In Fact, There Remained No Alternative; Reduced As The
Horses Were In Their Strength, It Would Have Been In The Highest Degree
Imprudent To Have Dared The Almost Certainty Of Killing Them By
Proceeding With Their Usual Loads.
After going about three miles we came upon a small valley which afforded
both good grass and water; the latter was rain-water collected in holes
at the base of the range, which was composed of a hard granite rock.
In
this valley we found several holes dug by the natives, for the purpose
of receiving water; in some a few quarts of muddy water were found,
others were quite dry. It rained almost incessantly during the whole of
this day, rendering our situation extremely unpleasant.
As if to add to our misfortunes, it was now first discovered that
three of the casks, which had all along been taken for flour casks, were
filled with pork; and upon a minute investigation it came out, that
when, on the 1st of May, the large boat had been reported to have filled
from the falling of the river without any other accident, that then, in
fact, three of the upper tier of casks had been washed out of her. It
was impossible, at this distance of time, to exactly ascertain how such
a serious loss could have happened and not have been discovered before,
for the boatmen persisted in declaring that their cargo was then all
safe; but, as so large a quantity could not possibly have been consumed
by the party clandestinely without certain discovery, it appeared quite
clear that the loss either happened on that day or on the 4th, when the
large boat sunk from having been stove.
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