This Dreary
Strait Was Rendered The More Dangerous By Frequent Rapids, And
Occasionally Perpendicular Falls From Ten To Forty Feet In
Height; So That It Seemed Almost Hopeless To Attempt To Pass The
Canoes Down It.
The party, however, who had explored the south
side of the river, had found a place, about six miles
From the
camp, where they thought it possible the canoes might be carried
down the bank and launched upon the stream, and from whence they
might make their way with the aid of occasional portages. Four of
the best canoes were accordingly selected for the experiment, and
were transported to the place on the shoulders of sixteen of the
men. At the same time Mr. Reed, the clerk, and three men were
detached to explore the river still further down than the
previous scouting parties had been, and at the same time to look
out for Indians, from whom provisions might be obtained, and a
supply of horses, should it be found necessary to proceed by
land.
The party who had been sent with the canoes returned on the
following day, weary and dejected. One of the canoes had been
swept away with all the weapons and effects of four of the
voyageurs, in attempting to pass it down a rapid by means of a
line. The other three had stuck fast among the rocks, so that it
was impossible to move them; the men returned, therefore, in
despair, and declared the river unnavigable.
The situation of the unfortunate travellers was now gloomy in the
extreme.
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