e fire, and cooked our
victuals; not, however, venturing to wander away far, on account of the
rattle-snakes, which here abounded. Perhaps there is no portion of
America in which the rattle-snakes are so large and so numerous as in
Wisconsin. There are two varieties: the black rattle-snake, that
frequents marshy spots, and renders it rather dangerous to shoot snipes
and ducks; and the yellow, which takes up its abode in the rocks and dry
places. Dr F---told me that he had killed, inside of the fort
Winnebago, one of the latter species, between seven and eight feet long.
The rattle-snake, although its poison is so fatal, is in fact not a
very dangerous animal, and people are seldom bitten by it. This arises
from two causes: first, that it invariably gives you notice of its
presence by its rattle; and secondly, that it always coils itself up
like a watch-spring before it strikes, and then darts forward only about
its own length. Where they are common, the people generally carry with
them a vial of ammonia, which, if instantly applied to the bite, will at
least prevent death. The copper-head is a snake of a much more
dangerous nature, from its giving no warning, and its poison being
equally active.

This river has been very appropriately named by the Indians the `Stream
of the Thousand Isles,' as it is studded with them; indeed, every
quarter of a mile you find one or two in its channel. The scenery is
fine, as the river runs through high ridges, covered with oak to their
summits; sometimes these ridges are backed by higher cliffs and
mountains, which halfway up are of a verdant green, and above that
present horizontal strata of calcareous rock of rich grey tints, having,
at a distance, very much the appearance of the dilapidated castles on
the Rhine.

The scenery, though not so grand as the highlands of the Hudson, is more
diversified and beautiful. The river was very full, and the current
occasionally so rapid, as to leave a foam as it swept by any projecting
point. We had, now that the river widened, sand banks to contend with,
which required all the exertions of our insufficient crew.

On the second morning, I was very much annoyed at our having left
without providing ourselves with a boat, for at the grey of dawn, we
discovered that some deer had taken the river close to us, and were in
midstream. Had we had a boat, we might have procured a good supply of
venison. We cast off again and resumed our voyage