The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Part 139

Children Your Great father the Chief of all the white people has derected me to inform his red children to be at peace with each other, and the white people who may come into your country under the protection of the Flag of your great father which you. those people who may visit you under the protection of that flag are good people and will do you no harm

Children Your great father has detected me to tell you not to suffer your young and thoughtless men to take the horses or property of your neighbours or the white people, but to trade with them fairly and honestly, as those of his red children below.

Children The red children of your great father who live near him and have opened their ears to his counsels are rich and hapy have plenty of horses cows & Hogs fowls bread &c.&c. live in good houses, and sleep sound. and all those of his red children who inhabit the waters of the Missouri who open their ears to what I say and follow the counsels of their great father the President of the United States, will in a fiew years be as hapy as those mentioned &c.

Children It is the wish of your Great father the Chief of all the white people that some 2 of the princ.i.p.al Chiefs of this ____ Nation should Visit him at his great city and receive from his own mouth. his good counsels, and from his own hands his abundant gifts, Those of his red children who visit him do not return with empty hands, he send them to their nation loaded with presents

Children If any one two or 3 of your great chiefs wishes to visit your great father and will go with me, he will send you back next Summer loaded with presents and some goods for the nation. You will then see with your own eyes and here with your own years what the white people can do for you. they do not speak with two tongues nor promis what they can't perform

Children Consult together and give me an answer as soon as possible your great father is anxious to here from (& see his red children who wish to visit him) I cannot stay but must proceed on & inform him &c.

[Clark, July 24, 1806]

Thursday 24th July 1806.

had all our baggage put on board of the two Small Canoes which when lashed together is very Study and I am Convinced will the party I intend takeing down with me. at 8 A M. we Set out and proceeded on very well to a riffle about 1 mile above the enterance of Clarks fork or big horn river at this riffle the Small Canoes took in a good deel of water which obliged us to land a little above the enterance of this river which the ____ has called Clarks fork to dry our articles and bail the Canoes. I also had Buffalow Skin tacked on So as to prevent the waters flacking in between the Two canoes. This last River is 150 yards wide at it's Mouth and 100 a Short destance up the water of a light Muddy Colour and much Colder than that of the Rochejhone a Small Island is Situated imediately in its mouth, the direction of this river is South and East of that part of the rocky mountains which Can be seen from its enterance and which Seem to termonate in that direction.--I thought it probable that this might be the big horn river, and as the Rochejhone appeared to make a great bend to the N. I deturmined to Set the horses across on S. Side. one Chanel of the river pa.s.ses under a high black bluff from one mile below the place we built the Canoes to within 3 miles of the enterance of Clarks fork when the bottoms widen on each side those on the Stard Side from 1/2 to a mile in width. river much divided by Islands. at 6 ms. below the fork I halted on a large Island Seperated from the Stard. Sh.o.r.e by a narrow Channel, on this This being a good place to Cross the river I deturmined to wait for Sergt. pryor and put him across the river at this place. on this Island I observd a large lodge the Same which Shannon informed me of a fiew days past.

this Lodge a council lodge, it is of a Conocil form 60 feet diamuter at its base built of 20 poles each pole 21/2 feet in Sec.u.mpheranc and 45 feet Long built in the form of a lodge & covered with bushes. in this Lodge I observed a Cedar bush Sticking up on the opposit side of the lodge fronting the dore, on one side was a Buffalow head, and on the other Several Sticks bent and Stuck in the ground. a Stuffed Buffalow skin was Suspended from the Center with the back down. the top of those poles were deckerated with feathers of the Eagle & Calumet Eagle also Several Curious pieces of wood bent in Circleler form with sticks across them in form of a Griddle hung on tops of the lodge poles others in form of a large Sturrip. This Lodge was errected last Summer. It is Situated in the Center of a butifull Island thinly Covered with Cotton wood under which the earth which is rich is Covered with wild rye and a Species of gra.s.s resembling the bluegra.s.s, and a mixture of Sweet gra.s.s which the Indian plat and ware around their necks for its cent which is of a Strong sent like that of the Vinella after Dinner I proceeded on pa.s.sed the enterance of a Small Creek and Some wood on the Stard. Side where I met with Sergt. Pryor, Shannon & Windser with the horses they had but just arived at that place. Sergt. Pryor informed me that it would be impossible for the two men with him to drive on the horses after him without tireing all the good ones in pursute of the more indifferent to keep them on the Course. that in pa.s.sing every gangue of buffalow Several of which he had met with, the loos horses as Soon as they Saw the Buffalow would imediately pursue them and run around them.

