[Clark, September 21, 1804]
21st of September Friday 1804 at half past one oClock this morning the Sand bar on which we Camped began to under mind and give way which allarmed the Sergeant on Guard, the motion of the boat awakened me; I get up & by the light of the moon observed that the land had given away both above and below our Camp & was falling in fast. I ordered all hands on as quick as possible & pushed off, we had pushed off but a few minets before the bank under which the Boat & perogus lay give way, which would Certainly have Sunk both Perogues, by the time we made the opsd. Shore our Camp fell in, we made a 2d Camp for the remainder of the night & at Daylight proceeded on to the Gouge of this Great bend and Brackfast, we Sent a man to measure step off the Distance across the gouge, he made it 2000 yds. The distance arround is 30 mes. The hills extend thro the gouge and is about 200 foot above the water—in the bend as also the opposite Sides both abov and below the bend is a butifull inclined Plain in which there is great numbers of Buffalow, Elk & Goats in view feeding & Scipping on those Plains Grouse, Larks & the Prarie bird is Common in those Plains. we proceeded on passed a (1) willow Island below the mouth of a Small river called Tylors R about 35 yds. wide which corns in on the L. S. 6 miles above the Gorge of the bend, at the mouth of this river the two hunters a head left a Deer & its Skin also the Skin of a white wolfwe observe an emence number of Plover of Different kind Collecting and takeing their flight Southerly, also Brants which appear to move in the same Direction. The Cat fish is Small and not So plenty as below (2) The Shore on each Side is lined with hard rough Gulley Stones of different Sides, which has roled from the hills & out of Small brooks, Ceder is comon here, This day is worm, the wind which is not hard blows from the S. E, we Camped at the lower point of the Mock Island on the S. S. this now Connected with the main land, it has the appearance of once being an Island detached from the main land Covered with tall Cotton wood—we Saw Some Camps and tracks of the Seaux which appears to be old three or four weeks ago—one frenchman I fear has got an abscess on his they, he complains verry much we are makeing every exertion to releiv him The Praries in this quarter Contains Great qts. of Prickley Pear.
[Clark, September 22, 1804]
22nd September Satturday 1804 a thick fog this morning untill 7 oClock which detained us, Saw Some old tracks of the Indians on the S. S. proceeded on—one French man with a abscess on his thigh which pains him verry much for 10 or 12 Days a butifull Plain on both Sides low high land under which there is a number of lage Stone, we See great numbers of Buffalow feeding
[Clark, September 22, 1804]
A continuation of notes taken assending the Missourie in 1804-by W. Clark Satturday the 22nd of September 1804- A Thick fog this morning detained us untill 7 oClock, The plains on both Sides of the River is butifull and assends gradually from the river; noumerous herds of Buffalow to be Seen in every derections, (1) Took the altitude of the Sun & found the Lattitude to be 44° 11' 33" N- (2) passed a Small Island on the L. S. and one on the S. S. imediately above, & about 3 m. long, on the L. S. opposit this Island a Creek of about 15 yds wide mouthes, Called the Creek of the 3 Sisters (3) passed Cedar Island 11/2 M. long & 1 M. wide Situated a little above the last and nearest the S. S.near the upper part of this Island on its S. Side a Tradeing fort is Situated built of Cedar-by a Mr. Louiselle of St Louis, for the purpose of Tradeing with the Teton Bands of Soues (or "Sieux") about this Fort I saw numbers of Indians Temporary Lodges, & horse Stables, all of them round and to a point at top, I observed also numbers of Cotton Trees fallen for the purpose of feeding their horses on the Bark of the limbs of those trees which is Said to be excellent food for the horses—we came too on the S. S. below a Small Island called Goat island, passed a no. of large round Stones, Som distance in the river as also in the Sides of the hills,—I walked on the Shore this evening and Killed a verry large Deer—our hunters Killed 2 Deer & a Beaver, they Complain of the Mineral quallities of the high land distroying their mockersons-.