University of Virginia Library

Tuesday July 22ed. 1806.

We set out very early this morning as usual and proceeded
up the river. for the first seven miles of our travel this morning
the country was broken the land poor and intermixed with
a greater quantity of grave[l] than usual; the ravines were
steep and numerous and our horses feet have become extreemly
soar in traveling over the gravel we therefore traveled
but slow. we met with a doe Elk which we wounded but
did not get her. the river is confined closely between clifts
of perpendicular rocks in most parts. after the distance of
seven miles the country became more level les gravly and
some bottoms to the river but not a particle of timber nor
underbrush of any discription is to be seen, we continued
up the river on it's South side for 17 miles when we halted to
graize our horses and eat; there being no wood we were compelled
to make our fire with the buffaloe dung which I found

answered the purpose very well. we cooked and eat all the
meat we had except a small peice of buffaloe meat which was
a little tainted. after dinner we passed the river and took our
course through a level and beautifull plain on the N. side.
the country has now become level, the river bottoms wide and
the adjoining plains but little elivated above them; the banks
of the river are not usually more than from 3 to four feet yet
it dose not appear ever to overflow them. we found no timber
untill we had traveled 12 miles further when we arrived at a
clump of large cottonwood trees in a beautifull and extensive
bottom of the river about 10 miles below the foot of the rocky
Mountains where this river enters them; as I could see from
hence very distinctly where the river entered the mountains
and the bearing of this point being S of West I thought it
unnecessary to proceed further and therefore encamped resolving
to rest ourselves and horses a couple of days at this place
and take the necessary observations.[28] this plain on which we
are is very high; the rocky mountains to the S. W. of us appear
but low from their base up yet are partially covered with
snow nearly to their bases. there is no timber on those mountains
within our view; they are very irregular and broken in
their form and seem to be composed principally of clay with
but little rock or stone. the river appears to possess at least
double the vollume of water which it had where we first arrived
on it below; this no doubt proceeds from the avapporation
caused by the sun and air and the absorbing of the earth in
it's passage through these open plains. The course of the
mountains still continues from S. E. to N. W. the front
rang[e] appears to terminate abrubtly about 35 ms. to the
N. W. of us. I believe that the waters of the Suskashawan
apporoach the borders of this river very nearly. I now have
lost all hope of the waters of this river ever extending to N.
Latitude 50°. though I still hope and think it more than probable
that both white earth river and milk river extend as far
north as latd. 50°. we have seen but few buffaloe today no deer
and very few Antelopes; gam[e] of every discription is extreemly
wild which induces me to beleive that the Indians are
now, or have been lately in this neighbourhood. we wounded
a buffaloe this evening but our horses were so much fatiegued
that we were unable to pursue it with success.

Courses and distances July 22ed. 1806.

       

N. 30°. W.	7 ms.	with the course of the river upwards. river closely confined between low but steep and rocky Clifts. water transp [ar] ent.
S. 80°. W.	10 ms.	through the plains, the river making a considerable bend to the wright or N. W.
S. 75° W.	11. ms.	through the plains on the N. side of the river which here made a considerable bend to the left or South. we passed the river to it's N. side at one mile from the commencement of this course and again recrossed it at the extremity of the course and encamped on it's S. side.
Ms	28