Just at daybreak we passed a very large river but we were all so fatigued by sitting up of nights the boat going first our end foremost and then the other we took it to be the mouth of the Tennessee River the water was very muddy and swift.
About 8 o’clock hailed a man on shore asked how far it was to the mouth of the Ohio. You are in the Mississippi River 12 miles below the mouth of the Ohio. With some difficulty we got to shore and cordelled up to the house about 1/2 mile row. We were in a find box without any oars or cordelling rope except our cable. We laid at this house all day made four oars but could get no rope though it was very fortunate we hired two men to help us up the river. Bartered several knives and beads for chickens.
Their final destination is up the Mississippi towards St Louis. Their errant course took them down towards New Madrid MO.
More adventure than they deserve!