Rocky Mountains. 49 



On the 5th the wind blew from the south-east, and with 

 the aid of sails we were enabled to ascend the river with 

 considerable rapidity. As we were proceeding briskly for- 

 ward, our boat struck upon one of those concealed trunks of 

 trees so frequent in the Mississippi, and soon afterwards we 

 discovered that a leak had occurred, which made it neces- 

 sary for us to lay by. By the constant use of the pumps dur- 

 ing the remainder of the day, and the following night, we 

 were able to prevent the water from gaining further upon 

 us, and the next day having discovered the leak, we raised 

 the stern of the boat, by means of a pair of shears, and suc- 

 ceeded in repairing the injury. 



On the beach opposite the place where we lay by for these 

 repairs, was a large flock of pelicans, which remained in 

 sight for several hours. We had met with some wild geese ; 

 and a swan, which we saw was unable to fly, having at that 

 time cast its feathers. The yellow breasted chat, chuck-wills- 

 widow, the falco haliatus, the king fisher, bank swallow, and 

 numerous other birds occurred. 



At the mouth of the Kaskaskia river, on the east side of 

 the Mississippi, commences the celebrated v alley called the 

 American bottom, extending along the eastern bank of the 

 river last mentioned to the Piasa hills, four miles above the 

 mouth of the Missouri. It is several miles in width, and 

 has a soil of astonishing fertility, consisting of comparatively 

 recent depositions from the river. It has all the disadvanta- 

 ges usually attending tracts of recent river alluvion, the most 

 valuable parts of it being liable to be swept away by the 

 current of the Mississippi, and its surface descending from 

 the brink of the river to the stagnant pools and lagoons, at 

 the outskirts of the valley. But the inexhaustible fertility of 

 its soil makes amends for the insalubrity of the air, and the 

 inconveniences of a flat and marshy situation, and this val- 

 ley is undoubtedly destined to become one of the most popu- 

 lous parts of America. We were formerly shown here a field 



vol. i. 7 • 



