OSWEGATCHEE RIVER. 47 
ing us any accommodations. Luckily, how¬ 
ever, as we were searching about for the driest 
spot to pitch our tent upon, one of the party 
espied a barn at a little distance, belonging to 
the xnan of the adjoining house, of whom we 
procured the key; it was well stored with 
{straw, and having mounted to the top of the 
mow, we laid ourselves down to rest, and slept 
soundly there till awakened in the morning by 
the- crowing of some cocks, that were perched 
on the beams above our head. 
At an early hour we pursued our .voyage, 
and before noon passed, the last rapid, about 
three miles below the mouth of Oswegatchee 
River, the most considerable of those within 
the territory of the United States, which fall 
into the St. Lawrence. It consists- of three 
branches, that unite together about fifteen 
miles above its mouth, the most western of 
which issues from a lake twenty miles in length 
and eight in breadth. Another of the branches 
issues from Ismail lake or pond, only about 
four miles distant from the western branch 
of Hudson’s River, that hows past New York. 
Both the -Hudson and Oswegatchee are said 
to be capable of being made navigable, for 
light: bateaux as far as this spot, where they 
approach within so short a distance of each 
other, except only at a few places,.so that the 
portages will be but very trifling:. ‘ : 
I " 
