Tuesday 9th September 1806
Set out early at 8 A.M. passed the enterance of the great
river Platt which is at this time low the water nearly clear the
current turbelant as usial; the Sand bars which choked up the
Missouri and confined the [river] to a narrow Snagey Chanel
are wastd. a way and nothing remains but a fiew Small remains
of the bear [bar] which is covered with drift wood. below the
R. Platt the current of the Missouri becomes evidently more
rapid than above and the Snags much more noumerous and bad
to pass late in the evening we arived at the Bald pated prarie
and encamped imediately opposit our encampment of the 16th. and
17th. of July 1804. haveing made 73 miles only to day. The
river bottoms are extencive rich and covered with tall large
timber, and the hollows of the reveens may be Said to be
covered with timber Such as Oake ash Elm and some walnut
& hickory. our party appears extreamly anxious to get on,
and every day appears [to] produce new anxieties in them to
get to their country and friends. My worthy friend Cap
Lewis has entirely recovered his wounds are heeled up and
he can walk and even run nearly as well as ever he could, the
parts are yet tender &c &c. The Musquetors are yet troublesom,
tho' not so much so as they were above the River platt.
the climate is every day preceptably wormer and air more
Sultery than I have experienced for a long time. the nights
are now so worm that I sleep comfortable under a thin blanket,
a fiew days past 2 was not more than sufficient.
