JOURNAL; 
reaching the Platte before twelve, but in the course of an hour 
it failed us, and changed to N. W. At ten, it became so violent 
that we were compelled to put to shore, whbre we remained 
■until towards evening, and again attempted to proceed, but find¬ 
ing the wind too strong, again landed and encamped, having 
passed the mouth of the Platte. At the mouth of this river 
there is so great a number of bars and small islands, that its 
entrance is scarcely perceptible. The river enters by a number 
of channels or mouths: the color of its water is the same with 
that of the Missouri* The country hereabouts is entirely open, 
excepting in some spots along the river, where there are 
groves of cotton wood, and on the hills a few scattered dwarf 
oaks. 
Saturday 1 \th. The wind continues too high to proceed. 
This morning we advance about three miles, and encamp until 
near noon—very cold. 
Set off with my gun to take a walk into the country. Tra¬ 
versed the prairie which had been burnt, and reached the high 
land about three miles distant; the high land rises gradually 
to the height of about two hundred feet, the country then be¬ 
comes waving. The other side of the Missouri appears ex¬ 
tremely bare. I wandered towards the Platte, or rather to the 
point of the upland between this river and the Missouri* 
which commands a very extensive prospect. I discovered a 
great extent of open country, gently rising grounds, with a 
soil every where extremely rich. The Platte is full of islands 
and sand bars, and appears as wide as the Missouri, On my re¬ 
turn, I saw several Indian mounds. 
On reaching camp I found that the wind had abated, and 
that the river was rising fast. 
The river Platte is regarded by the navigators of the Mis¬ 
souri as a point of as much importance, as the equinoctial line 
amongst mariners. All those who had not passed it before, 
were required to be shaved, unless they could compromise the 
matter by a treat. Much merriment was indulged on the oc¬ 
casion. From this we enter what is called the Upper Missouri. 
Indeed {.he change is perceptible and great. 
