University of Virginia Library

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85

Monday 20th.. May 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we Set off as usal. one of the
hunters caught a beaver last night. abt. nine oC. we passed the
mouth of a Creek on the S. S. and a handsom bottom of c.[otton]
wood timber. one of the hunters killed a Deer another
killed a beaver. we proceeded on passed pitch pine & ceeder
hills on each Side [of the] River. about 11 oClock, we arived
at the mouth of Mussell Shell River on the S. S. this River is
110 yards wide and the Missourie 222 yards wide at this place,
and 2271 miles from the mouth of the Missourie River. we
encamped here on the point between the 2 rivers which is
a large bottom covered with C. wood timber. we delayed
here all day for observations &c. found the latitude 47°, 24′
North the hunters killed at this place Eight Deer 4 Elk one
woolf and remained here all the afternoon & Camped for the
night 2 men Stayed out hunting beaver all night. we came
only 6 miles this morning.