232 JOURNAL. 
compelled to abandon their encampment, and sleep 6n board.-*-' 
Very little prairie in the course of this day, but the timber of a 
small size. 
Wednesday 22 d. A delightful day—the water has risen to 
its utmost height, and presents a vast expanse—the current 
uniformly rapid, in some places rolling with the most furious 
and terrific violence. One of these places, below Vermillion 
Ci’eek, was sufficient to appal the stoutest heart: the river forms 
an elbow at the termination of some bluffs, the water, compress* 
ed between them and the sand bar, dashes against the opposite 
rocks. The middle of the river appeared several feet higher 
than the sides. The distance to cross, before we could reach 
the opposite eddy, was not more than twice the length of the 
boat, but we were not able completely to effect it, being swept 
down with the rapidity of flight, but fell into the current of the 
opposite side, before it had gained its full force, and were able* 
with great difficulty, to gain the eddy. 
The high waters enable us to cut off points, which is no 
small saving of the distance. The water begins to fall, though 
great quantities of drift wood descend, and thirty or forty dro wn¬ 
ed buffaloes pass by every day. 
I observe a much greater variety of trees and shrubs, than 
below, and some altogether new to me. There is a shrub which 
the French call graisse de boeuf, bearing a red berry, of a pun¬ 
gent taste; its leaves, though smaller and more delicate, bear,a 
resemblance to those of a pear tree. In the hollows, clumps of 
trees are usually found, but what surprises me, they are very 
low, though some of the oaks and ash are eighteen or twenty 
inches in diameter, they look like orchard trees, and have much 
greater resemblance to regular plantations than wild woods. 
Thursday 23 d. Water falling rapidly—a fine breeze S. E„ 
sailed until eleven—passed the Hot, or Burning Bluffs, on the 
S. W. side. Here I observed enormous masses of pumice, and 
other matter, which appeared to have undergone the action of 
heat, of a very high degree. I saw what was the fragment of a 
hill, the greater part at present composed of pumice. From not 
... toeing' able to discover dther volcanic appearances, I conclud-' 
