ver a small carrying place of 16 rods we
rowed 16 miles up the river through still deep water; the land on each
side to appearance very good.

October 18th. This day we rowed 20 miles and passed a short carrying
place. The river is very crooked and the water deep. We discovered on
the bank of the river an old Indian hut, built as we supposed for
hunting. Many bones of animals lay round the hut, and there was a
clearing of about one acre.

October 19th. This day we passed four carrying places and advanced but
five miles. We were detained by the great rains that fell which drenched
us sorely as we had but very little to cover us. The weather grew cold
and we had nothing better to screen us from the air, than hemlock
boughs.

October 23d. The water growing shallow and rapid we were obliged to take
to our setting poles, we pushed with them 10 miles this day. The water
daily decreased as we approached towards the head of the stream, and
land on each side of us was mountainous and barren.

October 24. This day our afflictions increased, fear was added to
sorrow. We found to our astonishment that our journey was much longer
than we expected; what was more alarming, our provisions were growing
scant. Some of our men appeared disheartened, but the most of them, with
Col. Arnold stood firm and resolute. They were ready to encounter yet
greater hardships for the good of their country.

At this critical and alarming crisis a council was called to consider
what was most prudent to be done. They determined to send back
immediately the disabled and the sick, with provisions sufficient to
carry them to the first inhabitants on the Kennebeck river. They also
determined to send a party forward to the nearest settlement in Canada
to procure provisions and return to meet the army with all possible
expedition. Captain Oliver Hanchet, with one subaltern and fifty
privates set out with ten days provisions, each man taking 10 pints of
flour and 5 lbs of pork. The sick, forty in number, went back. We then
pushed forward with all possible speed. We gained nine miles against the
stream this day, but suffered from losses, on the account of which we
felt greatly distressed. Several of our boats were upset by the rapidity
of the stream, and much of our provisions, cloathing, ammunition, and
some money were lost.

October 25th. This morning we proceeded on our way very early: the
weather was somewhat cold, as it snowed most of the night. The t