University of Virginia Library

IN the last book of the journals proper, Codex N, were a
number of blank pages on which Clark jotted down the
following notes obtained by him from traders and Indians.
The context shows that much of this material was obtained at
dates subsequent to the expedition.—Ed.]

Notes of Information I believe Correct

an establishment was made by a Hunting and trading Company from
St. Louis at the Enterance of the Big horn River into the Rochejhone
437 miles up that river in the fall 1807. from which they Traded with
Sundery bands of Crow Indians, and took the Beaver in their neighbourhood,
in the fall 1809 a Company formed of St. Louis, The St. Louis
Missouri Fur Company with 150 men went into the Rocky Mountains
about the Missouri & Clarks River, for the purpose of takeing the Fur
and made establishments on the River Rochejhone where it enters the
Rocky Mountains one other at the 3 forks of the Missouri and [blank
space in MS.]

The Company which first formed and established at the Bighorn
Joined the St. L M. Fur Compy[1]
"about 100 Miles on a direct line from the enterance of Big horn
River it passes th[r]o one range of the Rocky Mountains,—at this
place on the East Side of the River and imediately below a fork of the
R—, and from the Mountn. there Issues Such a quantity of hot water that
the river is not frozen in the extreem of Winter for maney miles below,
a good Canoe navigation to this Mountain and the river about 40 yds.
wide, it is here contracted to 10 yds. wide only"[2]
a remarkable Lake of about 440 yds. in diameter situated at the foot
of the Rocky Mountains on a west branch of Tongu river (a branch of
Rochejhone) on the side next to the Mnt. the rocks rise from the
waters edge about 30 feet and occupies about half the circumfrance

of the lake which is Circular, the other Side is a butifull plain. This
river is called by the Indians Min-na-e-sa (or big water).

At the head of this river the nativs give an account that there is
frequently herd a loud noise, like Thunder, which makes the earth
Tremble, they State that they seldom go there because their children
Cannot sleep—and Conceive it possessed of spirits, who were averse
that men Should be near them

• Ship tâh-cha a band of Crow Indians of 150 Lodges and about 1500
  soles rove on Big horn River & Rochejhone.

• Ap-shâ-roo-kee [Absaroka] a band of Crow Indians of 200 Lodges and
  about 2000 soles rove on the Tonge River, big horn & River
  Rochejhone.

• (omit this band) a Band of Crow Indians of 50 Lodges rove in the
  Same Cty

• E-cup-scup-pe-âh a Band of Tushapaws Speak their language and Sometimes
  rove on the waters of the Rojhone, of about 80 Lodges 800 soles

On the Tonge & Bighorn and Clarks fork of the Rojhone there is
an abundance of dry Grass of which the Indian horses live dureing
the winter.

from the Fort or enterance of Big horn River the Indians Say a man
on horseback can travel to the Spanish Settlements in 14 days on
the head of Del Norte.

Misselanious Notes Given by a Trader.

This Saline he visited last Winter, when he observed its Situation
Particularly as also eve[r]y Circumstance in relation to its Peculiarities.
It is Situated on the east Side of the first of what are usually called the
three forks of the Arcansas river[3] within a quarter of a league of that
Stream. This Junction called the three forks of the Arcansas is estimated
is at two hundred and forty leagues from its Junction of the
Mississippi.

At the mouth of the small stream which discharges itself from this
saline their is a thick Wood which Continues on both Sides of the
Same Within a small distance of the Saline Near this place are several
remarkable Salines One of Which in Particular contains about 4 acres
it contains a Variety of Springs which boil from the ground and hence
they have obtained amoung the Indians [the name of] the Pots so
strong is the water that the Salt concretes as it comes from the ground
and forms a kind of rim around the edges

Great Saline to the westward of the main branch of the Arkansaw.
From the Osage Town on the Osage River 11 days travel to the Great
saline From St. Louis to the Osage Village thence West 120 leagues
to the great saline Situated on a Southern branch of the river Arkansas
called niscud [Ne-ne-scah] and by the French the River of the grand
Saline which after pursuing a course of about 40 leagues discharges
itself into the Arkansas about 30 leagues due West, from the great
Saline and Situated on the S W Side of a considerable Southern branch
of the Arkansas Islands [is] the Saline which Produces the Purest rock
Salt. it is of white a clear colour, this Stream is called by the Osages
the Na chu richin gar. 30 leagues below this Saline and on the same
side of that stream is Situated the red Saline so named from the Colour
of the Salt it lies S. W. 20 leagues from the great Saline this stream discharges
itself into the Arcansaw about 20 leagues of [up] that river, after
travrseing the country for about 60 leagues, after it passes the red Saline.

The Pot Saline Situated on the Eastern bank of the most Easterlye
of the three forks of the Arcansaw River about 10 leagues from its
mouth this stream is navigable to the Saline and maney miles above it
for Peroagues or light boats.

Two other Salines of inferior note are found West from the Osage
Village. The first 55 leagues W. near the head of the Middle fork of
the Arkansas calld Vai ce ton hand bos The other bearing a little South
of West from the same & distant from it about 30 leagues the last is
near the Main river Arkansas On its North Side I II & denotes the
Villages of the snake lizzard and squirrel

In the Parris (Prarie) County at the head of the river Cansies
[Kansas] is a large Saline of the same nature of the great Saline of
th[e] Osages The narrowest part of the Osage country is 300 Miles
bordering on the Mississippi

The names of the Forts or British Trading Establishments on the
Ossiniboine

               

		L.S.
1st	Que[e]ns Fort[4] (La prairie)	20	from	red river
2.	Mouse River fort	58	d°	38
3.	Hump Mountain fort	83	d°	25
4.	Catapie River (the rout to the Missouri 150 miles)	99	d°	16
5.	Swan River	114	d°	15
6.	Coude de l'homme (or Mans Elbow)	129	d°	15
7.	Sourse at Lake Manitou	149	d°	20

red river of Lake Osnepegui[5] 285 Leagues long (Hay) Wooded &
low on both Sides

The streams of the Missouri near and within those mountains abound
in beaver & Otter.

The muddyness of the Missoury is caused by the washing in of its
banks—within the rocky mountains the water is Clear.

The pumies stone which is found as low as the Illinois Country is
formd. by the banks or stratums of Coal taking fire and burning the
earth imediately above it into either pumies stone or Lavia, this Coal
Country is principally above the Mandans.

The Country from the Mississippi to the River platt—630 miles
furnishes a sufficient qty of wood for Settlements—above that River
the Country becomes more open, and wood principally confined to
river & Creek bottoms. the uplands furtile and open, with some
exceptions on the Rockejhone R. Capt. Clark saw some Pine
Country. and the ranges of low Black Mountains are covered with
wood. most of the large Rivers fall in on the south side of the
Missouri.