128 



Journal of a Voyage through the 



titude 56. O. 8. At three o'clock had time, when my 

 watch was slow 1. 31. 52. apparent time. 



At sun-set, Mr. Mackay returned with one of the men, 

 and in about two hours was followed by the others. They 

 had penetrated thick woods, ascended hills and sunk into 

 vallies, till they got beyond the rapids, which, according 

 to their calculation, was a distance of three leagues. The 

 two parties returned by different routes, but they both 

 agreed, that with all its difficulties, and they were of a 

 very alarming nature, the outward course was that which 

 must be preferred. Unpromising, however, as the ac- 

 count of their expedition appeared, it did not sink them 

 into a state of discouragement: and a kettle of wild rice, 

 sweetened with sugar, which had been prepared for their 

 return, with their usual regale of rum, soon renewed that; 

 courage which disdained ail obstacles that threatened our 

 progress ; and they went to rest, with a full determination 

 to surmount them on the morrow. I sat up, in the hope 

 of getting an observation of Jupiter and his first satellite, 

 but the cloudy weather prevented my obtaining it. 



Wednesday 22. At break of day we entered on the ex- 

 traordinary journey which was to occupy the remaining 

 part of it. The men began, without delay, to cut a road 

 up the mountain, and as the trees were but of small growth, 

 I ordered them to fell those which they found convenient, 

 in such a manner, that they might fall parallel with the 

 road, but, at the same time, not separate them entirely 

 from the stumps, so that they might form a kind of of rail- 

 ing on either side. The baggage was now brought from 

 the water-side to our encampment. This was likewise 

 from the steep shelving of the rocks, a very perilous un- 

 dertaking, as one false step of any of the people employed 

 in it, would have been instantly followed by falling head- 

 long into the water. When this important object was at- 

 tained, the whole of the party proceeded with no small 

 degree of apprehension, to fetch the canoe, which, in a 

 short time, was also brought to the encampment ; and, as 

 soon as we had recovered from our fatigue, we advanced 

 with it up the mountain, having the line doubled and 

 fastened successively as we went on to the stumps ; while 

 a man at the end of it, hauled it round a tree, holding it on 

 and shifting it as we proceeded ; so that we may be said, 

 with strict truth, to have warped the canoe up the moun- 

 tain ; indeed, by a general and most laborious exertion, 



