TO THE READER, 
THE reader will easily discover that this Journal contains lit¬ 
tle more than hasty notes, taken with the intention of being ex¬ 
tended and enlarged at leisure ; but not regarding my voyage 
of as much importance as I had imagined it would be, when I 
undertook it, this idea has been abandoned 1 might have rela¬ 
ted many anecdotes and amusing incidents, quorum magna pars 
fui , confided to memory, and have added many remarks on In¬ 
dian manners. I took some pains in making vocabularies of six 
or seven different Indian languages, but being informed, that; 
Lewis and Clark had formed much greater collections than my 
opportunities would admit, I have not thought proper to make 
use of them- With respect to the natural history of the coun¬ 
try, I have hopes that Mr. Bradbury will favor the world with 
the result of his observations. I have confined myself chiefly to 
such observations on the face of the country, as would give an 
idea of its capacity for the reception of population. 
For the table which accompanies, I am indebted to general 
Clark I take this opportunity of acknowledging my obligations 
to that gentleman, who politely favored me with every means 
of information in his power. 
