- We set out this morning with an intention of proceeding up
the west bank of King's River by the
Road already cut, but before we had
arrived at it, two natives in a canoe were induced to cross over to us.
Their vessel we detained, making them a present of a tomahawk. The moment
they saw one of the horses (which happened to be a white one), descending
the bank for the purpose of being unladen, they made signs expressive of
their idea, that we were going to put the horses in the canoe,
which they immediately quitted and swam to the opposite shore. As it was
extremely probable that many smaller branches would fall into King's
River, I determined to cross it at its mouth, and so proceed along the
banks of the main river. It was two o'clock before we had got every thing
over, when, upon examining the road which we had to travel, we found that
about half a mile lower down another small stream joined the river. To
this latter stream we therefore cut a road, keeping the canoe for farther
use. By its means we found that after we should cross this last stream,
we should get into an open forest country, with good grass: and we hoped
that we should meet with no farther obstructions in our progress, which
the thickness of the country and the intersection of streams rendered
extremely tedious. The river at low-water was sufficiently fresh for us
to drink.
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