73 



Augt. 3. This morning I got on board a boat 

 again : observed nothing new excepting a long- 

 leaved grass which was floating on the water, 

 the boatmen calld it Wild rice & said I would 

 see plenty higher up : which was the case, it 

 covers hen- the shore & is when in flower quit 

 upright : I suppose it to be the Zizania fluitans — 

 at any rate it is a Zizania— Water snakes are 

 very plenty in this river & lay sometimes on the 

 logs in the water in swarms, it is very disgusting 

 to see them & eat eel afterwards : — It soon be- 

 gan to rain. & 1 was exposed to it all this day, 

 till we come to Three River Point where we 

 stopped & took dinner it keeping on raining we 

 stood here over night. 



4. We left Three R. Point this morning : I 

 seen several ducks which are apt of alighting on 

 trees . tor this they are calld wood ducks ; as we 

 had good wind, I had not much oportunity of 

 observing any water plants : all 1 seen however 

 were the same observed yesterday : When we 

 came to the outlet of Onondaga lake, the Creek 

 was covered at its bottom with Chara, which the 

 boatmen call Feather beds. — The lake has ex- 

 ceeding clear water & a white bottom, which I 

 suppose consist of the sediment of shells as above 

 mentioned. We arrived at the Salt point about 

 noon. Having taking something to refresh my- 

 self here, I proceeded on to the point, being very 

 anxious of getting a letter which would allow in- 

 to proceed on my yourney, as I thought thi> 

 place & neighborhood sufficiently explored ; 1 