All those that Speed suffient would head the buffalow and those of less Speed would pursue on as fast as they Could. he at length found that the only practiacable method would be for one of them to proceed on and when ever they Saw a gang of Buffalow to Scear them off before the horses got up. This disposition in the horses is no doubt owing to their being frequently exercised in chasing different animals by their former owners the Indians as it is their Custom to chase every Speces of wild animal with horses, for which purpose they train all their horses. I had the horses drove across the river and Set Sergt. Pryor and his party across. H. Hall who cannot Swim expressed a Wiliness to proceed on with Sergt. Pryor by land, and as another man was necessary to a.s.sist in driveing on the horses, but observed he was necked, I gave him one of my two remaining s.h.i.+rts a par of Leather Legins and 3 pr. of mockersons which equipt him Completely and Sent him on with the party by land to the Mandans. I proceeded on the river much better than above the enterance of the Clarks fork deep and the Current regularly rapid from 2 to 300 yards in width where it is all together, much divided by islands maney of which are large and well Supplyed with Cotton wood trees, Some of them large, Saw emenc number of Deer Elk and buffalow on the banks. Some beaver. I landed on the Lard Side walked out into the bottom and Killd the fatest Buck I every Saw, s.h.i.+elds killed a deer and my man York killed a Buffalow Bull, as he informed me for his tongue and marrow bones. for me to mention or give an estimate of the differant Spcies of wild animals on this river particularly Buffalow, Elk Antelopes & Wolves would be increditable. I shall therefore be silent on the Subject further. So it is we have a great abundance of the best of meat. we made 70 ms. to day Current rapid and much divided by islands. Campd a little below Pryers river of 35 yds. on S E.

[Clark, July 25, 1806]

Friday 25th July 1806.

We Set out at Sunrise and proceeded on very well for three hours. Saw a large gange of Buffalow on the Lard Bank. I concluded to halt and kill a fat one, dureing which time Some brackfast was ordered to be Cooked.

we killed 2 Buffalow and took as much of their flesh as I wished.

s.h.i.+elds killed two fat deer and after a delay of one hour and a half we again proceeded on. and had not proceeded far before a heavy shower of rain pored down upon us, and the wind blew hard from the S W. the wind increased and the rain continued to fall. I halted on the Stard. Side had Some logs set up on end close together and Covered with deerskins to keep off the rain, and a large fire made to dry ourselves.

the rain continued moderately untill near twelve oClock when it Cleared away and become fair. the wind Contined high untill 2 P M. I proceeded on after the rain lay a little and at 4 P M arived at a remarkable rock Situated in an extensive bottom on the Stard. Side of the river & 250 paces from it. this rock I ascended and from it's top had a most extensive view in every direction. This rock which I shall Call Pompy's Tower is 200 feet high and 400 paces in sec.u.mphrance and only axcessable on one Side which is from the N. E the other parts of it being a perpendicular Clift of lightish Coloured gritty rock on the top there is a tolerable Soil of about 5 or 6 feet thick Covered with Short gra.s.s. The Indians have made 2 piles of Stone on the top of this Tower.

The nativs have ingraved on the face of this rock the figures of animals &c. near which I marked my name and the day of the month & year. From the top of this Tower I Could discover two low Mountains & the Rocky Mts. covered with Snow S W. one of them appeard to be extencive and bore S. 15 E. about 40 miles. the other I take to be what the indians Call the Little wolf Mtn. I can only see the Southern extremity of it which bears N 55 W about 35 Miles. The plains to the South rise from the distance of about 6 miles the width of the bottom gradually to the mountains in that derection. a large Creek with an extencive Vally the direction of which is S. 25 E. meanders boutifully through this plain. a range of high land Covered with pine appears to run in a N. & S. direction approaching the river below. on the Northerly Side of the river high romantic Clifts approach &jut over the water for Some distance both above and below. a large Brooks which at this time has Some running muddy water falls in to the Rochejhone imediately opposit Pompys Tower. back from the river for Some distance on that Side the hills are ruged & some pine back the plains are open and extensive. after Satisfying my Self Sufficiently in this delightfull prospect of the extensive Country around, and the emence herds of Buffalow, Elk and wolves in which it abounded, I decended and proceeded on a fiew miles, Saw a gang of about 40 Big horn animals fired at them and killed 2 on the Sides of the rocks which we did not get. I directed the Canoes to land, and I walked up through a crevis in the rocks almost inaxcessiable and killed 2 of those animals one a large doe and the other a yearlin Buck. I wished very much to kill a large buck, had there been one with the gang I Should have killd. him.

