JOURNAL, 
234 
Had a fine breeze towards evenings—which enabled us to 
make five or six miles more than we expected. 
..Saturday 25th. This morning ran a ground, and were de¬ 
tained several hours. Passed the river a' Jaque; the principal 
.rendezvous of the traders with the Yankton Sioux. It is a large 
handsome stream* tolerably well suited for a small settlement. 
It is becoming very warm. Went out on a delightful prai¬ 
rie, the grass short, of a deep blue, and intermixed with a great 
v. iety of beautiful flowers I am forbidden to wander far, on 
account of the Indians, who it is thought may be near. We 
discovered this morning, a great deal of smoke up the river— 
we supposed this to be a notification of the Indian spies, of our 
approach. We are now in the open country—no woods are to 
be seen, except some slender cotton wood trees in the points, 
and some clumps in the hollows of the upland. The beauty of 
the scenery, this evening, exceeds any thing I ever beheld — 
The sky as clear as in a Chinese painting, the.country delightful. 
Convert the most beautiful parts of England, or France, into 
one meadow, leaving a trifling proportion of wood, and some 
idea may be formed of this. But there appears to be a painful 
void-something wanting—it can be nothing else than a popula¬ 
tion of animated beings. It were vain to describe the melancholy 
silence which reigns over these vast plains. Yet they seem to 
give a spring to the intellectual faculties. One never feels his 
understanding so vigorous, or thinks so clearly . Were it safe, 
with what delight would 1 roam over these lovely meads! 
The water has fallen, and the current is much lessened. 
Sunday 26 th, ^At daylight, discovered a canoe descending 
with two men, who-prove to be those sent by us, to Hunt. They 
bring information that he has agreed to wait for us at the Poncas 
village, where he intends to remain some days. 
Saw some buffaloe to day, and with Mr. Lisa, went several 
miles in pursuit of them, but without success. 
Passed a beautiful island JJisle a> bon Homme , upon which 
there is the remains of an ancient fortification. In the evening 
our hunter killed a buffaloe, upon which we all feasted. 
Monday 27 th. Had to oppose a contrary wind, until eleven. 
At one, arrived at the Poncas village, where we remained until 
