1Q2 JOURNAL OF A VO YAGE THROUGH THE
3 Si vifible, ftretched towards the South; between which and the fnowy hills
J on the Eaft fide, there appeared to be an opening, which we determined
to be the courfeof; the.river.
Having obtained all the fatisfa&ion that the nature o f tBe, plaeefjWQuld
admit, we ^proceeded forward to overtake the canoe, and after ia^ferm
walk came down upon the river, when we difcharged our pieces twice^but
received no anfwering fignal. I was of opinion, that the canoe was before
us, while the Indiana entertained 'an" oppofite» notion.’ S^B^w^ver,
crofled another point o f land, and came again to the.Vaterfee.-about
ten.. Here we had a Jong view o f the jriver, which circumfefee,igxcited
ip: jny; mind, t|piiie doubts of my former.Tentiments. W’a repeated^apr
figbals* but "without any return ; and as every moment how incbeafed ;my
anxiety, I-left Mr. Mackay and one ,oh the Indians at this lpotto make a
ferge fire, and fend branches adrift down the cur rent.,as po'tj^es ,pf, pur
fituation, if the canoe was behind us; and proceeded with the othfelndian
.
acrols a very long point,.where.the river makes a confideraple^bend, in
order that I mightobe fatisfied if the canoe was,a-head. , - Hayingjbpen
accuftomed, for the laft.fortnight to very cold ^seatherj I found tbefeat
: of this day almolt infupportable, as our way lay over a ;dry;fapd3 which
was relieved by no Ihade, but fuch as a few fcattered cypreffes chuld afford
us. About twelve we arrived once more at the river,, and tbetchfGhargp of
our. pieces was as unfuccefsfulas it had hitherto been. The water: rufhed
before us.withjuncommon velocity; and we.alfo tried the experiment of
fending frefh branches down it. To add to . the difagreeablenefs of our
fituation, the gnats and mufquitoes appeared in fwarms to tormentfps.
When we returned to our companions, we found that they had not been
contented
c 6Q te a ^ ■ yrth' 're®ai3ftteg:' in the - pefitife wBdmTbad left them, but
haishfeeii weffe ^ome' back to-'
tbeir ftati§n, without having tbsfde any difc^r-ei-f^f the people on the
water. '■
■■• Wa^bui *t€iy ^unplSafer^ teonjtlla*^ * ^ bhee perplexed and diftreffed
tis: the Ifeiansi-Wfeo; M;e; in^ifed'to magnify evils of any and every
kifldy had fe©Se£ hbimghbdAhe eafee- and every -bhe on board ittO
teedbectom; and *Vferfr- *l#eady Ifettlingta |dite‘‘t6. mtfen- Ppob a raft,
as Well as ealeufetibg the' mrrnber ' off bights 4f e t Would be required to
.■ imach A fe if febinfe; ■ it WiH’-fe eSfify believod, that *my,
mind WaSThb. Saite^of extrfeme’agitafioh; atad 50ie> imprudence o f my
"eondufi in leaving the people, iihfiieh biittiaifokbf,danger arid todfotne
exdtfcnvddded aw ry fpainful bretttiteatibd-tb the levefeapprehehfidhs
•‘I already differed': i t 1 Was; an a€t‘bf. indffmStiefnmTrchmight have ptit an
diid tdethe- vdyage ‘thai} f bad lb mdch at hfea^t, and compelled-me' at
length Ad ffubmit. t^ thefe^haS^'whkh my fenders fed already -formed
for odK fdten*. ™
,%> At^felfTa® f e % tfeevmtegs'ldlf.'Maekay and'theCaneib let off to
pWched down the*river, as1 Far as thby cdtlMhefoie the night camd'dn,
and tb edndrkife ffteirJbuVne^-ra the’ rboibirfg to the place Vhifife! We had
feeidipfed ;I}^^ceding*-dvettiAg. I dHb propofed^to' make ray ex*-
, curfion'. upwards ;.-and, if Me. both failed, of fueeefs- in meeting the
. .canoe,<’it was agreed that we fbotild return to the place? where- we .now
feparatfed. ’