University of Virginia Library

October 30th. Wednesday 1805

A cool morning, a moderate rain all the last night, after
eating a partial brackfast of venison we Set out passed several
places where the rocks projected into the river & have the
appearance of haveing Seperated from the mountains and fallen
promiscuisly into the river, Small nitches are formed in the
banks below those projecting rocks which is comon in this
part of the river, Saw 4 Cascades caused by Small Streams
falling from the mountains on the Lard. Side, a remarkable
circumstance in this part of the river is, the Stumps of pine
trees are in maney places, are at Some distance in the river,
and gives every appearance of the river being damed up below
from some cause which I am not at this time acquainted with,

the current of the river is also verry jentle not exceeding 1-½
mile pr. hour and about ¾ of a mile in width, Some rain, we
landed above the mouth of a Small river on the Stard. Side and
Dined, J. Shields Killed a Buck & Labeash 3 Ducks, here
the river widens to about one mile large Sand bar in the middle,
a great [rock] both in and out of the water, large Stones or
rocks are also permiscuisly scattered about in the river, this
day we Saw Some fiew of the large Buzzard Capt. Lewis Shot
at one, those Buzzards are much larger than any other of
ther Spece or the largest Eagle white under part of their wings
&c. The bottoms above the mouth of this little river[28] is
m[u]ch covered with grass & firn & is about ¾ of a mile wide
rich and rises gradually, below the river (which is 60 yards
wide above its mouth,) the Countery rises with steep assent.
we call this little river from a Speces of Ash [new Timbered]
that wood [Ash] which grows on its banks [is] of a verry large
[size] and different [kind] from any we had before Seen, and a
timber resembling the beech in bark but different in its leaf
which is Smaller, and the tree Smaller.[29] passed maney large
rocks in the river and a large creek on the Stard. Side in the
mouth of which is an Island[30] passed on the right of 3 Islands
near the Stard. Side, and landed on an Island close under the
Stard. Side at the head of the great Shute, and a little below a
village of 8 large houses on a Deep bend on the Stard. Side, and
opposit 2 Small Islands imediately in the head of the Shute,
which Islands are covered with Pine, maney large rocks also,
in the head of the Shute. Ponds back of the houses, and
countrey low for a short distance. The day proved cloudy
dark and disagreeable with some rain all day which kept us
wet. The countary a high mountain on each side thickly
covered with timber, such as Spruce, Pine, Cedar, oake Cotton
&c. &c. I took two men and walked down three miles to
examine the Shute and river below proceeded along an old
Indian path, passd. an old village at 1 mile on an ellevated
Situation of, this village contained verry large houses built in
a different form from any I had seen, and laterly abandoned,
and the most of the boa[r]ds put into a pond of water near the
village, as I conceived to drown the flees, which was emensely
noumerous about the houses, I found by examonation that
we must make a portage of the greater perpotion of our stores
2-½ miles, and the canoes we could haul over the rocks, I
returned at Dark Capt. Lewis and 5 men had just returned
from the village, Capt. L. informed me that he found the
nativs kind, they gave him berries, nuts & fish to eate; but he
could get nothing from them in the way of information. The
greater part of the inhabitants of this Village being absent
down the river Some distance colecting roots Capt. L. Saw
one gun and Several articles which must have been precured
from the white people. a wet disagreeable evening, the only
wood we could get to burn on this little Island on which we
have encamped is the newly discovered Ash, which makes a
tolerable fire. we made fifteen miles to daye.