Still the current was so strong that one of the best swimmers took in his teeth the end of a rope attached to the boat and swam ahead, that, reaching the shore, he might assist in drawing her over.

Six passages were successfully made and six carts with most of their contents were transported across.

Night was approaching, and it was very desirable that everything should be upon the other side before the darkness closed in.
"I put," says Lieutenant Fremont, "upon the boat the two remaining carts.
The man at the helm was timid on the water and, in his alarm, capsized the boat.

Carts, barrels, boxes and bales were, in a moment, floating down the current.

But all the men who were on the shore jumped into the water without stopping to think if they could swim, and almost everything, even heavy articles, was recovered.