[ *8 ] 
We had many advantages from the company 
of thefe guides, were perfe&ly acquainted 
with that part of the country, and be- 
ing of the fix Nations they were both a 
credit and protection ; and, alfo as we went 
to accommodate the differences, and allay the 
Heart-burnings that had been railed by a late 
skirmifh on the back of Virginia, between fome 
of thefe nations and the Lnglifb , we could not 
but derive a confidence from the company of a 
chief. 
We coafted the river near a mile to the ford, 
where we had a good bottom not above 3 
feet deep 3 this brought us to an Ifland near 
2 miles long and a quarter broad, pretty rich 
at the lower end,' and near the river, but the 
higher end fandy, from the drift left there by 
the floods, it therefore produces little but fitch 
fine. After leaving the lower end where we law 
ieveral cabbins, we once more took water for 
the oppofite fliore, but- the bottom is lels e- 
ren, though not above half as wide as the faff, 
which is about 400 yards. 
Hence leaving the weft branch about half 
a mile on our left, and rich low ground be- 
tween with gravel, oak and pitch-pine land 
on our right, we reached a pretty 1'pring of 
good water, fituated between the fivarnp and 
dry ground. This, fince our pallage over the 
Blue Mountains , was the only one we met 
with till we came near Onoudago , lor on that 
fide 
