THE RED RIVER EXPEDITION. 249 



method said to have been adopted by Hannibal in 

 crossing the Alps. 



Some half-dozen emigrants had settled along this 

 first section of the road, the brulees enabling them 

 to establish themselves without the labour of felling 

 timber ; and their little shanties were, when we ar- 

 rived, already surrounded by potato -gardens, whilst 

 here and there the rich greenness of a patch of oats 

 gave an air of civilisation to the scene. Numerous 

 small rivulets are crossed in this section, over which 

 bridges and culverts were constructed ; also two 

 streams, one about 30 and the other about 40 yards 

 wide, requiring more substantial work in carrying the 

 road over them. 



As you approach Strawberry Creek, which sepa- 

 rates the first from the second of the three sections, 

 the general aspect of the country changes completely, 

 and a red clay soil takes the place of the sand, rock, 

 and peat passed over up to that point. The whole 

 of the second section is composed of hills formed by 

 this red clay, which, although admirably adapted for 

 bricks and pottery, is extremely bad for road-making. 

 When hard and dry, it was good for traffic ; but after 

 a shower of rain it became so slippery that horses had 

 much difficulty in keeping their feet, and a regularly 

 wet day caused the wheels to sink so deep, that the 

 horses struggled through it with difficulty, losing 

 shoes at every stride. A few days' rain renders it 

 impassable for wheeled transport, so that during the 



