I Accompanied The Men Who Had Been
Appointed To Cut The Road Along The Banks Of The River.
We had performed
about a mile when we were stopped by a large stream from the southward.
It
was therefore necessary to carry the road along the banks, which we did
for nearly two miles, when we left of for the day and returned to our
tent. I caused the main branch of the river to be sounded near the
junction of the southern branch which I had named King's River,
(after my friend who is now surveying the coast of this continent),
and found, at one third ebb, four fathoms. King's River appeared equally
deep, and was about one hundred yards broad; the water at this time of the
tide brackish: the country covered with brush, the soil very rich; and a
few ceder trees were scattered among the other timber. The vines were of
enormous size, and in many instances had entirely enveloped the trees to
which they had attached themselves, a small part of their trunks only
being here and there visible.
October 5. - Sent a party to cut the road up King's River. After advancing
between four and five miles, a small piece of forest ground was
discovered, which determined me to remove the horses and baggage thither,
since the distance which the people had to go to their work occasioned
much delay. A great many natives' canoes were seen on the river to-day
fishing, and as the use of these canoes to cross King's River would have
been very desirable, we endeavoured to tempt their owners to visit us,
but without success; it being out of our power to make them understand
our meaning.
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