dureing the time the men were getting the two big horns which I had killed to the river I employed my Self in getting pieces of the rib of a fish which was s.e.m.e.nted within the face of the rock this rib is about 3 inchs in Sec.u.mpherance about the middle it is 3 feet in length tho a part of the end appears to have been broken off I have Several peces of this rib the bone is neither decayed nor petrified but very rotten. the part which I could not get out may be Seen, it is about 6 or 7 Miles below Pompys Tower in the face of the Lard. Clift about 20 feet above the water. after getting the big horn on board &c I proceeded on a Short distance and encamped, an earlyer than I intended on accout of a heavy cloud which was comeing up from the S. S W. and Some appearance of a Violent wind. I walked out and killed a Small Buck for his Skin which the party are in want of for Clothes. about Sunset the wind blew hard from the W. and Some little rain. I encamped on the Stard. Side imediately below the enteranc Shannons River about 22 Yards wide, and at this time discharges a great portion of water which is very Muddy.

emence herds of Buffalow about our as it is now running time with those animals the bulls keep Such a grunting nois which is very loud and disagreeable Sound that we are compelled to Scear them away before we can Sleep. the men fire Several Shot at them and Scear them away.

[Clark, July 26, 1806]

Sat.u.r.day 26th July 1806.

Set out this morning very early proceeded on Pa.s.sed Creeks very well.

the Current of the river reagulilarly Swift much divided by Stoney islands and bars also handsome Islands Covered with Cotton wood the bottoms extensive on the Stard. Side on the Lard. the Clifts of high land border the river, those clifts are composed of a whitish rock of an excellent grit for Grindstones. The Country back on each Side is wavering lands with Scattering pine. pa.s.sed 2 Small Brooks on the Stard. Side and two large ones on the Lard. Side. I shot a Buck from the Canoe and killed one other on a Small Island. and late in the evening pa.s.sed a part of the river which was rock under the Lard.

Clifts fortunately for us we found an excellent Chanel to pa.s.s down on the right of a Stony Island half a mile below this bad place, we arived at the enterance of Big Horn River on the Stard. Side here I landed imediately in the point which is a Sof mud mixed with the Sand and Subject to overflow for Some distance back in between the two rivers. I walked up the big horn 1/2 a mile and crossed over to the lower Side, and formed a Camp on a high point. I with one of my men Labeech walked up the N E Side of Big horn river 7 miles to th enterance of a Creek which falls in on the N E. Side and is 28 yds wide Some running water which is very muddy this Creek I call Muddy Creek Some fiew miles above this Creek the river bent around to the East of South. The Courses as I a.s.sended it as follows Viz:

The bottoms of the Big Horn river are extencive and Covered with timber princ.i.p.ally Cotton. it's Current is regularly Swift, like the Missouri, it washes away its banks on one Side while it forms extensive Sand bars on the other. Contains much less portion of large gravel than the R.

Rochjhone and its water more mudy and of a brownish colour, while that of the rochejhone is of a lightish Colour. the width of those two rivers are very nearly the Same imediately at their enterances the river Rochejhone much the deepest and contain most water. I measured the debth of the bighorn quit across a 1/2 a mile above its junction and found it from 5 to 7 feet only while that of the River is in the deepest part 10 or 12 feet water on the lower Side of the bighorn is extencive boutifull and leavil bottom thinly covered with Cotton wood under which there grows great quant.i.ties of rose bushes. I am informed by the Menetarres Indians and others that this River takes its rise in the Rocky mountains with the heads of the river plate and at no great distance from the river Rochejhone and pa.s.ses between the Coat Nor or Black Mountains and the most Easterly range of Rocky Mountains. it is very long and Contains a great perpotion of timber on which there is a variety of wild animals, perticularly the big horn which are to be found in great numbers on this river. Buffalow, Elk, Deer and Antelopes are plenty and the river is Said to abound in beaver. it is inhabited by a great number of roveing Indians of the Crow Nation, the paunch Nation and the Castahanas all of those nations who are Subdivided rove and prosue the Buffalow of which they make their princ.i.p.al food, their Skins together with those of the Big horn and Antilope Serve them for Clothes. This river is Said to be navagable a long way for perogus without falls and waters a fine rich open Country. it is 200 yds water & 1/4 of a Me. wd. I returned to Camp a little after dark, haveing killed one deer, finding my Self fatigued went to bead without my Supper. s.h.i.+elds killed 2 Bull & 3 Elk.

