100 Thirty Years - 



Salt River, and pitched our tents, intending to remain 

 here this and the next day for the purpose of fishing. 

 After breakfast, which made another inroad on our 

 preserved meats, we proceeded up the river in a light 

 canoe, to visit the salt springs, leaving a party behind 

 to attend the nets. This river is about one hundred 

 yards wide at its mouth. Its waters did not become 

 brackish until we had ascended it seven or eight 

 miles ; but when we had passed several rivulets of 

 fresh water which flowed in, the main stream became 

 very salt, at the same time contracting to the width 

 of fifteen or twenty yards. At a distance of twenty- 

 two miles, including the windings of the river, the 

 plains commence. Having pitched the tent at this 

 spot, we set out to visit the principal springs, and 

 walked abont three miles when the musquitoea com- 

 pelled us to give up our project We did not see the 

 to rmination of the plains towards the east, hut on the 



north and west they are bounded by an even rid 



about six or seven hundred feet in height. Several 



salt springs issue from the foot of this ridge, and 



spread their waters over the plain, which consists of 

 tenacious clay. Dining the summer much evapora- 

 tion takes place, and large heaps of silt are left 



behind crystalized in the form of cubes. Some beds 

 reyish compa im were expo id on the sides 



of ill,' hills. 



