132

VISIT

TO THE COUNTRY OF THE SAVAGES,

I TOOK my departure for the country of the Savages in a packet boat, which was to convey me from New York to Albany by Hudson's river. The passengers were numerous and agreeable, consisting of several women and some American Officers. A fresh breeze conducted us gently towards our destination. Towards the evening of the first day, we assembled upon deck, to partake of a collation of fruit and milk. The women seated themselves upon the benches, and the men were stationed at their feet. The conversation was not long kept up. I have always remarked that when nature exhibits a sublime or beautiful prospect, the spectators involuntarily become silent. Suddenly one of the company exclaimed: "Near that place Major André was executed." My ideas instantly took another turn. A very pretty American lady was intreated to sing the ballad, which describes the story of that unfortunate young man. She yielded to our solicitation; her voice evidently betrayed her timidity, but it was exceedingly replete with sweet and tender sensibility.

The sun now set, and we were in the midst of lofty mountains. Here and there huts were seen, suspended

over the abysses, but they soon disappeared among the clouds of mingled white and rosy hue, which horizontally flitted past these dwellings. When the summits of the rocks and firs were discovered above these clouds, one might have fancied them to be islands floating in the air. The majestic river, the tides of which run North and South, lay oustretched before us. in a strait line, inclosed between two exactly parallel banks. Suddenly it took a turn to the West, winding its golden waves around a mountain which overlooked the river with all its plants, and had the appearance of a large boquet, tied at its base with azure riband. We preserved a profound silence; for my own part, I hardly ventured to breathe. Nothing interrupted the plaintive song of the fair passenger, except the sound (of which we were hardly sensible) made by the vessel, as it glided before a light breeze through the water. Sometimes the voice acquired an additional swell when we steered near the bank, and in two or three places it was repeated by a slight echo. The ancients would have imagined that the soul of André, attracted by this impressive melody, felt a pleasure in mur. muring its last notes among the mountains. The idea of this brave and unfortunate man, who was a lover and a poet, who died for his country in the flower of his age, regretted by his fellow citizens and honoured by the tears of Washington, spread over this romantic scene a softer tint. The American officers and I had tears in our eyes

I from the effect of the delicious state of mind into which I was plunged-They no doubt from the recollection of their country's past troubles, which doubled the calmness of the present moment. They could not, with out a sort of ecstacy, contemplate a district, lately covered with battalions in glittering arms, and resounding with the noise of war, now buried in profound tranquillity,

lighted by the last fires of day, decorated with all the pomp of nature, animated by the soft whistle of Virginian nightingales, and the cooing of wild pigeons; while the simple inhabitants were seated on the point of a rock, at some distance from their cottages, and quietly observed our vessel as it passed along the river beneath them.

The tour, which I made on this occasion, was in fact only a prelude to a journey of much greater importance, the plan of which I communicated, on my return, to M. de Malesherbes, who was to have laid it before government. I intended nothing less than to decide, by a land investigation, the great question of a passage from the South sea into the Atlantic by the North. It is known that, in spite of the efforts made by Captain Cook, and subsequent navigators, this point has always remained doubtful. In 1786 a merchantman pretended to have entered an interior sea of North America at 48 lat. N. and those on board asserted that all, which had been considered as continental coast to the North of California, was a long chain of islands extremely close to each other. On the other hand, a traveller from Hudson's Bay saw the sea at 720 lat. N. at the mouth of the river Cuivre. It is said that a frigate arrived last summer, which had been sent by the British Admiralty to ascertain the truth or fallacy of the discovery made by the merchantman above mentioned, and that this frigate confirms the truth of Cook's reports. Be this as it may, I will just state what was my plan.

If government had favoured the project, I should

have embarked for New-York. There I should have had two immense covered waggons made, to be drawn by four yoke of oxen. I should have also procured six small horses, such as those which I used on my first expedition." I should have taken with me three European servants, and

three savages of the Five-Nations. Reasons operate to prevent the mention of some particulars of the plan which it was my intention to follow; the whole forms a small volume in my possession, which would not be useless to those who explore unknown regions. Suffice it to say that I would have renounced all ideas of traversing the

deserts of America, if it would have cost the simple inhabitants a single tear. I should have wished that among the savages, the man with a long beard might, long after my departure, be spoken of as the friend and benefactor of the human race.

When I had made every preparation, I should have set out directly towards the West, proceeding along the lakes of Canada to the source of the Mississippi, which I should have ascertained. Then descending by the plains of Upper Louisiana as far as the 40th degree of Northern latitude, I should have resumed my course to the West, so as to have reached the coast of the South Sea a little above the head of the gulph of California. Following the coast and keeping the sea always in sight, I should next have proceeded due North, thereby turning my back on New Mexico. If no discovery had altered my line of progress, I should have pursued my way to the mouth of Cook's Inlet, and thence to the river Cuivre in 72 degrees lat. N. Finally, if I had no where found a passage, and could not double the most Northern Cape of America, I should have re-entered the United States. by Hudson's Bay, Labrador and Canada.

Such was the immense and perilous voyage, which I proposed to undertake for the service of my country and Europe. I calculated that it would occupy (all accidents apart) five to six years. There can be no doubt of its utility. I should have given an account of the three kingdoms of Nature, of the people and their manners I should have sketched the principal views, &c.

As to the perils of the journey, they were undoubtedly great, and those, who make nice calculations on this subject, will probably not be disposed to travel among savage nations. People alarm themselves, however, too much in this respect. When I was exposed to any danger, in America, it was always local and caused by my own imprudence, not by the inhabitants. For instance, when I was at the cataract of Niagara, the Indian ladder being broken which had formerly been there, I wished, in spite of my guide's representations, to descend to the bottom of the fall by means of a rock, the craggy points of which projected. It was about two hundred feet high, and I made the attempt. In spite of the roaring cataract, and frightful abyss which gaped beneath me, my head did not swim, and I descended about forty feet, but here the rock became smooth and vertical; nor were there any longer roots or fissures for my feet to rest upon. I remained hanging all my length by my hands, neither being able to reascend nor proceed, feeling my fingers open by degrees from the weight of my body, and considering death inevitable. There are few men, who have, in the course of their lives, passed two such minutes as I experienced over the yawning horrors of Niagara. My hands at length opened and I fell. By most extraordi nary good fortune I alighted on the naked rock. It was hard enough to have dashed me in pieces, and yet I did not feel much injured. I was within half an inch of the abyss, yet had not rolled into it; but when the cold! water began to penetrate to my skin, I perceived that I had not escaped so easily as I at first imagined. I felt insupportable pain in my left arm; I had broken it above the elbow. My guide, who observed me from above, and to whom I made signs, ran to look for some savages; i who with much trouble drew me up by birch cords, and! carried me to their habitations...