( 3 12 ) 



branches feparate, about four leagues from the fea y 

 a little above Biloxi. 



In the afternoon, we patted lake Pontchar train, 

 which is feven or eight leagues over ; and at mid- 

 night entered Bayouc St. Jean. Thofe who have 

 failed the firft: upon this lake found it, as they faid, fa 

 full of alligators, that they could hardly make a 

 ftroke with an oar without touching one of them. 

 They are at prefent very fcarce, and we faw only 

 fome marks of them at our encampment for thefe 

 animals lay their eggs upon land. After repofing 

 myfelf a little, at leaving the lake, I purfued my 

 journey by land, and arrived before day at New- 

 Orleans. 



The Adour was no longer there, but was at no 

 great diftancc, and I went on board the next day, 

 being the firft of April. The inundation was now 

 at its height, and, confequently, the river much 

 more rapid than I had found it the month before. 

 Befides, a (hip, efpecially a flute or pink, is not 

 fo eafily wrought as a coafter ; and, as our crew 

 were not accuftomed to this navigation, we had a 

 good deal of difficulty in getting out of the ri- 

 ver. The fhip being driven fometimes on one fide, 

 fometimes on the other, her yards and rigging 

 frequently got foul of trees, and we were oftener 

 than once obliged to cut the latter, in order to get 

 clear, 



It was ft ill much worfe, when we got the length 

 of the channels for the currents drove us always 

 upon the firft: with extreme violence. We were 

 even involved in one of the fmalleft, and 1 know 

 pot to this day how we got rid of it. We were, 

 tiQwever, quit for an anchor which we left there \ 



having 



