LOSS OF A JAMAICA SLOOP. 255 
tigers or alligators from disturbing us. Being tired, we soon 
fell asleep round the fire ; for the fatigue of the day had made 
us forget the danger of the night. We had provided a pistol, 
and a little gimpowder in a calabash, which was close waxed 
up, to prevent its being damaged, with which we made a fire 
when we found it necessary. 
" In the morning, as soon as it was light, we mounted our 
bark logs and continued paddling up the river ; but the stream 
was so rapid that we went up but slowly, and sometimes were 
not able to bear up against it. We endeavored to haul up by 
the branches of the trees which hung over the river, but they 
being tender twigs, afforded but little assistance. When I 
came within my depth, I waded and pushed the bark log be- 
fore me, but was soon out of foot-hold, and then mounted the 
bark log again, and W'orked with our paddles, and yet made 
but little riddance, finding it very hard to strive against the 
stream. We often saw large alligators leap from among the 
bushes into the water just by us ; notwithstanding which I 
was often obliged to run the risk of being seized by them, 
there being often a necessity to wade, or we could not force 
the bark log against the stream. At last, with great toil and 
danger, in six or seven hours we got three or four miles up 
the river, till we came the length of an island which lay near a 
quarter part over it ; but were hard put to it to get thither, the 
island dividing the stream of the river, and redoubling its 
force, so that it was with great difficulty we reached it. Hav- 
ing surmounted the difficulty, we rested awhile, and then pad- 
dled about half a mile further up the side of the island; be- 
lieving ourselves so far up that we might safely venture to 
cross it, we put over, and happily reached the other side 
about a mile above the river's mouth, then drove down the 
current till we came to a convenient place near its entrance, 
and landed about three o'clock in the afternoon. The weather 
being hot, and having no wind, and only my shirt on, and 
that leaving my thighs very often bare, the heat of the sun 
scorching them, made me frequently throw water on them to 
keep them cool, not thinking of the consequences ; but soon 
after we landed I found them extremely sore, very red, and 
blistered in several places, which grew very painful. We un- 
lashed our bark logs for the sake of our lines, ate a little 
morsel of bread with about an ounce of raw salt beef, and fill- 
ed up with the limpid stream. Being thus refreshed, we set 
forward, and travelled eight or ten miles that night ; before it 
grew dark we made a fire near the sea-side, in order to take 
