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268 proceded on through a bad? thicket of tall strait pitch pine bolsom fir & cotton timber we were oblidged to cut a road for the horses to get unclear some places verry steep and rockey. we followed a little? creek up. crossed a nomber of fine spring branches and waided the creek a nomber of times. the mountains on each side the creek is verry steep and high. the bottoms the creek narrow and swampy a nomber of beaver dams we call this place dismal swamp and it is a lonesom rough part of the country. we were oblidged to climb several hills with our horses where it was so steep? and rockey that some of the horses wh? as weak and their feet sore that they fell back 3 or 4 fell over backwards and roled to the foot of the hills. we were then oblidged to carry the loads up the hills and their and again one of the horses? gave out so that his load was left a little before night we came 13 miles this day & camped in a thicket of pine and bolsom fir timber near the creek 2 or the men came up with their horses and loads after dark? this horrid bad going where we came up this creek which we call Dismal Swamp was six miles? and we are not out of it yet. but our guide? tells us that we will git on a plain tomorrow several unclear killed this day but no kind of game seen by our hunters.-- Tuesday 3rd Sept. 1805. cloudy. we set out as usal unclear load was brought up which was left