JOURNAL* 
21,5 
pelled to lie by Until three. Crossed to the N. E. side, and en« 
deavored to ascend between the shore and an island, but found a 
sand bar running across, at the upper end, so that we were oblig¬ 
ed to back, and encamp nearly opposite the place of starting. 
Tuesday 2 3d. Very high wind this morning. Doubled the 
island which had been the scene of so much vexation. Endea¬ 
vored to proceed on the outside, but met with so many difficul¬ 
ties, that we were compelled to cross to the S. W. side. Tow¬ 
ed to Ibar’s channel and island—then re-crossed to the N E. 
side, and found ourselves about two miles above our last night’s 
encampment. Remained here until three, when the wind some¬ 
what abated its violence. Having arrived opposite the Wizzard’s 
island, (L’isle du Sorcier) crossed over and encamped. The 
superstitious boatmen believe that a wizzard inhabits this 
island; they declare that a man has been frequently seen on the 
sand beach, at the point, but that he suddenly disappears, on the 
approach of any one. These few days have been in a manner lost, 
from contrary winds, and bad weather. Heavy rain this even¬ 
ing—Musketoes begin to be troublesome, for the first time dur¬ 
ing our voyage. 
Wednesday 24 th. Attempted a ripple this morning, and 
were driven back five times—we had once got within half 
the boat’s length of being through; the oars and poles were 
insufficient; ten of our men leaped into the water with the cor- 
delle, while the rest of us exerted ourselves with the pole: and 
thus by perseverance became conquerors. This ripple, like all 
others of the Missouri, is formed by high sand bars, over which 
the water is precipitated, with considerable noise This bar has 
heen formed within two or three years. The bend formerly al¬ 
most impassible from the swiftness of the current, is now toler¬ 
able. There is seldom any great current on both sides : the fall¬ 
ing in of the banks indicates the current to be therp. Wherever 
the river has a wider channel than ordinary, there is usually a 
sand bar in the middle. This extraordinary river sometimes 
pursues a straight course for ten or fifteen miles, then suddenly 
turns to every point of the compass s In other places, the whole 
volume of its waters is compressed into a channel of two or three 
hundred yards; again suddenly opening to the width of one, qr 
