The log is twelve handwritten pages on paper that was once a part of a small ledger or accounts book. (A back page of the log is believed to have been recorded earlier and is signed by William Chandler (3512) in 1793.) The log recounts a trip by boat beginning in Washington County, Pennsylvania and proceeding down the Ohio and Mississippi rivers to New Orleans. The trip is believed to have occurred between December 11, 1794 and April 15, 1795. No names are recorded in the log other than place names. We believe the author to have been William Chandler (3512) keeping the log of the trip. The entries follow as best as can be transcribed from the very worn pages of the log.
We came to Charles Town at the mouth of Buffalo Creek and traveled all night, and in the morning, being the 11th, we set sail and passed Wheeling in the afternoon and Grave Creek in the evening. We went all night & next day, the 12th, we continuing on. And the night following we came to Muskingdom (1) about midnight, where passing that we landed on an island a few miles below and rested till ____. Then starting very early soon passed Little Kenhaway on the left, and on the right (2) in the afternoon Belville. On the left and ___ night. The 13th we came to the Great Kenhaway in the afternoon. From Pittsburgh to this place one number of islands which ___ came in passing to present. getting that aground. In the evening playing Gallipolis at the French station on the right, and passing on all night past Guandot (3) on the left. A little before daylight passed Big and Little Sandy Creeks on the left. And the night following pased (4) about midnight on the right.
And next morning the 16th came to Conway’s Bottom at station on the left. And soon after passed a station. Passed the Three Islands on the right and landed at Limestone (5) in the evening, where we tarried all night. Set out in the morning the 17th past Eagle Creek on the right. ___ morning the 18th passed the Little Miami on the right where ___, and a small town calledd (6) . Six miles before this we passed to Cincinnati or Fort Washington on the right and Licking ___ on the left. This afternoon the wind blew very hard and the water was very rough. In the evening we paused on account of the wind, and about midnight set out again. And next day we passed the Great Miami on the right. The 19th we made but small progress on account of the wind and in the night we were drove as ___ by a hard storm of wind and snow.
20th we set sail but the wind blew harder this day than we had met with before. And in the afternoon was forced to land. The waves rose exceeding high till about sunset. The wind abating, set sail, but the wind soon rose again. We were forced to land. In going about two miles distant, again landing, which time we passed the Kentucky River on the left. After tarrying about one hour the wind abated again, and we went all night. Next ___ the 21st, passing on all day. The ___ following, landed a little before ___. 22nd in the morning we came ___ of Lewisville at the falls ___ where we landed about noon. ___ the water appearing to rise we ___ await its motions to make it ___ safe to pass the falls. But it soon grew very cold and the ice ran so thick that we were obliged to tarry eleven days before it would be safe to go. On New Years day 1795, with the assistance of a pilot crossed the falls in company with another boat bound for Redbanks, and that evening___ and the night following passed Salt River on the left. Next day the 2nd continued on. The 3rd in the afternoon past a ____. In evening
came to low country. And next morning, the 4th, about day came to a small settlement newly begun at the Yellow Banks on the left, and passed Green River on the left a little after dark, Next morning the 6th a little before day came to the Redbanks (7) on the left. Here there was a series of circumstances thrown up that caused us to ___ of recabling. Tarry until the 13th of March. ____ having arrived, we ___to pursue our journey and that night about 12 o’clock passed the mouth of the Wabash on the right. Next day the 14th landed about noon, and continued till evening. Then set out again ___ at ___ of passing the mouth of the Cumberland that night. But the wind ___ day we were obliged to land and lay all day. 15th in the evening we sailed again about ten o’clock passed
the mouth of the Cumberland River. Here there was a set of pirates. Pay collected under the name of going on an expedition against the Spanish settlements on the Mississippi. This being chiefly what has hindered our progress and caused us to tarry so long at the Redbanks. It being expected that ___ would stop and plunder all boats that came that way. But getting by there about midnight passed the mouth of the Tennessee River on the left, and so continued on. The next day the 16th about ten o’clock we were forced to land on account of high wind. Next morning 17th, starting before day, fell into the Mississippi about nine o’clock in the evening. Passed the Iron banks in the afternoon. Landed. Next morning 18th started early and came to Lanced Egress, or New Madrid, on the west side of the Mississippi, it being the first
Spanish post below the mouth of the Ohio. Here we were detained until the 21st before we could obtain a passport. Leaving there about nine o’clock ___ day and landed in a safe harbor in the evening and tarried until about midnight. Then set out and went by moonlight. Next morning the 22nd continued on. In the evening came to a difficult place formed by 3 or 4 sand bars which divided the river into several channels, there being abundance of old trees and ___ lodged all around the bars. Night coming on, we not being able clear ourselves of this place before dark, was forced to move along an eddy to shore. Tarried all night. Next morning 23rd, getting clear of this difficulty, came to Black River bluffs (8) about ten o’clock. In the afternoon past the Chickasaw bluffs on the left which juts in
the river in two places at seven miles distant from each other. Next morning 24th passed a difficult place, the river being divided into several channels by islands. We took the middle channel, the current setting violently against the right bank side of the ___ drove us among the dangers but caused no damage and landed about two o’clock, there being an appearance of wind. Next morning 25th passed another bluff on the left bearing the same name as the latter mentioned. In the evening past a difficult place called the Crooked S (9). Landed a little before night there being an appearance of wind and rain. 26th proceeded on and landed in the evening in a good harbor. 27th nothing to remark but landed in the evening in a good harbor. 28th early in the morning came to the mouth of the White River on the right. Here there is a few men stationed to direct the boats up to Arkensaw, a Spanish settlement some distance on the west side of the Mississippi. Near this place we met a number of galleons going up to
Lanced Egress for the defense of the place. And soon after passed the mouth of the Arkensaw River on the night of the 29th. Continued on. 30th the wind blowing in the fore part of the day we landed about 11 o’clock. It coming to abate about 1, we started, but was soon forced to land again on account of the wind. 31st went all day. Next day being the first day of April started out but was forced to land at ten o’clock on account of wind, where we tarried about 2 hours. And then set sail and passed the mouth of the Yazaro River (10) in the afternoon, and came to the Walnut Hills (11) in the evening where we got our passport signed. And set out early next morning 2nd. About 11 o’clock we were forced to land on account of the high winds which continued to blow all day and the night following.
