University of Virginia Library

Saturday 13th. September 1806

rose early Mr. McClellen (an old acquaintance in the army)
gave each man a Dram and a little after Sunrise we Set out
the wind hard a head from the S E at 8 A. M. we landed
at the Camp of the 5 hunters whome we had Sent a head, they
had killed nothing, the wind being too high for us to proceed
in Safty through the eme[n]city of Snags which was imediately
below we concluded to lye by and Sent on the Small canoes

a Short distance to hunt and kill Some meat, we Sent out 2
men in the bottom they soon returned with one turky and
informed that the rushes was so high and thick that it was
impossible to kill any deer. I felt my self very unwell and
derected a little Chocolate which Mr. Mc.Clellin gave us, prepared
of which I drank about a pint and found great relief. at
11 A. M. we proceeded on about 1 mile and come up with the
hunters who had killed 4 deer, here we delayed until 5 P. M.
when the hunters all joined us and we again proceded on down
a fiew miles and encamped on the N. E. Side of the Missouri
haveing decended 18 Miles only to day. the day disagreeably
worm. one man George Shannon left his horn and pouch
with his powder ball and knife and did not think of it untill
night. I walked in the bottom in the thick rushes and the
Growth of timber Common to the Illinois such as cotton wood,
Sycamore, ash mulberry, Elm of different species, walnut,
hickory, horn beem, pappaw arrow wood willow, prickly ash,
&c and Grape vines, pees of 3 species &c &c. Birds most
common the buzzard crow the hooting owl and hawks, &c &c