p28 1817 Journal Thomas Dean

ashore for fear of passing that river unnoticed, as if was very dark. We called all hands and ran ashore, made fast to some willows about 1 A. M., and lay down to SJNP on the boat.

July 9th. We started early and ran down by the 1919-nd to the mouth of the Wabash River. The description by the Navigator of the river, etc., published in 1817, I cannot vouch for. I am convinced it is not correct in all respects, viz.: at the Frenclu-nan's or Three Mile Island it appears to be erroneous, but according to his statement it is 1,003 ' miles to the mouth of the Wabash River, where we arrived this morning at 6 A. M. Here we tumed into the river and passed up four or live miles and landed for breakfast about 9 A. M. As far as we have come we find the Wabash to be a Hue river about 250 or 300 yards wide, with a gentle current, though it is expected that the current will be stronger as we ascend. In passing the waters of the Ohio it was not so much to our disadvantage that it rained nearl)' every day, for it raised the river fifteen or twenty feet above low water mark, which made it safe and easy passing down.