30 EXPEDITION TO THK 



Fort Duqucsne he was abandoned by a considerable pro- 

 portion of his men, and this circumstance, together with 

 the information which he received, that the French were 

 advancing against him with reinforcements, obliged him to 

 abandon for the time his contemplated march, and to re- 

 turn to Fort Necessity, which he was engaged in repairing 

 when the enemy made his appearance. The country in 

 the vicinity was probably at that time destitute of timber, 

 the growth upon it not being very large. A fine brook 

 which flows near it, has retained the name of the unfortu- 

 nate general who, in the ensuing campaign paid for his 

 rashness by the loss of his life. Indeed, it is said, that the 

 remains of General Braddock were interred within two 

 miles of this fort, near the old road called Braddock's road, 

 and at the spot where he died during the retreat which closed 

 this disastrous campaign. 



In this vicinity there is a blowing spring, which is si- 

 tuated in an excavation on the side of a hill. The stream 

 of air which issues from a crack or crevice in the rock, is 

 very considerable, and sufficiently powerful to extinguish 

 a candle. By placing our ears near to the crevice we heard, 

 very distinctly, the sound of water running under ground, 

 probably upon a rocky and unequal bed ; it runs out at a 

 short distance lower down. This stream of air is doubtless 

 produced by the same cause which is made to operate in 

 the construction of the water blasts, used in metallurgy. 

 We had no means of collecting and examining the gas 

 which escapes, but we had no reason to believe it other 

 than atmospheric air. 



This section of our route does not offer to the zoologist 

 much subject of observation. The wild animals which 

 formerly roved over this part of our country have been 

 driven further west, or completely cut off by the advance 



