Rocky Mountains* 67 



part of the Mississippi appeared equally turbid, its waters 

 soon becoming blended with the heavy flood of the Missouri. 



The Missouri being now swollen by the spring floods, 

 which had subsided in the Mississippi, entered that river 

 with such impetuosity, as apparently to displace almost the 

 whole body of the waters in its channel. We had occasion 

 to observe that the water of the Missouri, passes under that 

 of the Mississippi, rising and becoming mingled with it on 

 the opposite shore, so that a portion of the clear, green wa- 

 ters of the latter river, run for some distance in the middle 

 of the channel, and along the surface of the Missouri wa- 

 ters, rendered perhaps specifically heavier, by the great 

 quantities of earthy matter mingled with them. The waters 

 of the Missouri are so charged with mud and sand, as to be 

 absolutely opake, and of a clay colour ; while those of the 

 Mississippi being comparatively clear, and having a some* 

 wha- olivaceous tint, afford an opportunity of tracing their 

 respective courses, after their junction in the same channel. 

 At some stages of water they run side by side, and in a 

 great measure unmingled,as far as Herculaneum, forty-eight 

 miles below their confluence. 



We had the pleasure to find, notwithstanding the furnace 

 was supplied with wood of an indifferent quality, that the 

 forc^ of our steam engine was sufficient to propel the boat 

 against the current of the Missouri, without recourse to the 

 aid of the cordelle, which we had expected to find necessary. 



We were somewhat surprised to see here, a flock of black- 

 headed terns. It is remarkable that these birds, whose or- 

 dinary range is in the immediate vicinity of the sea coast, 

 should ascend this river to so great a distance. They are 

 not seen on the Delaware as high as Philadelphia, unless 

 driven up by storms. 



In ascending from the mouth of the Missouri to Belle fon- 

 tain, a distance of four miles, our boat grounded twice on 

 the point of the same sand bar, and considerable time was 



