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Show JOURNAL OF A VOYAGI·, ty harj head winds part of the day. Caught six: fish.Distancc 23 miles. 19tb August; Monday-Embarked early and tnade fine \vay; but at 9 o clock in turning the point of a sand. bar, our boat struck a sawyer; at the moment we did not k now it had injured her; but in a short time after, di covered her to be sinking, however, by thrusting oakurn into the leak and bailing, we got her to shore on a bar, wher e, after entirely unloading, we with great difficulty keeled her sufficiently to cut out the plank and put in a new one. This at the time I conceived to be a great misfortune; but upon examination we discovered thal the injury r esulting from it was greater than we were at first induced to be~ lieve ; for upon inspection, we found our provisions and doathing considerably damaged. The day was usefully and necessarily employed in assorting, suning, and airing tl osc articles. One of my hunters (Sparks) having gone on shore to hunt·, swam the river about 7 miles above and killed a deer; but finding we did not come on, he returned down the river, and joined us by ~ wimming. Whilst we were at work at our boat on the sand beach, three canoes with Indians, pas~;cd on the opposite shor ·. They cri~xl, " I low do) ou do,'' wishing us to give then1 an invitation to con1c over; but receiving no answer they passed on. W e then put our baggage on board and put ofF, designing to go \vhere the young man had killed the deer; but after dark \\ e became entangled among the sand bars, and were nhligcd to btop. and encamp on the point of a beach. Caught two fil)h. Distance 14 mile~. '20tb A ugust ; T uesday-Arrived at the foot of the , ~pids De Moyen at 7 o'dock; and, although no soul ~)11 boa:d had passed them, we commenced ascending them, 1mmed1ately. Our boat, being large and moderatcl} !oadcd, ~ve found great difficulty. The river all the way through JS from 3~1- to a mile vvide. The rapids ;1rC' 1.1 10 TIII ~ SOURCES OF THE MISSISSIPPI. t11iles long, with successive ridges and shoals extending from shore to shore. The first has the greatest fall and is the n1ost difficult to ascend. The channel (a bad one) is on the cast side in passing the two first bars, then passes under the edge of the third; crosses to the west, and ascends on that side, all the way to the Sac Village. The shoal · continue the whole distance. We had passed the first and 1nost difficult shoal, when we were met by Mr. Vlm. h wing, (who I understand is an agent, appointed to re .. side with the Sacs, to teach them the science of agriculture) with a French interpreter, 4 chiefs and 15 men of the Sac nation, in their canoes ; bearing a flag of th United States. They came down to assist me up the rapids ; and took out 13 of my heaviest barrels, and put two of their n1en in the barge to pilot us up. Arrived at the house of l\1r. Ewing, opposite the village, at dusk. The land on both sides of the rapids is hilly, but a rich soil. Distance l G miles. 2 1st A ugust; TYednc.rday_.J\.11 the chief n1cn of th ~ village came over to my cncampn1cnt ; where I spoke to them to the following purport : " T'hat their great father, the president of the U ni~ led States, wishing to be more intimately acquainted with the situation, wants, &c. of the different nations of the red people, ir1 our newly acquired territory of Louisiana, had order ed the general to send a number of his young warriors, in different directions, to tal-c them by the hand, and make such enquiries as n1ight afford the satisfaction r equired. Also, that I was authorised to choose situations for their trading establishments ; and wished them to inform me if that place would be consider ed by then1 as central. " That I was sorry to hear of the nmrdcr, which had been committed on the river below ; hut, in consideration of their assurances, that it was none of th rir nation, |