132 JOURNEY TO THE SHORES 



that and the next day for the purpose of 

 fishing. After breakfast, which made ano- 

 ther inroad on our preserved meats, we 

 proceeded up the river in a light canoe, to 

 visit the salt springs, leaving a party behind 

 to attend the nets. This river is about one 

 hundred yards wide at its mouth. Its 

 waters did not become brackish until we 

 had ascended it seven or eight miles ; but 

 when we had passed several rivulets of 

 fresh water which flowed in, the main 

 stream became very salt, at the same time 

 contracting its width to fifteen or twenty 

 yards. At a distance of twenty- two miles, 

 including the windings of the river, the 

 plains commence. Having pitched the tent 

 at this spot, we set out to visit the principal 

 springs, and had walked about three miles, 

 when the musquitoes compelled us to give 

 up our project. We did not see the termi- 

 nation of the plains toward the east, but on 

 the north and west they are bounded by an 

 even ridge, about six or seven hundred feet 

 in height. Several salt springs issue from 

 the foot of this ridge, and spread their 



