The Other Canoe Had Pushed Off And He Arrived Only To Witness The
Fate Of His Comrades.
They got alarmed in the middle of the rapid, the
canoe was upset, and every man perished.
The various rapids we passed this day are produced by an assemblage of
islands and rocky ledges which obstruct the river and divide it into many
narrow channels. Two of these channels are rendered still more difficult
by accumulations of drift timber, a circumstance which has given a name
to one of the portages. The rocks which compose the bed of the river and
the numerous islands belong to the granite formation. The distance made
today was thirteen miles.
July 21.
We embarked at four A.M. and pursued our course down the river. The rocks
ceased at the last portage and below it the banks are composed of
alluvial soil which is held together by the roots of trees and shrubs
that crown their summits. The river is about a mile wide and the current
is greatly diminished. At eight we landed at the mouth of the Salt River
and pitched our tents, intending to remain there that and the next day
for the purpose of fishing. After breakfast, which made another inroad on
our preserved meats, we proceeded up the river in a light canoe to visit
the salt springs, leaving a party behind to attend the nets. This river
is about one hundred yards wide at its mouth. Its waters did not become
brackish until we had ascended it seven or eight miles but, when we had
passed several rivulets of fresh water which flowed in, the main stream
became very salt, at the same time contracting its width to fifteen or
twenty yards. At a distance of twenty-two miles, including the windings
of the river, the plains commence. Having pitched the tent at this spot
we set out to visit the principal springs and had walked about three
miles when the mosquitoes compelled us to give up our project. We did not
see the termination of the plains toward the east, but on the north and
west they are bounded by an even ridge about six or seven hundred feet in
height. Several salt springs issue from the foot of this ridge and spread
their waters over the plain which consists of tenacious clay. During the
summer much evaporation takes place and large heaps of salt are left
behind crystallised in the form of cubes. Some beds of grayish compact
gypsum were exposed on the sides of the hills.
The next morning after filling some casks with salt for our use during
winter we embarked to return, and had descended the river a few miles
when, turning round a point, we perceived a buffalo plunge into the river
before us. Eager to secure so valuable a prize we instantly opened a fire
upon him from four muskets and in a few minutes he fell, but not before
he had received fourteen balls.
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