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36 of the good intentions of the approaching band, and to beg them not to flee from their village. Of this day Father Bonnécamps writes:

"The 4th. We continued our route, always surrounded by mountains—sometimes so high that they did not permit us to see the sun before 9 or 10 o'clock in the morning, or [after] 2 or 3 in the afternoon. This double chain of mountains stretches along the Beautiful River, at least as far as rivière à la Roche ('Rocky River'). Here and there, they fall back from the shore, and display little plains of one or two leagues in depth." Céloron seems to have had his mind too full of serious matters to notice his surroundings or, at least, to have given us the benefit of any observations; and Father Bonnécamps's eyes are the first through which we can gaze upon the primeval Ohio.

On the fourth the expedition made about fifteen leagues. Camp was broken at an early hour on the fifth, and after having journeyed three or four leagues the voyageurs passed a river, the confluence of which with the Allegheny, Céloron describes as "very