This day one of our hunters brought us a Serpent beautifully variagated with small black spotts of a romboydal form on a light yellow white ground the black pedominates most on the back the whiteis yellow on the sides, and it is nearly white on the belly with a few party couloured scuta on which the black shews but imperfectly and the colouring matter seems to be underneath the Scuta—it is not poisonous it hisses remarkably loud; it has 221 Scuta on the belly and 51 on the tale, the eyes are of a dark black colour the tale terminates in a sharp point like the substance of a cock's spur—Length 4 Ft. 6 I.
[Clark, September 6, 1804]
6th Septr Thursday 1804, a Storm this morning from the N W. at day light which lasted a fiew minits, Set out after the Storm was over and proceeded on a hard wind ahead passed the island which is Seperated from the L. Side by a narrow Channel. the morning is verry Cold.
Camped on S. Side before night no timbering in reach ahead, R. Fields killed 2 Deer Saw Buffalow, & Goats this evening, the river riseing a little
[Clark, September 6, 1804]
Septr. 6th Thursday 1804 a Storm this morning from the N. W. which lasted a fiew minits, we Set out and proceeded on passed the head of the Isd. which is Seperated from the L. S by a narrow Channel, a hard wind from the N. W. a verry Cold day—we Camped on the S. S. at the upper point of Some timber, Some time before night, no timber, no timber being in reach.
I saw Several goats on the hills on the S. S. also Buffalow in great numbers