[Clark, July 27, 1806]

Sunday 27th July 1806 I marked my name with red paint on a Cotton tree near my Camp, and Set out at an early hour and proceeded on very well the river is much wider from 4 to 600 yards much divided by Islands and Sand bars, pa.s.sed a large dry Creek at 15 miles and halted at the enterance of River 50 yards wide on the Lard Side I call R. Labeech killed 4 Buffalow and Saved as much of their flesh as we could Carry took brackfast. The Buffalow and Elk is estonis.h.i.+ngly noumerous on the banks of the river on each Side, particularly the Elk which lay on almost every point in large gang and are So jintle that we frequently pa.s.s within 20 or 30 paces of them without their being the least alarmd. the buffalow are Generally at a greater distance from the river, and keep a continueing bellowing in every direction, much more beaver Sign than above the bighorn. I Saw Several of those animals on the bank to day. the antilopes are Scerce as also the bighorns and the deer by no means So plenty as they were near the Rocky mountains. when we pa.s.s the Big horn I take my leave of the view of the tremendious chain of Rocky Mountains white with Snow in view of which I have been Since the 1st of May last.

about Sunset I Shot a very large fat buck elk from the Canoe near which I encamped, and was near being bit by a rattle Snake. s.h.i.+elds killed a Deer & a antilope to day for the Skins which the party is in want of for Clothes. this river below the big horn river resembles the Missouri in almost every perticular except that it's islands are more noumerous & Current more rapid, it's banks are generally low and falling in the bottoms on the Stard. Side low and exteneive and Covered with timber near the river such as Cotton wood willow of the different Species rose bushes and Grapevines together with the red berry or Buffalow Grees bushes & a species of shoemake with dark brown back of those bottoms the Country rises gradually to about 100 feet and has Some pine. back is leavel plains. on the Lard Side the river runs under the clifts and Bluffs of high which is from 70 to 150 feet in hight and near the river is Some Scattering low pine back the plains become leavel and extencive. the Clifts are Composed of a light gritty Stone which is not very hard. and the round stone which is mixed with the Sand and formes bars is much Smaller than they appeared from above the bighorn, and may here be termed Gravel. the Colour of the water is a yellowish white and less muddy than the Missouri below the mouth of this river.

[Clark, July 28, 1806]

Monday 28th July 1806.

Set out this morning at day light and proceeded on glideing down this Smooth Stream pa.s.sing maney Isld. and Several Creeks and brooks at 6 miles pa.s.sed a Creek or brook of 80 yards wide on the N W. Side Containing but little water. 6 miles lower pa.s.sed a small Creek 20 yds wide on the Stard Side 18 Miles lower pa.s.sed a large dry creek on the Lard Side 5 Miles lower pa.s.sed a river 70 yards wide Containing but little water on the Lard Side which I call Table Creek from the tops of Several mounds in the Plains to the N W. resembling a table. four miles Still lower I arived at the enterance of a river 100 yards wide back of a Small island on the South Side. it contains Some Cotton wood timber and has a bold Current, it's water like those of all other Streams which I have pa.s.sed in the Canoes are muddy. I take this river to be the one the Indians Call the Little Big Horn river. The Clifts on the South Side of the Rochejhone are Generally compd. of a yellowish Gritty Soft rock, whilest those of the N. is light Coloured and much harder in the evening I pa.s.sd. Straters of Coal in the banks on either Side those on the Stard. Bluffs was about 30 feet above the water and in 2 vanes from 4 to 8 feet thick, in a horozontal position. the Coal Contained in the Lard Bluffs is in Several vaines of different hights and thickness.

this Coal or Carbonated wood is like that of the Missouri of an inferior quallity. pa.s.sed a large Creek on the Stard. Side between the 1st and 2nd Coal Bluffs pa.s.sed Several Brooks the chanel of them were wide and contained but little running water, and encamped on the upper point of a Small island opposit the enterance of a Creek 25 Yards wide on the Stard. Side with water.

