JOURNAL. 41 
,,4 
Wednesday \9ih. We set out earljr and bad a clear 
day pfissed lar^e bottoms on botb sides of the river 
covered with timber. We saw somebuffaloe swim* 
ming the river and killed two of them. There is au 
island here, opposite which a river flows in on the 
north side. This river is formed of three, which 
unite their waters just above its rnouth ; and imme- 
diately above the confluence is a crossing place, cal- 
leel the Sioux-crossing-place of the three rivers. At 
the upper end, a creek, called Elm creek, comes in 
on the south side, and two miles above another creek 
4lfealled Wash creek, f*lls in on the same side. About 
two miles further we passed another creek called 
Night creek where we encamped on the south side. 
Three black tailed deer were- killed this day. 
Thursday 20th, We renewed our voyage at an 
early hour, and had a clear day and fair wind. Pas- 
sed handsome rising prairies on the north side, and 
bottoms covered with timber on the south side. Two 
• of the men with the horse went across the neck of 
the Long, or Grand bend, which we were obliged to 
go round with the boat, a distance of 30 miles. At 
1 o'clock we stopped for dinner, and Captain Lewis 
and one of the men went to hunt, Captain Clarke 
had gone out in the morning. At 2 we proceeded 
again on our voyage, and passed a long chain of 
bluffs on the north side, of a dark colour. From 
these and others of the same kind the Missouri gets 
its muddy colour. The earth of which they are 
composed dissolves like sugar y every rain washes 
down great quantities of it, and th@ rapidity of the 
stream keeps it mixing and afloat in the water, until it 
reaches the mouth of the Mississippi. We encampr 
ed at f o'clock on , a sand beach on the riorth side. 
Here Captain Lewis, Captain Clarke and the other 
man joined us. They had killed 4:wo goats and two 
deer. At I o'clock at night, the bank where we 
were stationed began to fall so much) that we y^^^m 
D 2 
