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Show • 24 with some Ft·onehmen about two years ago. Further on we passed an island on the north, opposite some elitfs on the south side, neal' which Loup or Wolf river falls into the 1.\-lissouri. This rivc1· is about sixty yards wi(lc, it heads near the same sources as the Kanzas, and is navigable for boats, at some distance up. At fourteen miles we encamped on the south side. Tuesday 10th. 'Vc procPedr.d on by a prairie on the upper side of Wolf river, aml at four miles passed a creek fifteen yards wide on the south, called Pape's orcek after a Spaniard of that name, who killed himself there. At six miles we dined on an island called b.y the French Isle de Salomon, or Solomon's island, opposite to which on t be south is a beau-tiful plain coverecl with gt·ass, intermixed with wild rye and a kind of wild potatoe. After· making ten miles we stopped for the night on the northern side, opposite a cliff of yellow clay. 'l'he rivet· has neither risen nor fallen to day. On the n01;th the low land is very extensive, and t.ovcred \\ith vines; on the south, the hills a{»proach nearer the river, and back of them commence the plains. There are a great many goslins along the llanks. Wednesday 1Hh. After th1•ee miles sailing we came to a willow island on the north side. behind which enters a creek called by the Indians Tarkio. Above this creek on tlte north the low lands are subject to ove1·flow, and further back the undergrowth of vines particulal'ly, is so abundant that tbf-y ean scarcely be passed. rr~u·ee miles from the ·rarkio we encamped on a large sand island on the north, immediately opposite the river Nemabaw. Thursday 12th. We remained here to day fo1· the purpose of refreshing the party, and making lunar observa· tions. The Nemahaw empties itself iuto the Missouri from the south, and is eighty yards wide at the confluence, which is in lat. 39° 55' 56". Capt. Clarke ascended it in the pe1·ioque about two miles to the mouth of a small creek on the lower side. On going ashore he found in the level plain several Up the .Jllissouri. <Lrt.ificial mounds or graves, and on the adjoining hills others of a larger size. This appearance indicates sufficiently the former population of this country, the mounds being_ certainly intended as tombs; the Indians of the Missout·i still preserving the custom of intcrrinb the dead on high gt·ound. From the top of the highest mound a delightful prospect presented itself.-the level and extensive meadows watered lty the Nemahaw, and enlivened by the few trees ant\ shrubs sk.irting the bordet·s of the rivet· and its tributary streamsthe lowland of the Missouri covered with undulating grass, m·arly five feet high, gradually rising into a secoml plain, whct·e 1·ich weeds and flowers at·e interspersed with COllscs of the Osage plum; further back are seen small groves of trees; an abundance of grapes; the wild ehcrJ•y of the 1\tissouri, resembling our own, but larger, and growing on a small hush; and the cltokecherry. which we observed fot· the flrst time. Some of the grn.pcs gathered to-day at•e nearly ripe. On the south of the Ncmahaw, and about a quarter of a mile from its mouth, is a cliff of f1·eestonc, in which are various inscriptions and marks made by the Indians. '"rhe sand island where we arc encamped, is covet·ed with the two S}lecics of willow, hroall and narrow leaf. .July 13th. We proceeded at sunrise with a fair wind from the south, and at two miles, passe(l the mouth of a small river on the north, called Big Tarkio. A channel fr·om the bed of the Missouri once ran into this river, and formed an islaml called St. Joseph's, but the channel is now filled up, and the island is addetl to the northern shore. Fut·tbct• on to the south, is situated an extensive plain, covered with a grass resembling timothy in its general appearance, except the seed which is like flaxseed, and also a number of gr·apevines. At twelve miles, we passed an island on the north, above which is a large sandbar covered with willows: and at twenty and a half miles, stopped on a large sandbar, in the middle of the river opposite a high handsome prairie, which t-xtends to the hills four or five miles distant, though near VOT,. I. |