JOURNAL, 
229 
The points are tolerably wooded—At the upper end of the 
long reach we saw an encampment of Hunt, where there were 
appearances of his having remained one or two days. The bones 
of buffaloe which they had killed were strewed about. If it be 
their encampment at the time we were at the river Platte, it is 
not more than six days since they were here. The reaches be¬ 
fore described are now rarely seen—the woods more free from 
undergrowth. Encamped before sunset on a sand bar below la 
coupe o' & Oise Lie. 
Friday 1 1th. A charming morning—slight indication of 
wind from the S. E. Passed la coupe a' UOiselle. This name 
originated, in the circumstance of a trader having made a nar¬ 
row escape, being in the river at the very moment that this cut¬ 
off was forming. It was a bend of fifteen miles round, and per¬ 
haps not more than a few hundred yards across, the neck, which 
was suddenly cut through by the river, became the main chan¬ 
nel. This was effected in a few hours. 
While remaining a short time at a sand bar in the river, a 
curious phenomenou occurred; the sand began to dissolve, and 
every instant to diminish like the melting of snow, it was 
thought prudent to embark immediately. This I am inform¬ 
ed is not unfrequent. Bars are sometimes formed during the 
continuance of a single flood, but being principally of loose sand, 
without any thing to unite, as soon as the waters begin to rise 
again, is entirely carried off. 
At ten passed a similar cut-off called la coupe a s Jacque. At 
twelve continued under sail, made several long reaches—pass¬ 
ed the Yellow banks, and encamped within a few miles of the 
Black-bird hill. Throughout this day the river border is chief¬ 
ly wood. 
Saturday 1 Sth. A fine breeze S. W.—At seven arrived at 
the Black-bird hill. As this is one of the curiosities of the Mis¬ 
souri. a description may be amusing. It rises on the common 
range to the height of four or five hundred feet. The Missou¬ 
ri at its base, begins a strange winding course, several times re¬ 
turning upon its steps, and at length coming within nine hun¬ 
dred yards of where it is first approached; so that in a course of 
thirty miles the Black-bird hill is still near us. It takes its name 
