4 Expedition to tht 



On the third of May we left the arsenal, where the 

 boat had been built, and after exchanging a salute of twenty- 

 two guns, began to descend the Alleghany, towards Pitts- 

 burgh. Great numbers of spectators lined the banks of 

 the river, and their acclamations were occasionally noticed 

 by the discharge of ordnance onboard the boat. The impor- 

 tant duties assigned the expedition rendered its departure 

 a subject of interest, and some peculiarities in the structure 

 of the boat attracted attention. 



We were furnished with an adequate supply of arms and 

 ammunition, and a collection of books and instruments. 



On Wednesday the 5th of May, having completed some 

 alterations, which it appeared necessary to make in our engine, 

 and received on board all our stores, we left Pittsburgh and 

 proceeded on our voyage. All the gentlemen of theparty except 

 Dr. Baldwin were in good health, and entered upon this en- 

 terprise in good spirits and with high expectations. Four- 

 teen miles below Pittsburgh we passed a steam boat lying 

 aground; we received and returned their salute, as is cus- 

 tomary with the merchants' boats on the Ohio and Mississippi. 



At evening we heard the cry of the whip-poor-will;* and 

 among other birds saw the pelicanus carbo, several turkey 

 vultures, and the tell tale sandpiper. The spring was now ra- 

 pidly advancing, the dense forests of the Ohio bottoms were 

 unfolding their luxuriant foliage, and the scattered plantations 

 assuming the cheering aspect of Summer. 



A few weeks residence at and near Pittsburgh, and sever- 

 al journies across the Alleghany mountains, in different parts, 

 have afforded us the opportunity of collecting a few observa- 

 tions relative to that important section of country, which 

 contains the sources of the Ohio. 



In the Alleghany river we found several of those little 

 animals, which have been described as a species of Proteus, 



*Caprimulgus vociferus. 



