THE MISSOURI RIVER JOURNALS 



513 



g across the river; 

 Ligh which they cut 

 larched slowly and 

 ur boat, as this was 

 ■ place on the west 

 ,ps more, Antelopes 

 t could not decide 

 ler. These animals 

 contrary to the gen- 

 i never lie down dur- 

 ve had an extremely 

 venture out of the 

 I several difficulties 

 Ic we passed the en- 

 hite River ;i half an 

 Lnd send the yawl to 

 Lgain on our way, and 

 It Cedar Island'' ths 

 wood. — Later. Our 

 ill prove abortive, as 

 want of deeper water, 

 to feel for a channel, 

 have passed upwards 



o calves, and many 

 ment when we must 



past eight o'clock. 

 IX has the appearance 



at least. Now it is ] 



tnetimes called WhUe Earth 

 ;am which falls into the right 

 kota, at the 1056 mile point 



m the Cedar Island already 

 and of Warren's and Nicol- 

 5, 1804, as "nearly a mile ii 

 ce the site of nn establish- 

 lear the i070th-mile point oJ 



after nine o'clock; we are fastened to the shore, and I 

 will, for the first time since I left St. Louis, sleep in my 

 cabin, and between sheets. 



May 26, Friday. The weather was fine, but we moved 

 extremely slowly, not having made more than ten miles 

 by twelve o'clock. The captain arranged all his papers 

 for Fort Pierre. Three of the best walkers, well ac- 

 quainted with the road, were picked from among our sin- 

 gularly mixed crew of engages, and were put ashore at Big 

 Bend Creek, on the banks of a high cliff on the western 

 side; they ascended through a ravine, and soon were out 

 of sight. We had stopped previously to cut wood, where 

 our men had to lug it fully a quarter of a mile. We 

 ourselves landed of course, but found the prairie so com- 

 pletely trodden by Buffaloes that it was next to impos- 

 sible to walk. Notwithstanding this, however, a few 

 birds were procured. The boat continued on with much 

 difficulty, being often stopped for the want of water. At 

 one place we counted over a hundred dead Buffalo calves ; 

 we saw a great number, however, that did reach the top 

 of the bank, and proceeded to feeding at once. We saw 

 one animal, quite alone, wading and swimming alter- 

 nately, till it had nearly crossed the river, when for rea- 

 sons unknown to us, and when only about fifty yards from 

 the land, it suddenly turned about, and swam and waded 

 back to the western side, whence it had originally come; 

 this fellow moved through the water as represented in 

 this very imperfect sketch, which I have placed here, and 

 with his tail forming nearly half a circle by its erection 

 during the time he swam. It was mired on several occa- 

 sions while passing from one shoal or sand-bar to an- 

 other. It walked, trotted, or galloped, while on the solid 

 beach, and ultimately, by swimming a few hundred yards, 

 returned to the side from whence it had started, though 

 fully half a mile below the exact spot. There now was 

 heard on board some talk about the Great Bend, and the 

 VOL. I. —33 



!iil 



