University of Virginia Library

Saturday 31st. of July 1806

I was much disturbed last night by the noise of the buffalow
which were about me. one gang swam the river near our
Camp which alarmed me a little for fear of their Crossing our

Canoes and Splitting them to pieces. Set out as usial about
Sun rise passed a rapid which I call wolf rapid from the circumstance
of one of those animals being at the rapid. here
the river approaches the high mountainous country on the
N W. Side. those hills appear to be composed of various
coloured earth and coal without much rock. I observe several
conical pounds (mounds) which appear to have been burnt.
this high country is washed into curious formed mounds &
hills and is cut much with reveens. the country again opens
and at the distance of 23 miles below the Redstone [or War
har-sah] River I landed in the enterance of a small river on
the Stard. Side 40 yards wid[e] shallow and muddy. it has
lately been very high. haveing passed the Enterance of a
River on the Lard. Side 100 yards wide which has running
water. this river I take to be the one the Menetarres Call
little wolf or Sa-a-shah River[60] The high Country is entirely
bar of timber. great quantities of Coal or carbonated wood is
to be seen in every Bluff and in the high hills at a distance on
each side. Saw more Buffalow and Elk and antilopes this
evening than usial. 18 Miles below the last river on the
Stard. Side, I passed one 60 yards wide which had running
water. this Stream I call Qak-tar-pon-er or Coal River [it] has
very steep banks on each side of it.[61] passed several large
Brooks some of them had a little running water, also Several
Islands some high black looking Bluffs and encamped on the
Stard. Side on a low point. the country like that of yesterday
is open extencive plains. as I was about landing this evening
Saw a white bear and the largest I ever saw eating a dead
buffalow on a sand bar. we fired two shot into him, he Swam
to the main Shore and walked down the bank. I landed and
fired 2 more shot into this tremendious animal without killing
him. night comeing on we could not pursue him he bled
profusely. Showers all this day.

Course distance and Remarks 31st July 1806

                                             

	M
S.80°. E. to a Bluff in a Stard. Bend passed a Low Bluff on the Stard. Side	1 1/2
N.28°. W. to a high Bluff on the Stard. Side. passed wolf rapid (not bad)	1/2
N.80°. W. to a Bluff under a very high rugid hill or low Mtn. on the Lard. Side opposit a timbered point	2 1/2
N.10°.E. to the enterance of a dry brook on the Lard. Side. passed under a high Bluff of different coloured earth on the Lard. Side. high prarie on the Stard. Side	1.
East to a Lard point at a fiew cotton wood trees	1.
N.55°. E. to a Lard. point passed a Stard. point at 1 mile high coal bluffs on the Lard Side	3.
N.45°. E. to a red bluff on the Lard. Side. passed a Std point	1 1/2
East to a Stard. Bend passed two Lard and one Stard points passed a river 100 yards wide on the Lard. Side, shallow and the water muddy, low Bluffs	6.
N. 60°. E. to an island close to the Stard. point passed a Std point and a Lard point river narrow	3.
N.30°. E. to the enterance of a river in the Stard. Bend 40 yds. wide Steep coal banks on each side of this little river. about 4 feet deep & Muddy. Coal river	2.
N.10°. W. to a high Bluff on Lard. Side (rugid)	1 1/2
East to the enterance of a brook below the Lard. Bluff. passed a Stard point. also a high Bluff on the Lard. Side laterly sliped into the river	2 1/2
S. 45°. E. to a Lard. point	1.
N.45°. E. to the head of an island near the Stard. Side. low coal bluffs on Stard Side. passed a Brook on Stard. Side	6
N.20°. E. to the enterance of a brook in the Lard Bend opposit to an island near the Stard. Side	4
N.70°. E to the lower part of a Stard Bluff at the enterance of a river 60 yards wide with deep banks on each side passed a small island. river muddy & Shallow	3.
N.30°. W. to a Lard. Bluff opsd a Stard. point	3.
N. 80°. E. to the enterance of a creek below a Stard Bluff opposit to an island. passed a brook on Lard Side at 1 Mile. one on Stard at 3 miles and an island close to the Stard Side at 2 miles	6.
N. 12°. E. to the lower part of a Stard. Bluff in a bend opposit to an island	3.
N.70°. W. to the lower point of an island psd. sand bars in different parts of the river	1 1/2
N.5°. W. to a single tree on a low Lard Bluff below the enterance of a Brook on the Lard. Side. Encampd. opposit on the Stard. Side[62]	2 1/2
Miles	66