University of Virginia Library

Monday August 2.nd 1806

Musquetors very troublesom this morning I Set out early
river wide and very much divided by islands and sand and Mud
bars. the bottoms more extencive and contain more timber
Such as Cotton wood ash willow &c. The Country on the
N W. Side rises to a low plain and extends leavel for great
extent. Some high rugid hills in the forepart of this day on
the S E side on which I saw the big horns but could not get

near them. Saw emence numbers of Elk Buffalow and wolves
today, the wolves do catch the elk. I saw 2 wolves in pursute
of [a] doe Elk which I beleive they cought they [were]
very near her when She entered a Small wood in which I
expect they cought her as She did not pass out of the small
wood during my remaining in view of it which was 15 or 20
minits &c. passed the enterance of several brooks on each side,
a small river 30 Yds wide with steep banks on the Stard. Side,
which I call [Ibex] River the river in this days decent is less
rapid crouded with Islds. and muddy bars, and is generally about
one mile in wedth. as the islands and bars frequently hide the
enterance of Brooks &c. from me as I pass'd maney of them I
have not noticed. about 8 A.M. this morning a Bear of the
large vicious species being on a Sand bar raised himself up on
his hind feet and looked at us as we passed down near the
middle of the river. he plunged into the water and swam
towards us, either from a disposition to attack't or from the
cent of the meat which was in the canoes. we Shot him with
three balls and he returned to Shore badly wounded. in the
evening I saw a very large Bear take the water above us. I
ordered the boat to land on the opposit side with a view to
attack't him when he came within shot of the shore. when the
bear was in a fiew paces of the Shore I shot it in the head. the
men hauled her on Shore and proved to be an old Shee which
was so old that her tuskes had worn Smooth, and Much the
largest feemale bear I ever saw. after taking off her Skin, I
proceeded on and encampd. a little above the enterance of Jo:
Fields Creek on Stard. Side in a high bottom covered with low
Ash and elm.[63] the Musquetors excessively troublesom.

I have noticed a great preportion [of] Buck Elks on this
lower part of the river, and but very fiew above. those above
which are emencely noumerous are feemales Generally. Shields
killed a Deer this morning dureing the time we were at Brackfast.
we were very near being detained by the Buffalow to
day which were crossing the river we got through the line
between 2 gangues.

Cours distance and remarks Augt. 2d. 1806

                                             

		M
N.20°. E.	to a bluff point on the Stard. Side passed 3 islands and Several Sandbars. also a large Creek on the Lard. at 4 M.	6
N.40°. E.	to the head of an island, haveing passed the Lower pt. of one	2 1/2
N.10°. E.	to the lower part of alow bluff on the Stard. Side passed a Small island and Several Bars	4.
North	to a Small island near the Lard. Shore a low leavel extencive plain on the Lard. Side	2.
N.70°. E.	to the enterance of a Creek 30 yards wide in a Stard. Bend opposit to a large island [Ibex Creek]	1 1/2
North.	to a point on the Stard. Side passing under a low bluff.	1.
N.20°. E.	to a point of a large island on the Stard. Side	1 1/2
N.70°. E.	to the lower part of a low bluff on Stard Main Shore	1.
N.26°. E.	to some wood below a high bluff Stard. Side. passd. the lower point of the large island at 1/2 a mile and several Sand bars or reather mud islands	1 1/2
N. 12°. W.	to a Stard. point passed two islands and several Muddy & gravelly bars. river about 1 mile wide	6.
N.20°. E.	to a wood on the upper point of an island passd. an island near the Std. and several bars, river 1 M. wide	7.
N.60°. E.	to a Stard. bluff in a bend [above tie Buffalow crossings] passed 2 islands in the middle of the river thickly covered with wood. also passed the head of a 3rd island close to the Stard Side in the bend. passed several bars river wide &c.	13
North.	to a Stard. point passed a Stard. Bluff at 4 Miles passed an island and three Bars	9.
N.45°. E.	to an object in a Stard. Bend passed several sand bars low timbered on each Side (killed a white Bear or one of that Species)	5.
N.10°. E.	to a Stard. point of woods. an extenciv[e] bar on the Lard. Side	3.
N.20°. E.	along the Stard. point, low bluffs on Lard. an extencive bar from the Stard. river more than 1 mile	2.
N.35°. E.	to a thick wood in the center of a Stard. Bend passed several bars. a brook on the Stard. Side bottoms narrow on Stard. river more than 1 mile wide .	4.
N.60°. W.	to a Stard. point, psd. a mud bar on each side of the River	4 1/2
N.10°. E.	to a tree in the Lard. Bend. mudy bar on Stard	1 1/2
N.80°. E.	to a Bluff Point on the Stard. bend some yellow rock just above the water. passed extencive timbered bottoms on each side. river only 300 yds wide	4.
North.	to a high Bluff imediately belowe the enterance of Jo. Fields' Creek on the Stard. Side 35 yds wide river about 3/4 of a mile wide. encamped short of the distance 2 miles on the Star'd side	6
	Miles	86