OCR Text |
Show t ) ,'. ino·-grcund and lca"jng our large boats, J)istancc ,) h ~ mil:..·s. J Gt /; Ot Iober, TT ~"dnc.rday.-\V hen we arose in the mornino· founJ tli <l t 5110\\ h<1d fall~n during the night ; the ground uwas covered and jt continued to snow. This indeed was but poor encouragcm"nt for attacking the rapids, in which w~ \\' l rc cert,1in to '" ad ... ' to our necks. 1 was d etermined, however, if pos~ible to m. tke fa rivicrc de Corbcau, the highest point ever mJde by traders in their bark canoes. Vve en1barked, and after four hours work, became so benumbed with cold that our limbs were perfectly useless. We put to shore on the opposite side of the river, about two-thirds of the way up the rapids. Built a large fir ; and then discovered that our boats were nearly half full of water ; both having sprung large leaks so as to oblige n1e to keep three hands bailing. My s rgeant (Kennern1an) one of the stoutest rnen I ever kne·w, broke a blood-vessel and vomited nearly two quarts of blood. One of my corporals (Bradley) also cvacuatad nearly a pint of blood, when he attempted to void his urine. These unhappy circumstances, in addition to the inability of four other n1en, whom we were obliged to leave on shore; convinced 1ne, that if 1 had nor 'gJ.rcl for n1y own h ee:1.lth ~nu constitution, I should have smne for those poor fellows, who were killing themselves to obey my orders. After we had brca1dastcd and rcfre~hcd ourselves, we w nt down to our boats on the rocks, where I w:1s obliged to l··e:n•c them. I then informed n1y rnen that we would return to the camp and there leave some of the party and our large boats. This information was pleasing, and the attempt to r each the camp soon accomplished. l\1y )"easons for this step have partly been already stated. The necessity of unloading and refitting n1y boats, the beauty TO TILE SOUnCES OF TilE \IfS<..;ISSIPP f. and conveni 'nce of the spot for builJin~ huts, th, fine pinctre 'S for peroques, and the quantity of game, w-:r' adJitional inducen1cnts. vV e imm diately unloaded our boats and secured their cargoes. In the evening I went out upon a small, but beautifu l creek, which empties into the falls, for the purpose of selecting pine-tr~.. 'S to make canoes. Saw five deer, and killed one buck weighing 1 :n pound: .. By my leaving men at this place, and from the g reat quantities of game in its vicinity, I was ensured pL~nty of pro~ vision for n1y return vo.yage. In tlw party left behinJ was one hunter, to be continually employed, who would keep our stock of salt provisions good. Distance 2~33 J -~ n1iles above the falls of St. 1\.nthony. 17 tb October, T l.mrsday.-It continued to snow. I walked out in the n1orning and killed four bears, and my hunt r three cleers. F elled our trees for canoe::; <:Uld contnlenced working on thcrn. 18tb October, Friday.-Stopped hunting and put every hand to work. Cut 60 logs for huts and worked at th > canoes. This, considering we had only two fdling-axcs and three hatchets, was pretty good work. ClouJy, with little snow. l'Jtb October, Saturday.-Raisecl one of our houscs"!i anu almost compl ted one canoe. I was employed the principal part of this day in writing letters and making arrangements which I decrned nece 'Sary, in case I should never return. 20th October, Sunday.-Continued our labour at the houses and canoes, finished n1y letters, &c. .At night discovered the prairie, on the opposite sid of the river, to be on fire; supposed to have been made by the Sautr urs. I wished much to have our situation respectable h~re, or I would have sent the next clay, to di~cov ~r theul. |