Next morning 3rd set sail and passed the Green Gulf (12) about 11 o’clock, and about 1 passed the Byo Pierre. Landed in the evening. Set out next morning before day and came to Fort Natchessz on the left. Here tarried till the 5th, about 1 week. Sailed and passed Ellisses Cliffs (13) in the evening on the left. Landed. Next morning 6th came on and passed Lovely Cliffs (14) about noon on the left. About four in the afternoon passed the mouth of the Red River on the right, and 1 league below passed the Chafalia River (15) on the right, and landed in the evening. 7th set off about three hours before day. In the evening came
to Point Coopee (16) on the right. Next morning the 8th set off about two hours before day. About 11 we were forced to land on account of high rain. About four in the evening, the wind abating, we set forward and at sundown came to Baton Rouge on the left. Got our passport signed and tarried all night. Got started early. Fifteen miles below passed Monshack (17) on the left. Here we stopped with a canoe and got our passport signed, but was soon after forced to land, on account of high wind, at a place called the Black Main (18) on the right. In the evening again passed on till about midnight. The wind rising was forced to land and tarried till morning.
10th wind being calm in the morning we set sail and passed on until about 10 o’clock when, raising again, was forced to land. In the evening set of to go by moon light, but soon after ran in to an eddy and was drove on shore. Here we tarried till morning. 11th started but was forced to land about 10 o’clock on account of high wind. It abating about 12 we started. In the evening landed and stayed till morning. 13th wind blew all day. 14th wind blew till evening, then started and landed again a little before day. 15th started
in the morning and came to New Orleans about noon.
Three pages before the end of the log the following entry is recorded:
Accounts settled by Wm Chandler
For the partnership of himself
And John England 1793
L - S - P
paid to Samuel Jackson 73 - 9 - 4
paid to Caleb Johnson in
full for apples and 1 cask 14 - 9 - 8
paid to Nathen Brown 7 - 10 - 0
paid for inspecting flour 1 - 15 - 3
paid for beef 1 - 4 - 6
paid for halling apples 0 - 11 - 3
paid Peter Vandolen 0 - 7 - 6
paid for halling planks 0 - 7 - 6
paid Josef Woods 2 - 17 - 6
paid for a cooking chisel 0 - 1 - 6
paid for a pump 0 - 15 - 0
paid at Pittsburgh for sundries 0 - 10 - 2
paid for a hat 0 - 11 - 3
John England to cash 2 - 7 - 7
There is a poem recorded on the back page of the journal which does not appear to relate to the entries above.
The following notations added to the above Journal entries are based on information contained in “THE NAVIGATOR: CONTAINING DIRECTIONS FOR NAVIGATING THE MONONGAHELA, ALLEGHENY, OHIO, AND MISSISSIPPI RIVERS; WITH AN AMPLE ACCOUNT OF THESE MUCH ADMIRED WATERS, FROM THE HEAD OF THE FORMER TO THE MOUTH OF THE LATTER; AND A CONCISE DESCRIPTION OF THEIR TOWNS, VILLAGES, HARBOURS, SETTLEMENTS, &c. WITH ACCURATE MAPS OF THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI. TO WHICH IS ADDED, An Appendix, CONTAINING AN ACCOUNT OF LOUISIANA, AND OF THE MISSOURI AND COLUMBIA RIVERS, AS DISCOVERED BY THE VOYAGE UNDER CAPTAINS LEWIS AND CLARKE. SEVENTH EDITION--IMPROVED AND ENLARGED.” “The Navigator” was published in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania by Cramer, Spear, and Eichbaum in 1811. The book contained 295 pages and sold for one dollar.
1. The town of Marietta, Ohio is located at the mouth of the “Muskingdom River.”
2. The log may refer to the town of Newbury.
3. The river is identified as the Guyundot River, also known as the Tottery River.
4. The log may refer to the town of Alexandria.
5. Limestone is also identified as Mayville, Kentucky.
6. The log may refer to the town of Columbia.
7. Redbanks is also identified as Henderson, Kentucky.
8. “The Navigator” identifies a series of four bluffs all referred to as the Chickasaw Bluffs.
9. The log may be referring to the “Devil’s Elbow.”
10. The river is identified as the Yazooz River.
11. Identified as the site of Fort McHenry.
12. Identified as Grand Gulph.
13. Identified as Ellis’s Cliffs or White Cliffs.
14. Identified as Loftus Heights, the site of Fort Adams.
15. Identified as Bayou Chaffalio.
16. Point Coupee Settlement.
17. Identified as Bayou Manchac, the site of Iberville.
18. Identified as Bayou Plaquemine.
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