The Elk on the banks of the river were So abundant that we have not been out of Sight of them to day. J s.h.i.+elds killed 2 deer & Labeech killed an Antilope to day. the antilopes and deer are not Abundant.

Beaver plenty

[Clark, July 29, 1806]

Tuesday 29th July 1806 a Slight rain last night with hard thunder and Sharp lightening accompanied with a violent N. E. wind. I Set out early this morning wind So hard a head that w made but little way. in the fore part of the day, I saw great numbers of Buffalow on the banks. the country on either Side is like that of yesterday. pa.s.sed three large dry Brooks on the Stard. Side and four on the Lard Side. great quant.i.ties of Coal in all the hills I pa.s.sed this day. late in the evening I arived at the enterance of a River which I take to be the Lazeka or Tongue River it discharges itself on the Stard. Side and is 150 yards wide of water the banks are much wider. I intended to encamp on an eligable Spot imediately below this river, but finding that its water So muddy and worm as to render it very disagreeable to drink, I crossed the rochejhone and encamped on an island close to the Lard. Sh.o.r.e. The water of this river is nearly milk worm very muddy and of a lightish brown Colour. the Current rapid and the Chanel Contains great numbers of Snags. near its enterance there is great quant.i.ties of wood Such as is common in the low bottoms of the Rochejhone and Missouri. tho I believe that the Country back thro which this river pa.s.ses is an open one where the water is exposed to the Sun which heats it in its pa.s.sage. it is Shallow and throws out great quant.i.ties of mud and Some cors gravel. below this river and on the Stard Side at a fiew Miles from the Rochejhone the hills are high and ruged Containing Coal in great quant.i.ties. Beaver is very plenty on this part of the Rochejhone.

The river widens I think it may be generally Calculated at from 500"

yards to half a mile in width more Sand and gravelly Bars than above.

cought 3 cat fish. they wer Small and fat. also a Soft Sh.e.l.l turtle.

[Clark, July 30, 1806]

Friday 30th July 1806 Set out early this morning at 12 miles arived at the Commencement of Shoals the Chanel on the Stard Side near a high bluff. pa.s.sed a Succession of those Shoals for 6 miles the lower of which was quit across the river and appeared to have a decent of about 3 feet. here we were Compeled to let the Canoes down by hand for fear of their Strikeing a rock under water and Splitting. This is by far the wost place which I have Seen on this river from the Rocky mountains to this place a distance of 694 miles by water. a Perogu or large Canoe would with Safty pa.s.s through the worst of those Shoals, which I call the Buffalow Sholes from the Circ.u.mstance of one of those animals being in them. the rock which pa.s.ses the river at those Sholes appear hard and gritty of a dark brown Colour. the Clifts on the Stard. Side is about 100 feet in hight, on the Lard Side the Country is low and the bottom rises gradually back. here is the first appearance of Birnt hills which I have Seen on this river they are at a distance from the river on the Lard Side. I landed at the enterance of a dry Creek on the Lard side below the Shoals and took brackfast. Those Dry Rivers, Creeks &c are like those of the Missouri which take their rise in and are the Conveyance of the water from those plains. they have the appearanc of dischargeing emence torrents of water. the late rains which has fallen in the plains raised Sudenly those Brooks which receive the water of those plains on which those Suden & heavy Showers of rain must have fallen, Several of which I have Seen dischargeing those waters, whiles those below heading or takeing their rise in the Same neighbourhood, as I pa.s.sed them appears to have latterly been high. those Broods discharge emencely of mud also, which Contributes much to the muddiness of the river. after Brackfast proceeded on the river much narrower than above from 3 to 400 yards wide only and only a fiew scattering trees to be Seen on the banks. at 20 miles below the Buffalow Shoals pa.s.sed a rapid which is by no means dangerous, it has a number of large rocks in different parts of the river which Causes high waves a very good Chanel on the Lard. Side. this rapid I call Bear rapid from the Circ.u.mstance of a bears being on a rock in the Middle of this rapid when I arived at it. a violent Storm from the N. W. obliged us to land imediately below this rapid, draw up the Canoes and take Shelter in an old Indian Lodge above the enterance of a river which is nearly dry it has laterly been very high and Spread over nearly 1/4 a mile in width. its Chanel is 88 yards and in this there is not more water than could pa.s.s through an inch auger hole. I call it Yorks dry R. after the rain and wind pa.s.sed over I proceeded on at 7 Miles pa.s.sed the enterance of a river the water of which is 100 yds wide, the bead of this river nearly 1/4 of a mile this river is Shallow and the water very muddy and of the Colour of the banks a darkish brown. I observe great quant.i.ties of red Stone thrown out of this river that from the appearance of the hills at a distance on its lower Side induced me to call this red Stone river. as the water was disagreeably muddy I could not Camp on that Side below its mouth. however I landed at its enteranc and Sent out and killed two fat Cows, and took as much of the flesh as the Canoes would conveniently Carry and Crossed the river and encamped at the enterance of a Brook on the Lard. Side under a large Spredding Cotton tree. The river on which we pa.s.sed to day is not So wide as above containing but fiew islands with a Small quant.i.ty of Cotton timber. no timber of any kind to be Seen on the high lands on either Side.

