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July 16, 1804
July 16. We continued our route between a large island
opposite to our last night's encampment, and an extensive prairie
on the south. About six miles, we came to another large island,
called Fairsun island, on the same side; above which is a spot,
where about twenty acres of the hill have fallen into the river.
Near this, is a cliff of sandstone for two miles, which is much
frequented by birds. At this place the river is about one mile
wide, but not deep; as the timber, or sawyers, may be seen,
scattered across the whole of its bottom. At twenty miles distance,
we saw on the south, an island called by the French, l'Isle
Chance, or Bald island, opposite to a large prairie, which we
called Baldpated prairie, from a ridge of naked hills which
bound it, running parallel with the river as far as we could
see, and from three to six miles distance. To the south the
hills touch the river. We encamped a quarter of a mile beyond
this, in a point of woods on the north side. The river continues
to fall.
July 17, 1804
Tuesday, July 17. We remained here this day, in order
to make observations and correct the chronometer, which ran
down on Sunday. The latitude we found to be 40° 27' 5"4/10.
The observation of the time proved our chronometer too slow,
by 6' 51"6/10. The highlands bear from our camp, north 25° west,
up the river. Captain Lewis rode up the country, and saw the
Nishnahbatona, about ten or twelve miles from its mouth, at
a place not more than three hundred yards from the Missouri,
and a little above our camp. It then passes near the foot of
the Baldhills, and is at least six feet below the level of the
Missouri. On its banks are the oak, walnut, and mulberry. The
common current of the Missouri, taken with the log, is 50 fathoms
in 40", at some places, and even 20".
July 18, 1804
Wednesday, July 18. The morning was fair, and a gentle
wind from southeast by south, carried us along between the prairie
on the north, and Bald island to the south: opposite the middle
of which, the Nishnahbatona approaches the nearest to the Missouri.
The current here ran fifty fathoms in 41". At thirteen and a
half miles, we reached an island on the north, near to which
the banks overflow; while on the south, the hills project over
the river and form high cliffs. At one point a part of the cliff,
nearly three quarters of a mile in length, and about two hundred
feet in height, has fallen into the river. It is composed chiefly
of sandstone intermixed with an iron ore of bad quality; near
the bottom is a soft slatestone with pebbles. We passed several
bad sandbars in the course of the day, and made eighteen miles,
and encamped on the south, opposite to the lower point of the
Oven islands. The country around is generally divided into prairies,
with little timber, except on low points, islands, and near
creeks, and that consisting of cottonwood, mulberry, elm, and
sycamore. The river falls fast. An Indian dog came to the bank;
he appeared to have been lost and was nearly starved: we gave
him some food, but he would not follow us.
July 19, 1804
Thursday, July 19. The Oven islands are small, and two
in number; one near the south shore, the other in the middle
of the river. Opposite to them is the prairie, called Terrien's
Oven, from a trader of that name. At four and a half miles,
we reached some high cliffs of a yellow earth, on the south,
near which are two beautiful runs of water, rising in the adjacent
prairies, and one of them with a deerlick, about two hundred
yards from its mouth. In this neighborhood we observed some
iron ore in the bank. At two and a half miles above the runs,
a large portion of the hill, for nearly three quarters of a
mile, has fallen into the river. We encamped on the western
extremity of an island, in the middle of the river, having made
ten and three quarter miles. The river falls a little. The sandbars
which we passed to-day, are more numerous, and the rolling sands
more frequent and dangerous, than any we have seen; these obstacles
increasing as we approach the river Platte. The Missouri here
is wider also than below, where the timber on the banks resists
the current; while here the prairies which approach, are more
easily washed and undermined. The hunters have brought for the
last few days, no quadruped, but deer: great quantities of young
geese are seen to-day: one of them brought calamus, which he
had gathered opposite our encampment, and a large quantity of
sweet-flag.
July 20, 1804
Friday, July 20. There was a heavy dew last night, and
this morning was foggy and cool. We passed at about three miles
distance, a small willow island to the north, and a creek on
the south, about twenty-five yards wide, called by the French,
L'eau qui Pleure, or the Weeping Water, and emptying itself
just above a cliff of brown clay. Thence we made two and a half
miles to another island; three miles further to a third: six
miles beyond which is a fourth island; at the head of which
we encamped on the southern shore; in all eighteen miles. The
party, who walked on the shore to-day, found the plains to the
south, rich, but much parched [30]with frequent fires, and with
no timber, except the scattering trees about the sources of
the runs, which are numerous and fine. On the north, is a similar
prairie country. The river continues to fall. A large yellow
wolf was this day killed. For a month past the party have been
troubled with biles, and occasionally with the dysentery. These
biles were large tumors which broke out under the arms, on the
legs, and, generally, in the parts most exposed to action, which
sometimes became too painful to permit the men to work. After
remaining some days, they disappeared without any assistance,
except a poultice of the bark of the elm, or of Indian meal.
This disorder, which we ascribe to the muddiness of the river
water, has not affected the general health of the party, which
is quite as good, if not better, than that of the same number
of men in any other situation.
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