University of Virginia Library

October 31st. Thursday 1805.

a cloudey raney morning I proceed down the river to view
it more at leasure, I took Jos. Fields & Peter Crusat and proceeded
on down, Send Crusat back at 2 ms. to examine the rapid
near the shore & I proceeded on down about 10 miles to a very
high rock in a bottom on the Stard. opsd. 2 Islands covered with
timber on which I saw Inds. at a distance; found the river rocky
for 6 miles, after which the current became uniform. at 1 mile
I passed an old deserted village on a Pond on a high situation
of 8 Houses. at 3 ½ miles one house the only remr. of an antient
village ½ a mile lower I saw 8 vaults for the Dead which
was nearly square 8 feet closely covered with broad boa[r]ds
curiously ingraved, the bones in some of those vaults were 4
feet thick, in others the Dead was yet layed side of each other
nearly East & west, [w]raped up & bound securely in robes,

great numbers of trinkets Brass kittles, sea shells, Iron Pan
Hare &c. &c. were hung about the vaults and great maney
wooden gods, or Imeges of men cut in wood, set up around
the vaults, some of those so old and worn by time that they
were nearly worn out of shape, and some of those vaults so old
that they were roted entirely to the ground. not withstanding
they [the] wood is of Pine & [word illegible.—Ed.] or Seder
as also the wooden gods. I can not learn certainly if those
people worship those wooden emiges, they have them in conspicuous
parts of their houses at 5 miles I passed 4 large
houses on the Stard Side a little above the last rapid and
opposit a large Island which is Situated near the Lard Side.
The enhabitents of those houses had left them closely shut up,
They appeared to contain a great deel of property and Provisions
such as those people use. I did not disturb any thing
about those houses, but proceed[ed] on down below the rapid
which I found to be the last, a large village has at some
period been on the Stard Side below this rapid The bottom is
high stoney and about 2 miles wide covered with grass, here
is the head of a large Island in high water, at this time no water
passes on the Stard. Side I walked thro this Island which I
found to be verry rich, open & covered with Strawberry vines,
and has greatly the appearance of having at some period been
cultivated, The natives has dug roots in some parts of this
Isl. which is about 3 miles long & 1 wide, a small Island covered
with timber opposit the lower point no water runs on
the Stard Side of it below and in the middle of the river is a
large Island covered with tall trees opposit the Strawberry
Island on its Stard Side a creek falls in which has no running
water at present, it has the appearance of throwing out emence
torents. I saw 5 Indians in a canoe below. Jo [Fields] killed
a Sand hill Crane & we returned by the same rout to camp at
the grand Shute where I found several Indians, I smoked
Two canoes loaded with fish for the Trade below come down
& unloaded The after noon fare

         

S. 30°. E	1	mile to a Lard Bend passing the Grand Shute which is ¼ of a mile and the water confined within about 150 yards, passing with Tremendeous force, great number of rocks in the upper pt. of this shute, a low pine mountain on the Stad. Side, high one on the Lard Side.
S. 30°. W.	1	mile to a Lard. bend passed several rocks in the river & a rapid at ¾ of a mile the water being confined between large rocks, maney of which is under water. an old village of 8 houses on the Stard. Side on the hill opposit.
S. 45°. W	2	miles to a high rock above the upper point of a large Isld. on the Lard Side, passed maney rocks in different derections, a house on the Stard. at 1 mile just below is 8 Indian vaults in which is great number of dead, raped up their trinkets, & wooden Gods are placed around the vaults, they lie East & west
S. 60°. W	2	miles to a large black rock in a Stard. bend at the commencement of a rapid opsd. lower point of an Island Lard passed a rapid at ½ ml. not bad. several large rocks in the river permiscusly, 4 large Ind. houses without inhabitents on the Stard. Side at 1 ½ mile a Island on the Lard Side extensive high stoney bottoms on the Stard Side
South	2	miles to a creek under a Bluff in a Lard bend passed the rapid ¼ of a mile long. the upper point of a large Island on the Stard. Side no running water on the Stard. Side of it at present this Island high rich and open covered with Strawbery vines a narrow open bottom on the Lard Side

Those Indians cut off the hands of those they kill & preserve
the fingers.