History of the expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark, to the sources of the Missouri, thence across the Rocky mountains and down the River Columbia to the Pacific Ocean : performed during the years 1804-5-6 by order of the government of the United States; Volume 1

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t98 Lewis atrd Clarke's EJ.'jJCdilion, &c. along the Missouri with less breadth, till three miles aLovc it is cit·cumscribed by the hills within a space four yards in width. A sufficient quantity of limestone fot• building may easily be procured near the junction of the rivers; it does not lie in regular stt·atas, but is in la1·gc iJ·rcgular masses, of a light colour and apparenOy of an excellent quality. Game too is very abundant, and as yet quite gentle; above all, its elevation recommends it. as preferable to the Jand at the confluence of the riYers, which their variable channels may 1·emler very insecure. The N. \V. wind rose so high at eleven o'clock, that we were obliged to stop till about four in the afternoon, when we proeeede(l till dusk. On the 8outh a beautiful {)lain separates the two rivers, till at about six miles there is a timbered piece of low ground, and a lit­tle above it bluffs, where the country rises gradually f1·om the river; the situations on the north more high and open. 'Ve encamped on that side, the wind, the sand which it rai­sed, and the rapidity of the current having prevented our a(lvancing more than eight miles; during the IaUer part of the day the riYer becomes wider and croudcd with sandbars: although the game is in such plenty we kill only what is ne­ccssar ·y for our subsistence. For several days past we have seen great numbers of buffaloc lying dead along the shore, and some of them partly devoured by the wolves; they have either sunk through the ice during the winter, or been drown· ed in attempting to cross, or else, after crossing to some high bluff, found themselves too much exhausted either to ascend or swim back again, and perished for want of food; in this situation we found several small par·tics of them. There are geese too in abundance, and more hald-ea glcs than we have hitherto observed; the nests of these last being al­ways accompanied by those of two or three magpies, who are their inseparable attendants. CIIAP'l'ER V1Il. Unusualappurllnce of salt-The formidable charaeter of lhe white be:u'-l'Ql' cupine river described-BeaLltiful appearance of the &UITounding cow 1try­Immense quantities of gamt!-Milk rh·er described-Extraerdinary charac· tcr of Bigdry river-An instance of uncommon tenacity of life in a white bear-Narrow escape of one of the party from that animal-A still more re­markable instance-Muscleshell river described. Sunday 28. TnE day was clear and pleasant, and tbe wind having shifted to southeast, we could employ our sails, and went twenty-font· miles to a low ground on the north op­posite to steep bluffs: the countpY on both sides is much bro.; ken, the hills approaching nearet• to the river, and form~ ing bluffs, some of a wltite and others of a red colour, and exhibiting the usual appearances of minerals, and some burnt hills though without any pnmiccstone; the salts are in greater quantities than usual, and t11e banks and sand­bars are covered with a white incrustation like frost. rrhc low g•·ounds at·c level, fertile and partially timbered_, but are not so wide as for a few days past. The woods are now green, but the plains and meadows seem to l1ave less vet·durc than those below: the only streams which we met to-day arc two small runs ou the north and one on the south, which rise in the neighbouring hills, and have very little water. At the distance of eighteen miles the Missouri makes a considerable bend to the southeast: the game is very abundant, the common, and mule or black­tailed deer, elk, buffaloe, antelope, brown bear, beavet·, and geese. rrJw beaver hayc committed great devastation among the trees, one of which, ucarl,> t h r·rc fl·et in diameter, had been gnawed through by them.