74 
THE HISTOKY OF 
man to take care of her cub, which she feared might now fall into a second 
distress. 
5th. We jutlged the waters were assuaged this morning to make the riv'er 
fordable. Therefore about ten we tried the experiment, and every body got 
over safe, except one man, whose horse slipped from a rock as he forded over, 
and threw him into the river. But being able to swim, he was not carried 
down the stream very far before he recovered the north shore. At the dis- 
tance of about six miles we passed Cascade creek, and three' miles farther we 
came upon the banks of the Dan, which we crossed with much difficulty, by 
reason the water was risen much higher than when we forded it before. 
Here the same unlucky person happened to be ducked a second time, and 
was a second time saved by swimming. My own horse too plunged in such 
a manner that his head was more than once under water, but with much 
ado recovered his feet, though he made so low an obeisance, that the water 
ran fairly over my saddle. 
We continued our march as far as Lowland creek, where we took up our 
lodging, for the benefit of the canes and winter grass that grew upon the rich 
grounds thereabouts. On our way thither we had the misfortune to drop 
another horse, though he carried nothing the whole day but his saddle. We 
showed the same favo'ur to most of our horses, for fear, if we did not do it, 
w’e should in a little time be turned into beasts of burthen ourselves. Custom 
had now made travelling on foot so familiar, that we were able to walk ten 
miles with pleasure. This we could do in our boots, notwith.standing our 
way lay over rough woods and uneven grounds. Our learning to walk in 
heavy boots was the same advantage to us that learning to dance high 
dances in wooden shoes is to the French, it made us most exceedingly nimble 
without them. The Indians, who have no way of travelling but on the hoof, 
make nothing of going twenty-five miles a day, and carrying their little ne- 
cessaries at their backs, and sometimes a stout pack of skins into the bargain. 
And very often they laugh at the English, who cannot stir to a next neigh- 
bour without a horse, and say that two legs are too much for such lazy 
people, who cannot visit their next neighbour without six. For their parts, 
they were utter strangers to all our beasts of burthen or carriage, before the 
slothful Europeans came amongst them. They had on no part of the 
American continent, or in any of the islands, either horses or asses, camels, 
dromedaries or elephants, to ease the legs of the original inhabitants, or to 
lighten their labour. Indeed, in South America, and particularly in Chili, they 
have a useful animal called “ paco.” This creature resembles a sheep pretty 
much ; only in the length of the neck, and figure of the head, it is more like a 
camel. It is very near as high as the ass, and the Indians there make use 
of it for carrying moderate burthens. The fleece that grows upon it is very 
valuable for the fineness, length and glossiness of the wool. It has one re- 
markable singularity, that the hoofs of its fore-feet have three clefts, and those 
behind no more than one. The flesh of this animal is something drier than 
our mutton, but altogether as well tasted. When it is angry, it has no w^ay 
of resenting its wrongs, but by spitting in the face of those that provoke it : 
and if the spawl happen to light on the bare skin of any person, it first creates 
an itching, and afterwards a scab, if no remedy be applied. The way to 
manage these paces, and make them tractable, is, to bore a hole in their ears, 
through which they put a rope, and then guide them just as they please. 
In Chili, they wear a beautiful kind of stuff, with thread made of this crea- 
ture’s wool, which has a gloss superior to any camlet, and is sold very dear 
in that country. 
6th. The difficulty of finding the horses among the tall canes made it late 
before we decamped. We traversed very hilly grounds, but to make amends 
