17th.. of October Wednesday 1804.—
Set out early a fine morning the wind from the N.W.
after
brackfast I walked on Shore with the Indian Chief &
Interpeters, Saw
Buffalow, Elk and Great numbers of Goats
in large gangues (I am told by
Mr. G. that those animals
winter in the Black
Mountains to feed on timber &c.) and this
is
about the Season they cross from the East of the Missouries
to go to that
Mountain, they return in the Spring and pass
the Missouries in great
numbers (to the plains). This Chief
tells me of a
number of their Treditions about Turtles, Snakes,
&c. and the power of
a perticeler rock or Cove on the next
river which informs of every thing
none of those I think
worth while mentioning. The wind So hard a head the
[boat]
could could not move after 10 oClock. Capt.
Louis took the
altitude of the Sun Latd. 46° 23′. 57″ I killed 3 Deer, and
the
hunters with me killed 3 also, the Indian Shot one but
could not get it, I
scaffeled[42]
up
the Deer & returned & met
the boat after night on the L.S. about 6
miles above the place
we camped last night. one of the men saw a number of
Snakes, Capt. Lewis Saw a large Beaver house S.S. I
cought
a whipprwill Small & not common.[43]
the leaves are
falling
fast. the river wide and full of Sand bars. Great numbers of
verry large Stone on the Sides of the hills & some rock of a
brownish Colour in the Ld. Bend below
this.
Great numbers of Goats are flocking down to the S. Side of
the river, on their way to the Black mountains where they
winter
Those animals return in the Spring in the Same way
& scatter in
different directions.
