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Show JOUlt~AL OF A VOYAGE ing-ground and leaving our 1a rge bo at .s ' Di::,tancc .5 miles. · 1 H>tb October, vrcdncsday.-When ·we arose In t w n1orning found that snow had fallen during the ni~1:t? t_he ground was covered ancl it continu~d to sn~w. 1 his .mdecd was but poor encouragement lor at tackmg the rap1cls, in which we were certain to wade to our necks. 1 was determined, however, if pos~iblc to make Ia 1·i·v!ere ~c Corbcau, the highest point ever made by traders In their bark canoes. We embarked, and after four hours work, became so benumbed with cold that our limbs were perfectly useless. VJ e put to shore on the oppos_ite side ?f the river, about two-thinls of the way up the rap1ds. Bmlt a large fire ; and then discovered that our b oats were nearly half full of water ; both having spr~~g large leak~ so as to oblige me to keep three hands ba1lmg. My seigeant (Kennerman) one of the stoutest n1en I ever knew, broke a blood-vessel and vomited nearly two quarts of blood. One of my corporals (Bradley) also evacuatad nearly a pint of blood, when he attempted to void his urine. These unhappy circumstances, in addition to the inability of four other men, wh01n we were obligecl_to leave on shore ; convinced me, that if I had no regard for my own health ~nd constitution, I hould have some for those poor fellows, who were killing ~hemsclves to obey my orders. After we had breakfasted and refr shed our· selves, we went down to our boats on the rocks, where I was obliged to leave them. I then informed my men that we would return to the camp and there leave smne of the party and our large boats. This information was plea ing, and th attempt to reach the·camp soon accomplished. My reasons for this step have partly been already stated. The necessity of unloading and refitting my boats, the beauty TO THE SOUHCES OF TIIE 1\tTSSISSIPl'I. ,,,, . , ) and convenience of the spot for building huts, the fine pinetrees for pcroques, and th quantity of game, were additional inducements. W c immediately unloaded our boats and secured their cargoes. In the evening I went out upon a small, but beautiful creek, which empties into the falls, for the purpose of selecting pine-trees to make canoes. Saw five deer, and killed one buck weighing 137 pounds. By my leaving men at this plac , and from the great quanti: i~s of game in its vicinity, I was ensured plenty of proVISIOn for 1ny r eturn voyage. In the party left behind was one hunter, to be continually e1nploycd, who would keep our tock of salt provisions g od. Distance 2:3J 1 - ~ miles above the falls of St. Anthony. 17th October, Tbursday.-It continued to snow. r walked out in the morning and killed four bears, and my hunter three deers. Felled our trees for canoes and con1"' menced working on them. 1 Btb October, Friday.-Stopped hunting and put every hand to work. Cut GO logs for huts and worked at the canoes. This, considering w had on] y two falling <txcs ~nd three hatchets, was pretty good work. Cloudy, with l.zttle snow. 19th October, Saturday.-Raised one of our houses, an_d ~lmost cmnplcteJ one canoe. I was employed the pnnc1pal part o~ _this day in writing letters and making arrangement' wh1ch I deem d neces ary, in case I ·honld. never return. 20th October, Sunday.-Continued our labour at th~ h?uses and canoes, finished my letters, &c. At nighli discovered the prairie, on the opposite side of the river, to be ~n fire; supposed to have be n 1nade by the Sauteurs. I Wished n1uch to have our situation respectable here 01· I w ou ld Jl ave sent the next day, to di~cover them. . ' |
