Ylll 



PREFACE. 



attained by me, its curious spirit would not hav« 

 been gratified. I could not stop to dig into the 

 earth, over whose surface I was compelled to pass 

 with rapid steps; nor could I turn aside to collect 

 the plants which nature might have scattered on the 

 way, when my thoughts were anxiously employed 

 in making provision for the day that was passing 

 over me. I had to encounter perils by land and 

 perils by water- to watch the savage who was our 

 guide, or to guard against those of his tribe who 

 might meditate our destruction. I had, also, the 

 passions and fears of others to control and subdue. 

 To-day I had to assuage. the rising discontents, and 

 on the morrow to cheer the fainting spirits, of the 

 people who accompanied me. The toil of our navi- 

 gation was incessant, and oftentimes extreme; and 

 in our progress over land we had no protection from 

 the severity of the elements, and possessed no ac- 

 commodations or conveniences but such as could 

 be contained in the burden on our shoulders, which 

 aggravated the toils of our march, and added to the 

 wearisomeness of our way. 



Though the events which compose my journals 

 may have little in themselves to strike the imagina- 

 tion of those who love to be astonished, or to gratify 

 the curiosity of such as are enamoured of romantic 

 adventures; nevertheless, when it is considered that 

 I explored those waters which had never before 

 borne any other vessel than the canoe of the savage; 

 and traversed those deserts where an European had 

 never before presented himself to the eye of its 

 swarthy natives; when to these considerations are 

 added the important objects which were pursued, 

 with the dangers that were encountered, and the 

 difficulties that were surmounted to attain them, 

 this work will, I natter myself, be found to excite 

 an interest, and conciliate regard, in the minds of 

 those who peruse it. 



