432 Expedition to the 



we effected with some difficulty, the banks being steep and 

 muddy, and immediately afterwards encamped to dry our 

 baggage. 



The Coquille is about eight yards across; its bed muddy, 

 and the current moderate. Its course is circuitous, travers- 

 ing some inconsiderable tracts of fertile and well wooded 

 bottom land : in one of these our camp was placed. The 

 night was warm and the mosquitoes swarming in inconceiv- 

 able multitudes. 



Our baggage had been wet on the preceding day, and 

 again by a heavy shower in the night : as the morning was 

 cloudy, we remained in camp for some time, and attempted 

 to dry our clothes and blankets by a large fire. After break- 

 fasting we again got upon our horses, and, travelling nearly 

 southwest, arrived in the afternoon at the valley of the 

 Wolf river, or Loup fork of the Platte. This river is called 

 by the Indians the Little Missouri, on account of its resem- 

 blance, in the velocity of its current, the turbidness of its 

 waters, and other respects, to that river. 



Its sources are in the country of the Poncaras, opposite 

 those of the Quicurre.* Like the Platte, its immediate valley 

 is a broad and woodless plain, almost without any perceptible 

 unevenness of surface, and bounded on each side by paral- 

 lel ranges of low and barren hills. 



During our ride, as we were approaching the Loup fork, 

 we met two Pawnee Indians, handsomely mounted, and, as 

 they informed us, on their way to dance the calumet dance 

 with the Omawhavvs. We gave them a small quantity of 

 tobacco, and they departed, appearing highly pleased. In 

 the fertile grounds, along the valley of the Loup fork, we ob- 

 served several plants which we had not before seen : among 

 these was one belonging to the family of the Malvaceae, with 

 a large tuberous root which is soft and edible, being by no 



* See Lewis and Clark vol. 1. p. 67. Phil. 



