At night, an army of troublesome musquitoes foreboded the rain which poured down on us the whole of the night. To be in such circumstances without any shelter except the

leagues in length.

trees, which

Nature has produced ever since the creation of the world, is a pastime more innocent

and agreeable than could be anticipated. 20th.

Nothing but islands, in appearance the most beautiful, which intersect here and there this

very quiet river.

The land on the north bank appears to us excellent

;

there is a range of high

mountains towards the east, which we called St. Margaret's. 21st.

Continuation of the islands.

In the evening we break our bark canoe ; it rains all night.

The naked rocks serve us for bed, mattrass and all.

Whoever hath God with him reposes quietly

every where. 22d.

The precipices of water which for a while are no longer navigable oblige us to carry on our

shoulders both our baggage and the canoe which carried us.

At the other side of the rapid, I perceived a herd of wild cows which were passing at their ease in great state.

Five or six hundred are

seen sometimes in these regions in one drove.

23d and 24th of the month. Our pilot being hurt, we must remain a prey to the musquitoes, and have patience, often more difficult in regard to the inconveniences which have no intermission neither night nor day, than to behold death before one's eyes. 25th. The river is so very rapid that we are obliged to throw ourselves in the stream to drag our canoe after us, amid the rocks, as a cavalier, dismounting, leads his horse by the bridle. At night