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From this evenings incampment a man may walk to the Pane Village on the S bank of the Platt River in two days, and to the Otteaus in one day all those Indians are Situated on the South bank of the Plate River, as those Indians are now out in the praries following & Hunting the buffalow, I fear we will not See them.
Drewyer had killed a beaver. at 1 P.M. we resumed our march, leaving the Chopunnish man and his family; he had determined to remain at that place untill the next morning and then pursue the rout he had recommended to us. he requested a small quantity of powder and lead which we gave him. we traveled 17 miles this evening, making a total of 26 Ms. and encamped. the first 3 miles of our afternoons march was through a similar country with that of the forenoon; the creek bottoms then became higher and widened to the extent of from 2 to 3 Ms. the hills on the N. side were low but those on the opposite side retained their hight. we saw a number of deer of which Labuish killed one. the timber on the creek becomes more abundant and it's extensive bottoms affords a pleasent looking country. the guide informs us that we shall now find a plenty of wood water and game quite to the Kooskooske. we saw a great number of the Curloos, some Grains, ducks, prarie larks and several speceis of sparrows common to the praries.
In those Small Praries or glades I saw wild Timothey, lambs-quarter, Cuckle burs; & rich weed. on the edges Grows Sumr. Grapes, Plum's, & Gooseberries. I Joined the boat which had Came to and Camped in a bend opposd. the large Island before mentioned on the L. S. Several men unwell with Boils, Felns, &c. The river falls a little.
There is a remarkable small fox which ascociate in large communities and burrow in the praries something like the small wolf but we have not as yet been able to obtain one of them; they are extreemly watchfull and take reffuge in their burrows which are very deep; we have seen them no where except near these falls.
Soon after we landed three Soues boys Swam across to us, those boys informed us that a Band of Sieux called the Tetons of 80 Lodges wer Camped near the mouth of the next River, and 60 Lodges more a Short distance above them, they had that day Set the praries on fire to let those Camps Know of our approach- we gave those boys two twists of Tobacco to carry to their Chiefs & Warriors to Smoke, with derections to tell them that we wished to Speak to them tomorrow, at the mouth of the next river- Capt Lewis walked on Shore, R F. Killed a She Goat or "Cabbra."
Lewis not returned yet. river falling The river bottoms affording all the timber which is to be seen in the country they are filled with innumerable litle birds that resort thither either for shelter or to build their nests. when sun began to shine today these birds appeared to be very gay and sung most inchantingly; I observed among them the brown thrush, Robbin, turtle dove, linnit goaldfinch, the large and small blackbird, wren and several other birds of less note. some of the inhabitants of the praries also take reffuge in these woods at night or from a storm.
2 Cased Skins of the white hare. 1 Minitarra Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian Dress 1 Mandan Buffalow robe Containing a dressed Lousirva Skin, and 2 Cased Skins of the Burrowing Squirel of the Praries. 13 red fox Skins 4 Horns of the Mountain Ram or big horn. Cage No. 6. Contains a liveing burrowing Squirel of the praries Cage No. 7. Contains 4 liveing magpies Cage No. 9.
Saw Several herds of buffalow Since I arived at this Camp also antilops, wolves, pigions, Dovs, Hawks, ravins, Crows, larks, Sparrows, Eagles & bank martins &c. &c. The wolves which are the constant attendants of the Buffalow are in great numbers on the Scerts of those large gangues which are to be Seen in every direction in those praries
Set out early and continued down the S W bank of the river N 75 E 24 m. to our encampment in a grove of cottonwood timber. the latter part of this course for 7 miles there is no timber in the river bottom, the other parts of the river possesses bottoms of the wide leafed cottonwood. much the greater part of the bottom is untimbered. the bottoms are wide and level the high praries or plains are also beautiful level and smooth. great quantities of prickly pear of two kinds on the plains. the ground is renderd so miry by the rain which fell yesterday that it is excessively fatiegueing to the horses to travel. we came 10 miles and halted for dinner the wind blowing down the river in the fore part of the day was unfavourable to the hunters they saw several gangs of Elk but they having the wind of them ran off. in the evening the wind set from the West and we fell in with a few elk of which R. Fields and myself killed 3 one of which swam the river and fell on the opposite so we therefore lost it's skin I sent the packhorses on with Sergt.
Clark observes for a considerable distance down the Missouri notwithstanding it's rapidity and force. the water of the fountain boil up with such force near it's center that it's surface in that part seems even higher than the surrounding earth which is a firm handsom terf of fine green grass. after amusing myself about 20 minutes in examining the fountain I found myself so chilled with my wet cloaths that I determined to return and accordingly set out; on our way to camp we found a buffaloe dead which we had shot as we came out and took a parsel of the meat to camp it was in very good order; the hump and tongue of a fat buffaloe I esteem great delicasies. on my arrival at camp I was astonished not to find the party yet arrived, but then concluded that probably the state of the praries had detained them, as in the wet state in which they are at present the mud sticks to the wheels is such manner that they are obliged to halt frequently and clense them.
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