barometer.

"In the course of the morning we discovered that two of the cylinders
leaked so much as to require one man constantly at the bellows, to
keep them sufficiently full of air to support the boat. Although
we had made a very early start, we loitered so much on the way --
stopping every now and then, and floating silently along, to get
a shot at a goose or a duck -- that it was late in the day when he
reached the outlet. The river here divided into several branches,
filled with fluvials, and so very shallow that it was with difficulty
we could get the boat along, being obliged to get out and wade.
We encamped on a low point among rushes and young willows, where
there was a quantity of driftwood, which served for our fires. The
evening was mild and clear; we made a pleasant bed of the young
willows; and geese and ducks enough had been killed for an abundant
supper at night, and for breakfast next morning. The stillness of
the night was enlivened by millions of waterfowl.

"September. 9. -- The day was clear and calm; the thermometer at
sunrise at 49 degrees. As is usual with the trappers on the eve of
any enterprise, our people had made dreams, and theirs happened to
be a bad one -- one which always preceded evil -- and consequently
they looked very gloomy this morning; but we hurried through our
breakfast, in order to make an early start, and have all the day
before us for our adventure. The channel in a short distance became
so shallow that our navigation was at an end, being merely a sheet
of soft mud, with a few inches of water, and sometimes none at
all, forming the low water shore of the lake. All this place was
absolutely covered with flocks of screaming plover. We took off
our clothes, and, getting overboard, commenced dragging the boat