July 20th. Friday 1804—
a cool
morning passed a large Willow Island (1) on the S.
S. and the mouth of
Creek about 25 yds wide on the L. S.
called by the french l'Eue que [L'Eau qui] pleure, or the Water
which cry's [weeping water], this Creek falls into the river
above a
Clift of brown Clay opposit the Willow Island, I
went out above the mouth
of this Creek and walked the
greater part of the day thro: Plains
interspersed with small
Groves of Timber on the branches, and some
scattering trees
about the heads of the runs, I Killed a verry large
yellow
Wolf, The Soil of those Praries appears rich but much
Parched
with the frequent fires, after I returned to the Boat
we proceeded around
a large Sand bar makeing out from
the L. S. opsd. a
fountain of water comeing out of a hill L. S.
and affording water
Sufficent to turn a mill. The Praries as
far as I was out appeared to be
well watered, with small Streems
of running water Serjt. Pryor & Jo. Fields brought in two
Deer this
evening. a verry Pleasent Breeze from the N. W
all night, river falling a
little. It is worthey of observation
to mention that our Party has been
much healthier on the
Voyage than
parties of the same number is in any other Situation.
Tumers have been troublesom to them
all.
Course distance & refrs.. July 20th..
| N.
18°. E. |
3 |
Ms. to a
pt. on L. S. psd. a Wil: Isd. on S. S. a
Creek on L. S. (1) |
| N. 48°. E |
2 1/2 |
Ms. to a pt. on S. S. of an
Isld. opsd. the upr
pt. on
2d. Isd. which is divided from it by a narrow
Chanl a Deep bend to S. S. |
| N. 5°.
W |
3 |
Ms. to a Lbd. pt. of an
Island |
| North |
6 |
Ms to the pt. of an Isd. on L. S. of sm. |
| N 18°. W |
3
1/2 |
Ms. to a pt. on L S.
high Land psd. the head of
an Isd.
above is a large Sand bar on L.
S. (2) |
|
18 |
|
From this evenings encampment a man may walk to the
Pani [Pawnee] Village on the S bank of the Platt River in two
days, and to the Otteaus in one day,[74]
all those Indians
are
Situated on the South bank of the Platt River, as those Indians
are now out in the Praries following & Hunting the buffalow,
I
fear we will not see them.
