JOURNAL. 203 
Castor, a Kansas Indian* who had been brought up from infancy’ 
amongst the whites. 
The Cote sans Dessein, is a beautiful place, situated on the 
N. E. side of the river, and in sight of the CLage. It will 
in time become a considerable Village. The beauty and fertile 
ity of the surrounding country cannot be surpassed. It is here 
that we met with the first appearance of prairie, on the Missou¬ 
ri, but it is handsomely mixed with wood land. The wooded 
country on the N. E. extends at least thirty miles, as far up as 
this place, and not less than fifteen on the Other side. The name 
is given to this place, from the circumstance of a single detach¬ 
ed hill filled with limestone, standing on the bank of the river, 
about six hundred yards long, and very narrow.—The village 
has been established about three years; there are thirteen French 
families, and two or three of Indians. They have handsome 
fields in the prairie, but the greater part of their time is spent 
in hunting. From their eager inquiries after merchandise, I 
perceived we Were already remote from the settlements. 
We continued under way, with a light breeze, but scarcely 
sufficient to waft the barge of itself, without the aid of oars.—• 
Handsome wooded upland, S. W. side* gently sloping to the 
river, and not rocky. For many reasons* I would prefer these 
situations to the bottom, where the soil is richer. Passed the 
Great Osage river, one hundred and thirty-three miles from the 
mouth of the Missouri, and navigable about six hundred miles. 
There is much fine land immediately on its borders, but the 
prairies stretch out on either side, and to the westward are afc 
most boundless. The Osage villages are situated about two hun* 
dred miles up. 
Passed a long island, called Visle a ! Cedre , Cedar island. A 
number of islands on the Missouri bear this name, from the 
growth of cedar upon them., in this particular, differing from.the 
islands of the Mississippi. In this island the best part of the 
Wood had been cut down, and rafted to St. Louis, to supply 
the settlements with this wood, of which there is a great con¬ 
sumption. 
Throughout the course of this day, we found the navigation 
less arduous and painful; owing principally to the falling of the 
