Mr. Hood also
protracted the route every evening on a ruled map, after the courses and
distances had been corrected by observations for latitude and longitude
taken by myself as often as the weather would allow. The extraordinary
talent of this young officer in this line of service proved of the
greatest advantage to the Expedition, and he continued to perform that
duty until his lamented death with a degree of zeal and accuracy that
characterised all his pursuits.
The next morning our camp was in motion at five A.M., and we soon
afterwards embarked with the flattering accompaniment of a fair wind: it
proved however too light to enable us to stem the stream, and we were
obliged to resume the fatiguing operation of tracking; sometimes under
cliffs so steep that the men could scarcely find a footing, and not
unfrequently over spots rendered so miry by the small streams that
trickled from above as to be almost impassable. In the course of the day
we passed the scene of a very melancholy accident. Some years ago two
families of Indians, induced by the flatness of a small beach which lay
betwixt the cliff and the river, chose it as the site of their
encampment. They retired quietly to rest, not aware that the precipice,
detached from the bank and urged by an accumulation of water in the
crevice behind, was tottering to its base.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 46 of 649
Words from 12349 to 12598
of 176017
