,
and then it narrowed apace, and was not above as broad as the Thames is at
Windsor, or thereabouts; and, after another day, we came to a great
waterfall or cataract, enough to fright us, for I believe the whole body of
water fell at once perpendicularly down a precipice above sixty foot high,
which made noise enough to deprive men of their hearing, and we heard it
above ten miles before we came to it.

Here we were at a full stop, and now our prisoners went first on shore;
they had worked very hard and very cheerfully, relieving one another, those
that were weary being taken into the bark. Had we had canoes or any boats
which might have been carried by men's strength we might have gone two
hundred miles more up this river in small boats, but our great boat could
go no farther.

All this way the country looked green and pleasant, and was full of cattle,
and some people we saw, though not many; but this we observed now, that the
people did no more understand our prisoners here than we could understand