In the evening below the enterance of redstone river I observed great numbers of Buffalow feeding on the plains, elk on the points and antilopes. I also Saw Some of the Bighorn animals at a distance on the hills. Gibson is now able to walk, he walked out this evening and killed an antilope.

[Clark, July 31, 1806]

Sat.u.r.day 31st of July 1806 I was much disturbed last night by the noise of the buffalow which were about me. one gang Swam the river near our Camp which alarmed me a little for fear of their Crossing our Canoes and Splitting them to pieces. Set out as usial about Sun rise pa.s.sed a rapid which I call wolf rapid from the Circ.u.mstance of one of those animals being at the rapid. here the river approaches the high mountanious Country on the N W. Side those hills appear to be composed of various Coloured earth and Coal without much rock I observe Several Conical mounds which appear to have been burnt. this high Country is washed into Curious formed mounds & hills and is cut much with reveens. the Country again opens and at the distance of 23 miles below the Redston or War-har-sah River I landed in the enterance of a Small river on the Stard. Side 40 yards wid Shallow and muddy. it has lately been very high. haveing pa.s.sed the Enterance of a River on the Lard Side 100 yards wide which has running water this river I take to be the one the Menetarries Call little wolf or Sa-a-shah River The high Country is entirely bar of timber. great quant.i.ties of Coal or carbonated wood is to be seen in every Bluff and in the high hills at a distance on each Side. Saw more Buffalow and Elk and antilopes this evening than usial. 18 Miles below the last river on the Stard. Side, I pa.s.sed one 60 yards wide which had running water.

this Stream I call oak-tar-pon-er or Coal River has very steep banks on each side of it. pa.s.sed Several large Brooks Some of them had a little running water, also Several Islands Some high black looking Bluffs and encamped on the Stard. Side on a low point. the country like that of yesterday is open extencive plains. as I was about landing this evening Saw a white bear and the largest I ever Saw eating a dead buffalow on a Sand bar. we fired two Shot into him, he Swam to the main Sh.o.r.e and walked down the bank. I landed and fired 2 more Shot into this tremendious animal without killing him. night comeing on we Could not pursue him he bled profusely. Showers all this day

[Clark, August 1, 1806]

Sunday 1st of August 1806.

We Set out early as usial the wind was high and ahead which caused the water to be a little rough and delayed us very much aded to this we had Showers of rain repeetedly all day at the intermition of only a fiew minits between them. My Situation a very disagreeable one. in an open Canoe wet and without a possibility of keeping my Self dry. the Country through which we pa.s.sed is in every respect like that through which I pa.s.sed yesterday. The brooks have all Some water in them from the rains which has fallen. this water is excessively muddy. Several of those brooks have Some trees on their borders as far as I can See up them. I observe Some low pine an cedar on the Sides of the rugid hills on the Stard. Side, and Some ash timber in the high bottoms. the river has more Sand bars today than usial, and more Soft mud. the current less rapid. at 2 P.M. I was obliged to land to let the Buffalow Cross over.

not withstanding an island of half a mile in width over which this gangue of Buffalow had to pa.s.s and the Chanel of the river on each Side nearly 1/4 of a mile in width, this gangue of Buffalow was entirely across and as thick as they could Swim. the Chanel on the Side of the island the went into the river was crouded with those animals for 1/2 an hour. the other Side of the island for more than 3/4 of an hour. I took 4 of the men and killed 4 fat Cows for their fat and what portion of their flesh the Small Canoes Could Carry that which we had killed a few days ago being nearly Spoiled from the wet weather. encamped on an Island Close to the Lard Sh.o.r.e two gangues of Buffalow Crossed a little below us, as noumerous as the first.