482 AUDUBON 



lump of pumice stone which does float on the water. We 

 left our anchorage (which means tied to the shore) at 

 twelve o'clock, and about sunset we did pass the real 

 Council Bluffs. 1 Here, however, the bed of the river is 

 utterly changed, though you may yet see that which is 

 now called the Old Missouri. The Bluffs stand, truly 

 speaking, on a beautiful bank almost forty feet above the 

 water, and run off on a rich prairie, to the hills in the 

 background in a gentle slope, that renders the whole 

 place a fine and very remarkable spot. We tied up for 

 the night about three miles above them, and all hands 

 went ashore to cut wood, which begins to be somewhat 

 scarce, of a good quality. Our captain cut and left sev- 

 eral cords of green wood for his return trip, at this place ; 

 Harris and Bell went on shore, and saw several Bats, and 

 three Turkeys. This afternoon a Deer was seen scamp- 

 ering across the prairies until quite out of sight. Wild- 

 gooseberry bushes are very abundant, and the fruit is said 

 to be very good. 



May 11, Thursday. We had a night of rain, thunder, 

 and heavy wind from the northeast, and we did not start 

 this morning till seven o'clock, therefore had a late 

 breakfast. There was a bright blood-red streak on the 

 horizon at four o'clock that looked forbidding, but the 

 weather changed as we proceeded, with, however, showers 

 of rain at various intervals during the day. We have 



1 Council Bluff, so named by Lewis and Clark on Aug. 3, 1804, on which 

 day they and their followers, with a number of Indians, including six chiefs, 

 held a council here, to make terms with the Ottoe and Missouri Indians. 

 The account of the meeting ends thus : " The incident just related induced 

 us to give to this place the name of the Council-bluff ; the situation of it is 

 exceedingly favorable for a fort and trading factory, as the soil is well cal- 

 culated for bricks, there is an abundance of wood in the neighborhood, and 

 the air is pure and healthy." In a foot-note Dr. Coues says : " It was later 

 the site of Fort Calhoun, in the present Washington Co., Neb. We must 

 also remember, in attempting to fix this spot, how much the Missouri has 

 altered its course since 1804." ("Expedition of Lewis and Clark," 1893, 

 p. 6 5 .) 



