noon
A stay of a couple of days in the anchorage was resolved upon , and during that time exploration by means of boats was to be pushed along vigorously . But it was easier to decide this matter than to carry the decisions into practice . Three boats were sent out the next day just after sunrise . All pursued a more or less southerly course through the channels , and by noon all three crews had lost themselves in the maze . The waterways were all alike , muddy , tree-bordered , steamy , oppressively malodorous , and swarming with reptiles . Moreover , they laced and interlaced so frequently , crossing like the threads in a woven fabric , that any idea of direction was impossible . The giant trees shut in the channels from one another , and no boat 's crew could see many yards ahead .