Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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4th of September Tuesday 1804. a verry Cold wind from South E. by S. we Set out early proceeded on to the mouth of a Small Creek in the bend to the L. S. Called 〈Sand bar〉 white line [lime] at 1½ miles furthr passed the mouth of a R au platte or White paint Cr [1] about 25 yd. on Same Side Called, I walked on the top of the hill forming a Cliff Covd. with red Ceeder [2] an extensive view from this hill, at 3 Miles from the Creek the high land jut the river forming a Bluff of Bluish Clay [3] Continu 1½ miles Came to at the mouth of Qui courre (rapid) [4] this river Comes roleing its Sands whuch (is corse) into the Missouris from the S W by W. this river is 152 yards across the water and not exeeding 4 feet Deep it does not rise high when it Does it Spreds over a large Surface, and is not navagable it has a Great many Small Islands & Sand bars I went up this river 3 miles to the Spot the Panis [5] once had a large Village on the upper Side in a butifull extensive Plain riseing gradially from the river I fel into a Buffalow road joined the boat late at night at the Pania Island. [6]
| S. 5 W | 1 ½ | miles to the Mouth of a Creek on the L. S. th below a Seede[r] Clift |
| S. 35 W | 1 ½ | mes. to the mo: of a Creek on L. S. passing under a red Ceede[r] 〈Bluff〉 Clift |
| West | 3 | mes. to the upr. pt. of a wood on the L. S. opsd. a Bluff of bluwish Clay, several Sand bars L S |
| N. 72 W | 1 ¼ | me. to a mound on the L. Side bluff on the S. S. Several Sand bars in the river |
| West | ¾ | me. to the mo: of river Que courre on the L. S. (3) hills leave the river S S. |
| 8 |
a verry Cold wind from the S. S. E, we Set out early and proceeded on the mouth of a Small Creek in a bend to the L. S. Called White lime, at 1½ miles higher up passed a large Creek on the L. S. Called 〈R. au platte〉 or white paint between those two Creeks (the latter of which is abt. 30 yds. wide) we passed under a Bluff of 〈white〉 red Ceeder, at 4 mes. ½ passed the mouth of the River Que Courre (rapid R[)] on the L. S. and Came to a Short distance above, this River is 152 yards wide at the mouth & 4 feet Deep Throwing out Sands like the Platt (only Corser) forming bars in its mouth, I went up this river three miles to a butifull Plain on the upper Side where the Panias once had a Village this river widens above its mouth and is devided by Sand and Islands, the Current verry rapid, not navagable for even Canoos without Great dificulty owing to its Sands; the colour like that of the Plat is light the heads of this river is 〈not known,〉 [NB: in the Black mountins [8] & waters a hilly country & indifferent soil] it Coms into the Missourie from the S. W. by West, and I am told that is Genl. Course Some distance up is parrelel with the Missourie
| S. 5° W. | 1 ½ | mes. to the mo. of a Creek on the L. S. below a Ceeder Clift |
| S. 35° | 1 ½ | mes. to the mo. of White Paint River on the L. S. Passing under a Ceeder Clift |
| West | 3 | mes. to the upper pt. of wood on the L. S. opsd. a Bluff of bluish Clay, a Sd. bar L. S. |
| N. 72° W | 1 ¼ | mes. to a Mound on the L. S. a Bluff on the S. S. several Sand bars in the river— |
| West | ¾ | mes. to the mouth of the river Que Courre
on the L. S. the hills leave the river on the S. S. river Crouded with Sand bars. & wind hard. |
| 8 |
☞ after this I will put the Course Distance & reffurencees of each day first and remks. after—
Tuesday 4th Sept. 1804. Cold wind from S. W. we Set off eairly, proceeded on passed a Small Creek [9] on S. S. where we took breakfast found some plumbs & hack burrys [10] &.C. passed a high yallow red ceeder Clift on the S. S. & above the clift we passed the mo of a creek called white paint C. the wind Shifted to the South & blew verry hard we hoisted Sail ran verry fast a Short time. Broke our mast, we [the] Sand flew from the Sand bars verry thick we landed at 12 o.C. to dine at a large bottom prarie on S. S. opposite to a yallow & blew Clift N. S. we passed the Mouth of the Big Rapid River [11] & ponkias village on S. S. the water Shoots in to the Missiouri verry Swift, & has thrown the Sand out, which makes a Sand bar & Sholes from the mouth a considerable distance we Saw 2 Deer, & large flocks of geese up the mo of this river; we proceeded on passt a handsom Bottom covered with different kinds of Timber Such as red Ceder, honey locas, oak arrowwood Elm, Coffee nut &.C. we Saw an Indian raft where they had crossed not long before; Drewyer killed one Turkey & one duck; we Camped on the South Side in a Ceeder Bottom back of which are Steep Clifts covered with ceeder. N. B. a Smoke was made to find where Shannon had passed, but no tracks found
Tuesday 4th. We proceeded early on our voyage, passed a creek on the south side about 30 yards wide, called Paint creek [12] and high yellow bluffs on the same side. About a mile and an half further, we passed another creek on the same side 50 yards wide, called White-paint creek [13] and yellow bluffs on the north side. About four miles higher up, we passed a river, on the south side, 152 yards wide, called Rapid-water river: up this river the Poncas nation of Indians lived not long since. We encamped on the south side among some cedar trees.
Tuesday 4th Sept. Set off eairly. proceded on found Some plumbs. passd. white panit Creek on the S. S. we Sailed fast, we passed the Mouth of Big Rapid River on S. S. Saw an Indian raft at a Cdeeder Bottom abo. the Mo. of Rapid River. G. Drewyer killed a Turky we looked for tracks of Shannon but could not See whether he had passd or not.
Tuesday September 4th We set off early this morning and proceeded on, & found some plumbs, we passed a Creek called plumb creek, lying on the South side of the River, the wind blowing fresh, we sett all our Sails & proceed on Sailing fast, We passed the Mouth of the big Rapid River, lying on the South side; we passed by an Indian Raft near a bottom, above the Mouth of rapid River; we sent to see if the Tracts of one of our Man named Shannon, who had been missing from us some days, but they could discover no signs of his having passed that way.—
We continued on till evening and encamped on the South side of the River—
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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