University of Virginia Library

May 30th Thursday 1805

The rain commenced yesterday evining, and continued
moderately through the course of the night, more rain has
now fallin than we have experienced since the 15th. of September
last, the rain continued this morning, and the wind too
high for us to proceed, untill about 11 oClock at which time
we set out, and proceeded on with great labour, we were
obliged to make use of the Tow rope & the banks were so
muddey & slipery that the men could scercely walk not with
standing we proceeded on as well as we could wind hard
from the N W. in attempting to assend a rapid our toe cord
broke & we turned without injurey, those rapids or shoaley
points are noumerous and dificuelt, one being at the mouth
of every drean Some little rain at times all day one man
assended the high countrey and it was raining & snowing on
those hills, the day has proved to be raw and cold. Back
from the river is tollerably leavel, no timber of any kind on
the hills, and only a fiew scattering cotton willow & ash near
the river, much hard rock, & rich earth, the small portion
of rain which has fallen causes the rich earth as deep as is wet
to slip into the river or bottoms &c.

We discover in several places old encampments of large
bands of Indians, a fiew weeks past and appear to be makeing
up the river. Those Indians we believe to be the Blackfoot
Inds. or Menitares who inhabit the heads of the Saskashowin
& north of this place. and trade a little in the Fort de Prarie
establishments. we camped in a grove of cotton trees on the
Stard Side, river rise 1 1/2 In.

Course & Distance May 30th 1805