AUG.] 
JOURNEY ACROSS, &cc. 
389 
wood, we halted for the night, which was piercing 
cold, though at noon the thermometer was 82. Such 
extreme and sudden changes from cold to heat, and 
from heat to cold, must considerably affect the 
constitution. Many a rotten tree that had lain 
unmolested since the ages of antiquity now perished 
in a blaze. 
3 1st. Thermometer at sun-rise, 34. At noon, 84. 
Departed at seven A.M. Several of us walked by the 
side of the river, as the waggons were obliged to make 
a circuit round some hills. In two places I observed 
rocks piled above each other in the form of piers, 
running from the hills nearly to the river, which in 
after ages may be turned to some advantage, when 
I hope the country will be increased in population 
and civilization. We reached the halting place at 
nine A.M. but the waggons did not arrive till eleven 
A.M. At five P.M. we were again in motion, and 
travelled till seven P.M. one of the worst stages 
during the whole journey; sometimes the wheels 
sunk into the sand as deep as the axletree, at other 
times the way was so covered with large stones, that 
there was no choice of road. We often paused to 
consider, what was to be done, as we feared it was 
impossible to hold on much longer, without having 
the waggons shivered to pieces. But after looking 
round in every direction, without observing any way 
of escaping these obstructions, we were obliged to 
proceed, and Providence brought us to a resting 
place at ten P.M. without suifering miy naaterial injury. 
