Page:Early western travels, 1748-1846 (1907 Volume 4).djvu/182

 with which the air is strongly perfumed, and a few stunted shrubs and trees, there being nothing to promote vegetation, but gravel and loose stones of every variety—marble, limestone, flint, freestone, and granate, among which the limestone is the most predominant. The road also was very bad for the three or four miles next to the Blue salt licks on Licking river, which is eight miles from Clark's mill.

On the road we met a Mr. Ball and another man, both armed, going in search of four negro slaves, who had ran away from him, and two of his neighbours near Boonsborough,[116] seven had ran away, but three had been apprehended that morning.

We saw from the eminences on the road, the smoke of the salt furnaces, when three miles distant from them.

{154} In fording the Licking, which is a fine river about eighty yards wide, we kept rather too high, and got into such deep water that mine had to swim some yards, while A, who was behind me took advantage of my mistake, and kept lower down, so that his horse was only up to the saddle skirts.

Some negro salt labourers on the bank, mischievously beckoned and called to us towards them, enjoying our embarrassment, but taking care to get out of sight when we got firm footing on the same side of the river with them.

We found Mrs. Williams an obliging hostess, and her sister Miss Howard, a very agreeable woman; they favoured