The 30th was spent in loading our boats, and preparing to leave.our encampment.

On the top of the stump of a large tree, to which the zenith sector was fixed, a plate of lead was laid, containing the latitude, and longtitude of that place. The stump was then covered by a mound of earth of considerable magnitude; but which will probably be demolished in a few years by the annual inundations.

31st, About 11 o'clock in the morning got under way, but the weather being bad, attended with a remarkably heavy rain, we had to encamp before sun

set.

February 1st, Left the shore at day light, and pro-ceeded down the river to the station of one of the Spanish gallies; the master behaved very politely, but informed us that it would be proper to remain at his station till the next morning.

2d, Aftert aking coffee with the Commandant of the galley, we proceeded down to New Madrid, where we arrived about eleven o'clock in the forenoon, and were saluted on our landing by a discharge of the artillery from the fort, and otherwise treated with the greatest respect and attention by the Commandant and officers of the garrison.

In the evening, the Commandant told me, that he had a communication to make, and for some reasons, which he did not detail, requested me to continue there two or three days. He was told, that we had been so long detained, for the want of a sufficiency of water in the Ohio river to enable us to descend it with expedition, and by being so long shut up by the ice, that I could not permit myself to think of it. He then desired me to breakfast and dine with him the next day, to which I consented.

3d, After taking breakfast with the Commandant, I

walked

walked about two miles out to the plains, and high lands: the soil did not appear to be of the first quality. Between the town, and plains is a swamp through which a body of water passes when the river is full. Returned about half an hour before noon, and took the sun's meridional altitude.

Immediately after dinner, the Commandant desired me to walk into a private room with him: after being seated a few minutes, he called in a clergyman of the church of Rome, a native of Ireland, of the name of Maxwell, a well informed liberal gentleman, who acted as interpreter on that occasion. The Commandant addressed himself to me nearly as follows. "Sir, I find myself somewhat delicately situated in consequence of your arrival, which you will readily perceive by this letter, which I received last November, from the Governor General the Baron de Corondelet." He then handed the letter to Mr. Maxwell, who read, and interpreted it. It contained an order to the commandant, not to permit us to descend the river till the posts were evacuated, which could not be effected until the waters should rise.

The order appeared extraordinary to me, and I believe not less so to the Commandant, as the state of the water in the Mississippi below the mouth of the Ohio, is at all times such, that no difficulty could arise in the evacuation of any of the posts claimed by the United States. In our conversation upon the subject I endeavoured to convince the Commandant, that our descending the river could not be construed into a violation of his orders. First, because if the want of water was an objection, when the Governor General issued the order, it was now done away by the commencement of the inundation. Secondly, that the Governor's intention could have been no more, than to

put

put a stop to the descent of such troops as were intended by the United States, to garrison the posts till they were evacuated: and, as I had no orders respecting the posts, nor men sufficient to garrison them, the order could neither affect me, nor my military escort: and Thirdly, that it was impossible that the Governor could have intended that myself and party, should be detained, because it would be in direct violation of the treaty we were preparing to carry into effect. To which the commandant observed, "that as the waters had risen, one half of the objection at least was done away, and we should meet with no impediment from him.” We then returned to the company.

At four o'clock in the afternoon we took leave of the Commandant, and his officers, whose hospitality and politeness, I shall ever acknowledge with sensibility. As we left the shore, we were again saluted by the artillery of the fort.

Proceeded about two miles down the river and encamped. My mind was occupied the whole evening, in reflecting upon the order of the Governor General, which had been communicated to me by the Commandant at New Madrid. It occurred to me, that if similar orders were given to the other Commandants below, and they should be less liberal and friendly towards the United States, we might be detained several months during a discussion with the Governor General, which from the great distance, would unavoidably be attended with delay, inconvenience and additional expense. 4th, Left the shore about eight o'clock in the morning, and proceeded down the river till sunset.

5th, Got under way before sunrise, but had to put to the shore about ten o'clock in the forenoon in consequence of a violent head wind, which continued till night, accompanied by a heavy fall of rain. F

6th,

6th, Left the shore early in the morning, but on account of a strong gale of wind, had to make a harbour where we lay till one o'clock in the afternoon, and then continued down the river till after sunset.

7th, Set out at sunrise, put to at the lower end of an island between the first and second bluffs, a few minutes before noon, and took the sun's meridional altitude, then proceeded down the river, and encamped opposite to the third bluff.

The

8th, Left the shore at sunrise, and continued our journey till a few minutes before twelve o'clock, when we put to, and took the sun's meridional altitude, got under way immediately, and arrived at the Chickasaw bluffs, about four o'clock in the afternoon. Commandant received us politely, but at the same time in a manner, which convinced me that he did not expect us. He appeared somewhat embarrassed, and directed the military escort to encamp on the upper or north side of Wolf river, the fort being below. Mr. Nolan, and myself at his request, accompanied him to his quarters: after being seated, he enquired about an express which had lately gone up the river, with dispatches from the Governor General, to the Commandant at New Madrid. We told him the express had not arrived at that place when we left it, neither had the Commandant received any communication from the Governor General since the preceding November.

The enquiries about the express were very natural, and possibly had no more in view, than to find whether the person had done his duty, or to relieve his mind from some anxiety about him, as he had a considerable distance to travel through the wilderness but the orders from the Governor General, to the Commandant at New Madrid, had produced sus

picions

picions in my mind, of which I could not divest myself. I thought it probable that the Governor General had sent on other orders more pointed, and less equivocal, to stop us at that post.

9th, Remained at the fort, and though treated in the most polite and hospitable manner, my suspicions were increased from two circumstances. First, the Commandant and officers appeared, (or affected,) to be almost wholly unacquainted with the late treaty between the United States and his Catholic Majesty : And Secondly, no preparations either had been, or were making to evacuate that post. Exclusive of these, there appeared an unnecessary suspicion and caution on the part of his Catholic Majesty's officers: two armed gallies were brought into the mouth of Wolf river, between our troops and the fort.

In the course of the day, I informed Mr. Nolan that I strongly suspected something was in agitation respecting the treaty, with which we were unacquainted. He replied, "keep your suspicions to yourself, by no means let them appear, you may depend upon me, whatever I can discover, you shall know, but the utmost caution will be necessary, both for your success and my own safety."

10th, Left the Bluffs about eight o'clock in the morning, and put to the shore a few minutes before noon to take the sun's meridional altitude, and then continued our journey till four o'clock in the afternoon, when we encamped at a remarkable place, where the Chickasaws and Chocktaws formerly held their consultations.

11th, Left the shore at sunrise, and proceeded down the river till a few minutes before noon, when we stopped to take the sun's meridional altitude, and then proceeded down the river till about three o'clock in the