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brother and I know that I shall be lonely to-morrow without him. May all 

 his kindness be returned to him tenfold. 



Saturday, June 22. — The boat moved from Fort Union across the river 

 for wood about half past three o'clock, and aljout that time we had a very 

 fine shower of rain. At half past seven o'clock we moved off, firing a 

 salute to the men belonging to the fort who had come over to help us take 

 in fuel, Alexander was with them and the last sight I had of him he was 

 standing up in the boat which was just pushing otf. 



We have not made a very good run to-day because of the wind beino- 

 r gainst us this afternoon and the wood has been bad. A good deal of baa 

 land apj)ears on both sides of the river, and much of the burnt earth with it ; 

 this often appeared on the sides of grass-covered hills, and in hills rising 

 directly from the prairie, as well as in its usual position in the white land 

 hills. 



While it is difficult for one not skilled in such matters to refute the com- 

 mon belief that the red burnt-like earth is the result of the action of fire, 

 it is well to mention some circumstances that at least throw some improba- 

 bility on that theory ; the first is that if these red looking places were cra- 

 tei's, the whole bank of the river must have been volcanoes for hundreds of 

 miles, with few exceptions — they occur in almost unbroken connection for 

 miles, and above Fort Union there is one place where they thus appear 

 almost continually for twenty or thirty miles, being there much more fre- 

 quent than lower down. Another is, that so far as I can see, these hills 

 exhibit no other evidence of the action of fire ; there is not a single sio;n of 

 volcanic action that I have seen around these places, either in the forma- 

 tions of the hills or in the stones on their surface. 



And again what appeared to me very singular on the supposition of vol- 

 ciinic action, has been that these crater remains, or volcanic remains do not 

 extend deep into the earth ; in some places they look no deeper than a 

 modern lime-kiln ; in others they appear almost as a stratum placed in be- 

 tween the other formations, and in all they have other formations below 

 them, find in many above them. I regret very much that I cannot describe 

 the geological formation of these hills. 



Monday, June 24. — Yesterday we passed Fort Berthold, the Gros 

 Ventre Fort, and came within fifteen miles of Fort Clark, the Ree Fort at 

 the old Man(hm village. On the map there is a Fort Mandan marked 

 nearly opposite Fort Clark ; this is probably the Fort built by Lewis and 

 Clark for their quarters, when they wintered with the Mandans. I noticed 

 yesterday a thick vein of coal in the bluff on which the Gros Ventre village 

 i.s built. 



Tuesday, June 25. — This is one of the few rainy days we have had, but 

 is not uncomfortable, as we are well protected in the cabin and at the same 

 time are moving along slowly towards home. There has been a good deal 

 of detention from running on sand l)ars, and in looking for the channel. A 

 few hours ago we passed Heart river, and at the place where we were 

 aground so long when going up we stuck again, injuring one of the wheels. 



Thursday, June 27. — Yesterday was nothing more than a bright plea- 

 sant day, passed in grounding, backing, wooding and going a few miles 

 a-head. The night })revious, we had landed at "a place tbat ought to be 

 Galled Musquito hollow, if we may judge from the comphiints made by 

 every one. I never suffered so much from them, and could not get to sleep 

 until past midnight ; others were forced from below to the hurricane deck* 

 Mis— 9 



