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August 21, 1804
August 21. The same breeze from the southeast carried
us by a small willow creek on the north, about one mile and
a half above Floyd's river. Here began a range of bluffs which
continued till near the mouth of the great Sioux river, three
miles beyond Floyd's. This river comes in from the north, and
is about one hundred and ten yards wide. Mr. Durion, our Sioux
interpreter, who is well acquainted with it, says that it is
navigable upwards of two hundred miles to the falls, and even
beyond them; that its sources are near those of the St. Peters.
He also says, that below the falls a creek falls in from the
eastward, after passing through cliffs of red rock: of this
the Indians make their pipes; and the necessity of procuring
that article, has introduced a sort of law of nations, by which
the banks of the creek are sacred, and even tribes at war meet
without hostility at these quarries, which possess a right of
asylum. Thus we find even among savages certain principles deemed
sacred, by which the rigors of their merciless system of warfare
are mitigated. A sense of common danger, where stronger ties
are wanting, gives all the binding force of more solemn obligations.
The importance of preserving the known and settled rules of
warfare among civilized nations, in all their integrity, becomes
strikingly evident; since even savages, with their few precarious
wants, cannot exist in a state of peace or war where this faith
is once violated. The wind became southerly, and blew with such
violence that we took a reef in our sail: it also blew the sand
from the bars in such quantities, that we could not see the
channel at any distance ahead. At four and a quarter miles,
we came to two willow islands, beyond which are several sandbars;
and at twelve miles, a spot where the Mahas once had a village,
now no longer existing. We again passed a number of sandbars,
and encamped on the south; having come twenty-four and three
quarter miles. The country through which we passed has the same
uniform appearance ever since we left the river Platte: rich
low-grounds near the river, succeeded by undulating prairies,
with timber near the waters. Some wolves were seen to-day on
the sandbeaches to the south; we also procured an excellent
fruit, resembling a red currant, growing on a shrub like the
privy, and about the height of a wild plum.
August 22, 1804
August 22. About three miles distance, we joined the
men who had been sent from the Maha village with our horses,
and who brought us two deer. The bluffs or hills which reach
the river at this place, on the south, contain allum, copperas,
cobalt which had the appearance of soft isinglass, pyrites,
and sandstone, the two first very pure. Above this bluff comes
in a small creek on the south, which we call Rologe creek. Seven
miles above is another cliff, on the [50]same side, of allum
rock, of a dark brown color, containing in its crevices great
quantities of cobalt, cemented shells, and red earth. From this
the river bends to the eastward, and approaches the Sioux river
within three or four miles. We sailed the greater part of the
day, and made nineteen miles to our camp on the north side.
The sandbars are as usual numerous: there are also considerable
traces of elk; but none are yet seen. Captain Lewis in proving
the quality of some of the substances in the first cliff, was
considerably injured by the fumes and taste of the cobalt, and
took some strong medicine to relieve him from its effects. The
appearance of these mineral substances enable us to account
for disorders of the stomach, with which the party had been
affected since they left the river Sioux. We had been in the
habit of dipping up the water of the river inadvertently and
making use of it, till, on examination, the sickness was thought
to proceed from a scum covering the surface of the water along
the southern shore, and which, as we now discovered, proceeded
from these bluffs. The men had been ordered, before we reached
the bluffs, to agitate the water, so as to disperse the scum,
and take the water, not at the surface, but at some depth. The
consequence was, that these disorders ceased: the biles too
which had afflicted the men, were not observed beyond the Sioux
river. In order to supply the place of sergeant Floyd, we permitted
the men to name three persons, and Patrick Gass having the greatest
number of votes was made a sergeant.
August 23, 1804
August 23. We set out early, and at four miles came to
a small run between cliffs of yellow and blue earth: the wind,
however, soon changed, and blew so hard from the west, that
we proceeded very slowly; the fine sand from the bar being driven
in such clouds, that we could scarcely see. Three and a quarter
miles beyond this run, we came to a willow island, and a sand
island opposite, and encamped on the south side, at ten and
a quarter miles. On the north side is an extensive and delightful
prairie, which we called buffalo [51]prairie, from our having
here killed the first buffalo. Two elk swam the river to-day
and were fired at, but escaped: a deer was killed from the boat;
one beaver was killed; and several prairie wolves were seen.
August 24, 1804
August 24. It began to rain last night, and continued
this morning: we proceeded, however, two and a quarter miles,
to the commencement of a bluff of blue clay, about one hundred
and eighty, or one hundred and ninety feet on the south side:
it seems to have been lately on fire; and even now the ground
is so warm that we cannot keep our hands in it at any depth:
there are strong appearances of coal, and also great quantities
of cobalt, or a crystalized substance resembling it. There is
a fruit now ripe which looks like a currant, except that it
is double the size, and grows on a bush like a privy, the size
of a damson, and of a delicious flavor; its Indian name means
rabbit-berries. We then passed, at the distance of about seven
miles, the mouth of a creek on the north side, called by an
Indian name, meaning Whitestone river. The beautiful prairie
of yesterday, has changed into one of greater height, and very
smooth and extensive. We encamped on the south side, at ten
and a quarter miles, and found ourselves much annoyed by the
mosquitoes.
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