Thursday 18th of September 1806
we rose early Capt. McClellin wrote a letter and we took
our leave, and proceeded on passed the Grand river at 7
A. M. a Short distance below we came up with our hunters,
they had killed nothing. at 10 oClock we came too and
gathered pottows [papaws] to eate we have nothing but a
fiew Buisquit to eate and are partly compelled to eate poppows
which we find in great quantities on the Shores, the weather
we found excessively hot as usial. the lands fine particularly
the bottoms. a charming Oake bottom on the S. E. Side of
the Missouri above the 2 charletons rivers we find the current
of this part of the Missouri much more jentle than it was as
we assended, the water is now low and where it is much confin'd
it is rapid. we saw very little appearance of deer, saw
one bear at a distance and 3 turkeys only to day. our party
entirely out of provisions subsisting on poppaws. we divide[d]
the buiskit which amounted to nearly one buisket per man,
this in addition to the poppaws is to last us down to the
Settlement's which is 150 miles the party appear perfectly
contented and tell us that they can live very well on the
pappaws. we made 52 miles to day only. one of our party
J. Potts complains very much of one of his eyes which is burnt
by the Sun from exposeing his face without a cover from the
Sun. Shannon also complains of his face & eyes &c. Encamped
on an Island nearly opposit to the enterance of Mine
river.
