28 June Thursday—
took equal altitudes &c. &c. &c. & varaition of the Compass
repaired the Perogue cleaned out the Boat suned our Powder
[and] wollen articles examined every thing 8 or 10 huntrs
out to day in different directions, in examining our Private
Store of Provisions we found Several articles Spoiled from the
wet or dampness they had received, a verry warm
day, the
wind from the South, The river Missourie has raised yesterday
last night & to day about 2 foot.
this evening it is on a
Stand, Captt. Lewis weighed
the water of the Two rivers
The Missourie 78° the Kansais 72°.
(the weight is)[58]
To Describe the most probable of the various
accounts of
this great river of the Kansas, would be too lengthy &
uncertain
to insert here, it heads with the
river Del Noird in the
black Mountain or ridge which Divides the Waters of
the
Kansas Del Nord, & Callarado & [a word
almost illegible;
possibly "offshoots."—Ed.]
from those of the Missourie
(and not well assertaind.)
This river receves its name from a
Nation which dwells at this time on its
banks & [has] 2
villages one about 20 leagues & the other 40
Leagues up,
those Indians are not verry noumerous at this time, reduced
by war with their neighbours, &c, they formerly lived on
the
South banks of the Missourie 24 Leagues above this river
in a open &
butifull plain, and were verry noumerous at the
time the french first Settled the Illinois, I am told
they are
a fierce & warlike people, being badly Supplied with fire
arms,
become easily conquered by the Aiauway & Saukees who are
better furnished with those materials of War, This Nation is
now out
in the Plains hunting the Buffalow
[They consist of
about 300 men] our hunters killed Several Deer and Saw
Buffalow, Men imp
d. [employed] Dressing Skins &
makeing
themselves comfortable, the high lands come to the river
Kansas on the upper Side at about a mile, full in view, and a
butifull place for a fort, good landing-place, the waters of the
Kansas is verry disigreeably tasted to me.
