104 TRAVELS IN 
ledeci them, and being defirous to find a fpot 
for an encampment near the wood and fupr. 
pofed river, I again purfued my route ; for 
what could we do in the middle of a plain 
covered with water, and under a rain which, 
though in forae meafure abated, continued flill 
to fall with violence ? Already wet to the 
fkin, I confidered the inconvenience of being 
foaked a little longer as of no confequence. 
My baggage, indeed, having been tho- 
roughly drenched, was a double load to my 
oxen. The earth too, though fandy, had re- 
ceived fo much rain, that it could not abforh 
the whole of it. In confequence, it was every- 
where covered with pools ; and the oxen, 
obliged to pafs thefe cavities without knowing 
where they placed their feet, ftumbled at every 
ftep, and ran the rilk of being lamed under 
their burdens. 
When we arrived at the edge of the wood, 
the rain fortunately ceafed altogether ; and 
the calm which followed allowed us to kindle 
fires to dry our baggage and clothes. The 
remainder of the day, and even the night, were 
employed in this bufmefs ; but we were feve- 
ral times interrupted by the crafhing of trees, 
which, 
