A dense growth of young trees covered the inundated bottom over which they were wading.

Occasionally they came to a deep but narrow gully.

Crockett, with his hatchet, would cut down a small tree, and by its aid would cross.
At length the water became so deep that Crockett's little boy had to swim, though they evidently had not yet reached the channel of the stream.

Having waded nearly half a mile, they came to the channel.

The stream, within its natural banks, was but about forty feet wide.