JOURNAL. 
the tree which blooms earliest in our woods, atid so mhcli admi¬ 
red by those who descend the Ohio early in the sprihg, appears 
in a few places. Passed an island where the fiv6'r widens con -4 
siderably; the current rapid, obliged to abandon oars ahef poles’, 
and take the towing line. Above the island the high land a'gaih 
approaches the river; there is a brownish colored rock, with $ 
few dwarf cedars growing on the top and in the clefts. In going 
too near shore, we had the misfortune to havC Our top mast bro¬ 
ken by the projecting limb of a tree. Encamped some distance* 
This evening serene and beautiful 1 ; the sand-bars’ begin t6 ap¬ 
pear; several deer seen. 1 observed on 1 the sand-baV^, a kind’ of 
scaffolds, ten or fifteen feet in height, which I \Vas' informed 
were erected by the neighboring settlers for the purpose of 
shooting the deer by moon light, which usually cob&e Out of the 
thickets at this time, to avoid 1 the mUsketdei ahd to sport oh thd' 
smooth beach : the hunter ascends the scaffold, ahcl remains un¬ 
til the deer approaches. Caine this day about twenty miles'; ha- 
vigatiotV comparatively Oasy. 
Friday 5 th. Wind S. E. fliis morning, enabling us to'set 
off under sail—-continued until ten, when it forsook us. Pass¬ 
ed several plantations, and two islands. The bluffs disappear 
on the N. E- side, and are seen on the S'. W. for the first time 
since our leaving St. Charles. They rise about tvvo Hundred 
feet, and are faced with rock, in masses separated by soil and" 
vegetation. These are called the Tavern roc.Ies , from the cir¬ 
cumstance of a cave ip one of them affording a stopping place 
for voyagers ascending, or on rdturnirlg to their homes after 
a long absence. The Indians seem to have Had some venera¬ 
tion for the spot, as it is tolerably well scratched over with their 
rude attempts at representing birds and beast’s. From this 
place, through a long reach , or straight part of tile river, we have 
a distant view of the terminating bluffs N. E. side. A violent 
storm of rain, wind; alid thunder, compelled ijs to put' to 
shore, having passed a very dangerous and difficult place. The 
number of trees which had lately fallen into the river, and the 
danger to be apprehended from others, which seemed to have" 
but a slender hold, rendered our situation extremely disagreea¬ 
ble. Towards evening, a canoe with six or seypri men passed 
