July 11th 1806.
the morning was fair and the plains looked beatifull the grass
much improved by the late rain. the air was pleasant and a
vast assemblage of little birds which croud to the groves on
the river sung most enchantingly. we set out early. I sent
the hunters down Medicine river to hunt Elk and proceeded
with the party across the plain to the white bear Islands which I
found to be 8 Ms. distant my course S. 75 E. through a level
beautifull and extensive high plain covered with immence hirds
of buffaloe. it is now the season at which the buffaloe begin
to coppelate and the bulls keep a tremendious roaring we
could hear them for many miles and there are such numbers
of them that there is one continual roar. our horses had not
been acquainted with the buffaloe they appeared much allarmed
at their appearance and bellowing. when I arrived in sight of
the white-bear Islands the missouri bottoms on both sides of
the river were crouded with buffaloe I sincerely beleif that
there were not less than 10 thousand buffaloe within a circle
of 2 miles arround that place. I met with the hunters at a
little grove of timber opposite to the island where they had
killed a cow and were waiting our arrival. they had met with
no elk. I directed the hunters to kill some buffaloe as well
for the benifit of their skins to enable us to pass the river as
for their meat for the men I meant to leave at this place. we
unloaded our horses and encamped opposite to the Islands.
had the cow skined, and some willows sticks collected to make
canoes of the hides by 12 OCk. they killed eleven buffaloe
most of them in fine order. the bulls are now generally much
fatter than the cows and are fine beef. I sent out all hands
with the horses to assist in but[c]hering and bringing in the
meat by 3 in the evening. we had brought in a large quantity
of fine beef and as many hides as we wanted for canoes shelters
and geer. I then set all hands to prepare two canoes the one
we made after the mandan fassion with a single skin in the form
of a bason and the other we constructed of two skins on a plan
of our own. we were unable to compleat our canoes this evening.
the wind blew very hard. we continued our operations
untill dark and then retired to rest. I intend giving my horses
a couple of days rest at this place and deposit all my baggage
which is not necessary to my voyage up medicine river.
[17]
