p36 1817 Journal Thomas Dean

about 5 P. M. There was a hard shower, it looked like rain, and we concluded to put up for the night, but could get no lodging unless we stayed in an uninhabited house which was all-to-pieces, so we proceeded on up the river two or three miles, passed one strong rapid, and as the sky had the appearance of a heavy rain we went on a sand beach about sunset, covered our boat with our sails and prepared for night, there being no house within four or Eve miles on our way.

July ZOth. All hands pretty comfortable. We went up two or three miles and ran onto the limb of a tree which was sharp and lay concealed under the water, so that I could not see it, and it made a break in the garboard, struck under the boat's starboard bow. We soon found she took in water, and ran on shore, found the leak, put in some calking, then went on two or three miles farther, took break- fast on the beach, then proceeded on in sight of Vincennes, hauled our boat on shore, mended the breach, cleaned our boat, loaded up, went up to the town, about one and one- half miles, where we arrived about 2 o'clock P. M. This is about 170 or 180 miles from the mouth of the Wabash. The river here is about 270 yards wide and not more than four feet deep. We saw horses ford the river one-half to three-quarters of a mile below the town, though the river is very low at the town. At our landing we excited the curiosity of the inhabitants, and there were many of them of all ranks who came down to the shore to know where we were from, and to admire our boat, which was diHerent from any ever seen at this place. I soon became acquainted with some of the inhabitants, in particular Thomas Jones,