Some time in the afternoon, we continued our journey. We had hitherto followed the eastern shore of the river Hudson, and gone almost due North; but now we left it, and went E. N. E. or N. E. across the woods, in order to come to the upper end of the river Woodcreek, which flows to Fort St. Frederic, where we might go in a boat from the former place. The ground we passed over this [[295]]afternoon was generally flat, and somewhat low. Now and then we met with rivulets, which were generally dried up during this season. Sometimes we saw a little hill, but neither mountains nor stones, and the country was every where covered with tall and thick forests. The trees stood close, and afforded a fine shade; but the pleasure which we enjoyed from it was lessened by the incredible quantity of gnats which fill the woods. We found several plants here, but they were far from each other, (as in our woods where the cattle have destroyed them,) though no cattle ever came here. The ground was every where thick covered with leaves of the last autumn. In some places we found the ground over-grown with great quantities of moss. The soil was generally very good, consisting of a deep mould, in which the plants thrive very well. Therefore it seems that it would answer very well if it were cultivated: however, flowing waters were very scarce hereabouts; and if the woods were cleared, how great would be the effects of the parching heat of the sun, which might then act with its full force!
We lodged this night near a brook, in order to be sufficiently supplied with water, [[296]]which was not every where at hand during this season. The muskitoes, punchins or gnats, and the woodlice, were very troublesome. Our fear of snakes, and of the Indians rendered this night’s rest very precarious and unsecure.
Punchins, as the Dutch call them, are the little gnats (Culex pulicaris Linn.) which abound here. They are very minute, and their wings grey, with black spots. They are ten times worse than the larger ones, (Culex pipiens Linn.) or muskitoes; for their size renders them next to imperceptible; they are every where careless of their lives, suck their fill of blood, and cause a burning pain.
We heard several great trees fall of themselves in the night, though it was so calm, that not a leaf stirred. They made a dreadful cracking.
June the 27th. We continued our journey in the morning. We found the country like that which we passed over yesterday, except meeting with a few hills. Early this morning we plainly heard a fall in the river Hudson.
In every part of the forest we found trees thrown down either by storms, or age; but none were cut down, there being no inhabitants; and though the wood is [[297]]very fine, yet nobody makes use of it. We found it very difficult to get over such trees, because they had stopped up almost all the passages, and close to them was the chief residence of rattle-snakes, during the intenseness of the heat.
About two o’clock this afternoon we arrived at Fort Anne. It lies upon the river Woodcreek, which is here at its origin no bigger than a little brook. We stayed here all this day, and next, in order to make a new boat of bark, because there was no possibility to go down the river to Fort St. Frederic, without it. We arrived in time, for one of our guides fell ill this morning, and could not have gone any further with his burthen. If he had been worse, we should have been obliged to stop on his account, which would have put us under great difficulties, as our provisions would soon have been exhausted, and from the desart place where we were, we could not have arrived at any inhabited place in less than three or four days. Happily we reached the wish’d-for place, and the sick man had time to rest and recover.
About Fort Anne we found a number of mice, of the common kind. They were probably the offspring of those which were brought to the fort in the soldier’s provisions, [[298]]at the time when it was kept in a state of defence.
We met with some apple and plumb-trees, which were certainly planted when the fort was in a good condition,
June the 28th. The American Elm, (Ulmus Americana Linn.) grows in abundance, in the forests hereabouts. There are two kinds of it. One was called the White Elm, on account of the inside of the tree being white. It was more plentiful than the other species, which was called the Red Elm, because the colour of the wood was reddish. Of the bark of the former the boats made use of here are commonly made, it being tougher than the bark of any other tree. With the bark of hiccory, which is employed as bast, they sow the elm-bark together, and with the bark of the red elm they join the ends of the boat so close as to keep the water out. They beat the bark between two stones; or for want of them, between two pieces of wood.