EXPERIMENTS IN TRADE 241 



until their stomachs revolted and they longed for a little 

 Indian meal, which was procured only with the greatest 

 difficulty. 



When at last the ice broke up, splitting with reports 

 like the thunder of heavy artillery, their prospects were 

 dismal indeed, for their boat was immediately jammed 

 by the rushing ice, and they were powerless to move 

 her. "While we were gazing on the scene," to continue 

 Audubon's record, "a tremendous crash was heard, 

 which seemed to have taken place about a mile below, 

 when suddenly the great dam gave way. The current 

 of the Mississippi had forced its way against that of 

 the Ohio, and in less than four hours we witnessed the 

 complete breaking up of the ice." Having reloaded 

 their goods, they were ready to start at a favorable mo- 

 ment, and taking leave of the friendly Indians, "as when 

 brothers part," they pushed on through the floating ice, 

 past Cape Girardeau, to Sainte Genevieve, a town which 

 Audubon characterized as "not so large as dirty," de- 

 claring that the time spent there did not yield him half 

 the pleasure he had felt at Tawapatee Bottom. It was 

 near a granite tower which rose from a dangerous rock 

 in the river below Ste. Genevieve that Audubon caught 

 sight of what he afterwards described as "Washington's 

 Eagle," a bird now believed to have been the true "bird 

 of freedom," the "Bald-" or White-headed Eagle, but 

 in an immature state. 



Though their whisky was welcomed at Ste. Gene- 

 vieve and what had cost the traders twenty-five cents, 

 brought them two dollars, a gallon, Audubon heartily 

 disliked the place and its people. Rozier, on the con- 

 trary, who had found plenty of Frenchmen with whom 

 he could freely converse, was resolved to stay. Audubon 

 accordingly proposed to sell out his share in the business, 



