. Early in the morning of the twenty-fourth, they ascended a
difficult rapid, called the _Devil's Race-ground_, and narrowly escaped
having one of their boats upset. Beyond this place, they met two canoes,
laden with furs, which had been eight weeks on their voyage from the
Mahar nation, about seven hundred miles distant. On the banks of the
river was much timber, consisting of cotton-wood, sycamore, hickory, and
white walnut.

On the 1st of June, they passed the mouth of the _Osage river_, which
falls into the Missouri, at the distance of a hundred and thirty-three
miles from its junction with the Mississippi. This stream gives name to
a nation of Indians which inhabit its banks. The _Osage Indians_ are, in
their persons, well formed: they reside in villages, and, having made
considerable progress in agriculture, they seem less addicted to war
than their northern neighbours.

Beyond the Osage river, the southern bank of the Missouri was low, and
covered with rushes; and occasionally with oak, ash, and walnut-trees.
On the north, the land was, in some places, rich, and well adapted to
agriculture. Near the mouth of _Big Manitou Creek_, the voyagers met a
raft, formed of two canoes joined together. On this, two French traders
were descending, from the river Kanzes: it was laden with beaver-skins,
which they had collected during the winter. Not long afterwards,
captains Lewis and Clarke landed, to examine a singular limestone rock,
which was nearly covered with inscriptions and uncouth paintings of
animals; but they found the place occupied by a nest of rattlesnakes,
and left it. In several parts of their voyage, they passed canoes,
boats, and rafts laden with furs.

In many places the river was bordered with prairies or swampy meadows,
on which grew several kinds of fruit, such as mulberries, plums, wild
apples, raspberries, and strawberries. Numerous herds of deer were seen,
pasturing in the plains, or feeding on the young willows of the river.

Near the mouth of the _Kanzes_, the Missouri is about five hundred yards
wide. On the south, the hills or highlands approach within a mile and
half of the shore; but, on the north, they are several miles distant;
and the country, on all sides, is fine. In some places the navigation
was interrupted by sand-banks, and in others, by the remains of trees
which had fallen into the water. On the second of July, the whole
surface of the stream, for a considerable distance, was cover