TheBarisofRegiafandsouthofthathillhadbeenalliedwiththoseofBelinian，andhadtakenchargeoftheirgreatherdsduringthemonth’scampaigninthatcountry。
Westartedpunctuallyatthetimeappointed，andsailedforaboutsevenmilesuptheriver，whichatthisseasoncouldbenavigatedwithoutdifficulty。Wenowcrossedovertothewestbank，andthewindbeingfoul，thesoldiersturnedoutandhauledthevesselsagainstthestreambytow-ropes。
Thecountrywasperfectlylovely。Thehigh，rockyhills，afewmilesdistant，slopedinbeautifulundulationsofopen，park-likelandtotheriver’sbank。Hereandtherefineornamentaltreesweredottedaboutthesurface；buttheabsenceofforestwouldhaverenderedthelocalityunfitforalargestation。
Thevillageswereinnumerable：buttherewasnotasignoffriendshipamongthenumerouspopulation。Thenativespouredoutoftheirvariousstationsleaping，brandishingtheirspears，andgesticulatingwithunmistakableactionsofhostility。
Theriverwasabout500yardswide，andinseveralplacesthedull，greyheadsofrocksprotrudedfromthesurface。Wethereforecontinuedtotowthevesselsclosetothebank，withapartymarchingparalleltoprotecttheflankincaseofasuddenattack。