When I was ready to proceed down the Ohio, I went to the shore, where I met a Mr. Willers, who had come there on the same errand as myself.  Our object was to go to Louisville, at the falls of the Ohio.  We were pleased with a well-constructed skiff, which would conveniently hold our baggage, and, after examination, purchased it, for the purpose of making this part of the descent.  I was expert with a light oar, and we agreed in thinking that this would be a very picturesque, healthful, and economical mode of travel.  It was warm weather, the beginning of May, I think, and the plan was to sleep ashore every night.  We found this plan to answer expectation.  The trip was, in every respect, delightful.  Mr. Willers lent a ready hand at the oars and tiller by turns.  He possessed a good share of urbanity, had seen much of the world, and was of an age and temper to vent no violent opinions.  He gave me information on some topics.  We got along pleasantly.  One day, a sleeping sawyer, as it is called, rose up in the river behind us in a part of the course we had just passed, which, if it had risen two minutes earlier, would have pitched us in the air, and knocked our skiff in shivers.  We stopped at Vevay, to taste the wine of the vintage of that place, which was then much talked of, and did not think it excellent.  We were several days—­I do not recollect how many—­in reaching Louisville, in Kentucky.  I found my fellow-voyager was a teacher of military science, late from Baltimore, Maryland; he soon had a class of militia officers, to whom he gave instructions, and exhibited diagrams of military evolutions.

Louisville had all the elements of city life.  I was much interested in the place and its environs, and passed several weeks at that place.  I found organic remains of several species in the limestone rocks of the falls, and published, anonymously, in the paper some notices of its mineralogy.

When prepared to continue my descent of the river, I went to the beautiful natural mall, which exists between the mouth of the Beargrass Creek and the Ohio, where boats usually land, and took passage in a fine ark, which had just come down from the waters of the Monongahela.  It was owned and freighted by two adventurers from Maryland, of the names of Kemp and Keen.  A fine road existed to the foot of the falls at Shippensport, a distance of two miles, which my new acquaintances pursued; but, when I understood that there was a pilot present, I preferred remaining on board, that I might witness the descent of the falls:  we descended on the Indiana side.  The danger was imminent at one part, where the entire current had a violent side action, but we went safely and triumphantly down; and, after taking our owners on board, who were unwilling to risk their lives with their property, we pursued our voyage.  It was about this point, or a little above, that we first noticed the gay and noisy parroquet, flocks of which inhabited the forests.  The mode of attaching vessels of this kind into flotillas was practiced on that part of the route, which brought us into acquaintance with many persons.