University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:][64]

This deligh[t]full river from indian information has it's extreem
sources with the North river in the Rocky mountains
on the confines of New Mexico. it also most probably has it's
westerly sources connected with [*] the Multnomah and those
(of) the main Southerly branch of [*] (those of)2 Lewis's river
while it's Easterly branches head with those of Clark's R. the
bighorn and River Platte and may be said to water the middle
portion of the Rocky Mountains from N W to S. E. for
several hundred miles. the indians inform us that a good road
passes up this river to it's extreem source from whence it is but
a short distance to the Spanish settlements. [*] there is also a
considerable fall on this river within the mountains but at what
distance from it's source we never could learn. [*] (no)[65]
like all other branches of the Missouri which penetrate the
Rocky Mountains all that portion of it lying within those
mountains abound in fine beaver and Otter, it's streams also
which issuing from the rocky mountain and discharg themselves
above Clark's fork inclusive also furnish an abundance of beaver

and Otter and possess considerable portions of small timber in
their vallies. to an establishment on this river at clarks Fork
the Shoshones both within and West of the Rocky Mountains
would willingly resort for the purposes of trade as they would
in a great measure be relived from the fear of being attacked
by their enimies the blackfoot Indians and Minnetares of fort
de Prarie, which would most probably happen were they to
visit any establishment which could be conveniently formed on
the Missouri. I have no doubt but the same regard to personal
safety would also induce many numerous nations inhabiting
the Columbia and Lewis's river West of the mountains to
visit this establishment in preference to that at the entrance of
Maria's river, particularly during the first years of those Western
establishments. the Crow Indians, Paunch Indians Castahanah's
and others East of the Mountains and south of this
place would also visit this establishment; it may therefore be
looked to as one of the most important establishments of the
western fur trade. at the entrance of Clark's fork[66] there is a
sufficiency of timber to support an establishment, an advantage
that no position possesses from thence to the Rocky Mountains.
The banks of the yellowstone river a[re] bold not very
high yet are not subject to be overflown, except for a few miles
immediately below where the river issues from the mountain.
the bed of this river is almost entirely composed of loose
pebb. nor is it's bed interrupted by chains of rock except in
one place and that even furnishes no considerable obstruction
to it's navigation. as you decend with the river from the
mountain the pebble becomes smaller and the quantity of mud
increased untill you rea[c]h Tongue river where the pebble
ceases and the sand then increases and predominates near it's
mouth. This river can be navigated to greater advantage in
perogues than any other craft yet it possesses suficient debth
of water for battauxs even to the mountains; nor is there any
of those moving sand bars so formidable to the navigation of
many parts of the Missouri.[67] The Bighorn R and Clark's
fork may be navigated a considerable distance in perogues and
canoes. Tongue river is also navigable for canoes a considerable
distance.