NORTH AMERICA. 
457 
the. waters would be again confined within the 
banks. We immediately fat about rigging our port- 
able leather boat, about eight feet long, which was 
of thick foal leather, folded up and carried on the 
top of a pack of deer-fkins. The people foon got 
her rigged, which was effected after the following 
manner. We, in the firfl place, cut down a White- 
Oak fapling, and by notching this at each end, 
bent it up, which formed the keel, ftem and ftera 
poll: of one piece ; this was placed in the bottom of 
the boat, and pretty flrong hoop-poles being fixed 
in the bottom acrofs the keel, turning up their ends, 
expanded the hull of the boat, which being fatt- 
ened by thongs to two other poles bent round, the 
outfide of the rim formed the gunwhales : thus in 
an hour's time our bark was rigged, to which 
afterwards we added two little oars or fculls. Our 
boat being now in readinefs, and our horfes turned 
out to pafture, each one rerired to repofe, or to 
fuch exercife as mod effectually contributed to di- 
vert the mind. I was at this time rather dejected, 
and fought comfort in retirement, turning my 
courfe to the expanfive fields, fragrant groves and 
fublime for efts. Returned to camp by dulk, where 
I found my companions cheerful and thoughtjefs 
rather to an extreme. It was a calm full evening 
and warm ; the wood-cock (fcolopax) chirruping 
high up in the air, gently defcends by a fpiral cir- 
cular tract:, and alights on the humid plain : this 
bird appears in Pennfylvania early in the fpring, 
when the Elm and Maple begin to flower ; and 
here the fcarlet Maple, Elm and Elder began to 
fhow their flowers ; the yellow Jafmin was juft 
ready to open its fragrant golden bloffoms, and the 
gay Azalea alio preparing to expand its beauties. 
The 
