THE PACIFIC OCEAN. 207 



cures in feveral diforders, fuch as rheumatifm3, fwelled and !779- 



May. 



contracted joints, and fcorbutic ulcers. In the bathing- <-— . v — - ^ 

 place the thermometer flood at 100 s , or blood heat ; but in 

 the fpring, after being immerfed two minutes, it was i° 

 above boiling fpirits. The thermometer in the air, at this 

 time, was 34 ; in the river 40 ; and in the Toion's houfe 64*. 

 The ground where thefe fprings break out, is on a gentle 

 afcent ; behind which there is a green hill of a moderate 

 fize, I am forry I was not fufficiently fkilled in botany to 

 examine the plants, which feemed to thrive here with great 

 luxuriance ; the wild garlic, indeed, forced itfelf on our 

 notice, and was at this time fpringing up very vigoroufly. 



The next morning, we embarked on the Bolchoireka in Monday 10. 

 canoes ; and, having the flream with us, expected to be at 

 our journey's end the day following. The town of Bolche- 

 retfk is about eighty miles from Natcheekin ; and we were 

 informed, that, in the iummer fcafon, when the river has 

 been full and rapid, from the melting of fnow on the moun- 

 tains, the canoes had often gone down in a fingle day ; but 

 that, in its prefent flate, we fhould probably be much longer, 

 as the ice had broken up only three days before we arrived ; 

 and that ours would be the firft boat that had attempted to 

 pafs. This intelligence proved but too true. We found 

 ourfelves greatly impeded by the fhallows ; and though the 

 flream, in many places, ran with great rapidity, yet every 

 half mile, we had ripplings and fhoals, over which we 

 were obliged to haul the boats. The country, on each fide, 

 was very romantic, but unvaried ; the river running be- 

 tween mountains of the moil craggy and barren afpeCf, 

 where there was nothing to diverfify the fcene ; but now 

 and then the fight of a bear, and the flights of wild-fowl. 

 So uninterclung a paffage leaves me nothing farther to fay, 



than. 



