The beginner's American history . hat the constant rains hadraised the streams so that they had overflowed theirbanks; the whole country was under water three or fourfeet deep. This flooded country was called the DrownedLands: before Clark and his men had crossed themthey were nearly drowned themselves. 1 See map on page 126. 130 THE BEGINNER S AMERICAN HISTORY. 166. Wading^ on to victory. — For about a week theAmericans had to wade in ice-cold water, sometimes waistdeep, sometimes nearly up to their chins. While wading,the men were obliged to hold their guns and powder-hornsabove their heads
The beginner's American history . hat the constant rains hadraised the streams so that they had overflowed theirbanks; the whole country was under water three or fourfeet deep. This flooded country was called the DrownedLands: before Clark and his men had crossed themthey were nearly drowned themselves. 1 See map on page 126. 130 THE BEGINNER S AMERICAN HISTORY. 166. Wading^ on to victory. — For about a week theAmericans had to wade in ice-cold water, sometimes waistdeep, sometimes nearly up to their chins. While wading,the men were obliged to hold their guns and powder-hornsabove their heads to keep them dry. Now and then aman would stub his toe against a root or a stone andwould go sprawling headfirst into the water. When hecame up, puffing and blowing from such a dive, he waslucky if he still had his gun. For two days no one couldget anything to eat; but hungry, wet, and cold, they keptmoving slowly on. The last part of the march was the worst of all. Theywere now near the fort, but they still had to wade through. a sheet of water four miles across. Clark took the leadand plunged in. The rest, shivering, followed. A fewlooked as though their strength and courage had givenout. Clark saw this, and calling to Captain Bowman, —one of the bravest of his officers, — he ordered him to killthe first man who refused to go forward. At last, with numbed hands and chattering teeth, all gotacross, but some of them were so weak and blue with coldthat they could not take another step, but fell flat on theirfaces in the mud. These men were so nearly dead that nofire seemed to warm them. Clark ordered two strong mento lift each of these poor fellows up, hold him betweenthem by the arms, and run him up and down until he beganto get warm. By doing this he saved every one. GENERAL GEORGE ROGERS CLARK. I3I 167. Clark takes the fort; what we got by his victory; hisgrave. — After a long and desperate fight Clark took FortVincennes and hoisted the Stars and Stripes over it intri
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