Wednesday May 22d. 1805.
The wind blew so violently this morning that we did not
think it prudent to set out untill it had in some measure
abated; this did not happen untill 10 A.M. when we proceeded
principally by the toe lines. the bottoms somewhat
wider than usual, the lands fertile or apparently so tho' the
short grass and the scantey proportion of it on the hills would
indicate no great fertility. passed Windy Island on Lard. at
1. M. 5 1/2 Miles above passed a large Island in a bend on
Stard. side, and three miles further on the same side passed the
entrance of grows[e] Creek 20 Yds. wide, affords but little water.
this creek we named from seeing a number of the pointed tail
praire hen near it's mouth, these are the fi[r]st we have seen
in such numbers for some days. I walked on shore this
morning the country is not so broken as yesterday tho' still
high and roling or wavy; the hills on Lard. side possess more
pine than usual, some also on the Stard. hills. Salts and other
mineral appearances as usual. the river continues about the
same width or from 200 to 250 y
ds. wide, fewer sandbars and
the courant more gentle and regular; game not so abundant as
below the Muscle Shell river. I killed a deer in the course of
my walk today. Capt. C. also walked out this evening and
took a view of the country from a conspicuous point and found
it the same as has been discribed. we have caught but few fish
since we left the Mandans, they do not bite freely, what we
took were the white cat of 2 to 5 lbs. I presume that fish are
scarce in this part of the river. We encamped earlyer this
evening than usual in order [to] render the oil of a bear which
we killed. I do not believe that the Black bear common to
the lower part of this river and the Atlantic States, exists in
this quarter; we have neither seen one of them nor their tracks,
which would be easily distinguished by it's shortness of tallons
when compared with the brown grizly or white bear. I believe
that it is the same species or family of bears which assumes all
those colours at different ages and seasons of the year.
Courses and distances May 22ed. 1805.
| S. 30°. E. |
To the lower point of an Island situated in a bend
on Lard. side |
1/4 |
| West |
Along the Stard. side passing the upper point of the
Island at 3/4 of a mile high land Ld. |
3. |
| S. 70°. W. |
to a point of woodland on the Stard. passing under
a bluff on Lard. opposite to an Island in a bend
to the Stard. |
3 1/4 |
| N. 45°. W. |
To a point of timber on the Lard. side |
2. |
| West. |
To the mouth of a creek on the Stard. side in a deep
bend to the Stard. |
1. |
| South. |
To a point of high wood on Stard. passing a Lard.
point at 1/2. M. and over a willow bar from Std. |
1 1/2 |
| S. 65°. W. |
Along the Stard. point, opposite to a bluff on Lard.
covered with pine |
1/4 |
| West. |
To a point of woodland on the Lard. side opposite
to a bluff |
1. |
| S. 30. W. |
To a willow point on the Stard. side |
2. |
| S. 60. W. |
To a point of woodland on Stard. side, where we
encamped;[21]
a bluff opposite. |
2 1/4 |
|
Miles |
16. 1/2 |
