ion against the Assiniboins who might attack them. In the evening
we encamped on a willow point to the south opposite to a bluff, above
which a small creek falls in, and just above a remarkable bend in the
river to the southwest, which we called the Little Basin. The low
grounds which we passed to-day possess more timber than is usual, and
are wider: the current is moderate, at least not greater than that of
the Ohio in high tides; the banks too fall in but little; so that the
navigation comparatively with that lower down the Missouri is safe and
easy. We were enabled to make eighteen and a half miles: we saw the
track of a large white bear, there were also a herd of antelopes in the
plains; the geese and swan are now feeding in considerable quantities on
the young grass in the low prairies; we shot a prairie hen, and a bald
eagle of which there were many nests in the tall cottonwood trees; but
could procure neither of two elk which were in the plain. Our old
companions the musquitoes have renewed their visit, and gave us much
uneasiness.

Thursday, 11th. We set out at daylight, and after passing bare and
barren hills on the south, and a plain covered with timber on the north,
breakfasted at five miles distance: here we were regaled with a deer
brought in by the hunters, which was very acceptable as we had been for
several days without fresh meat; the country between this and fort
Mandan being so frequently disturbed by hunters that the game has become
scarce. We then proceeded with a gentle breeze from the south which
carried the periogues on very well; the day was however so warm that
several of the men worked with no clothes except round the waist, which
is the less inconvenient as we are obliged to wade in some places owing
to the shallowness of the river. At seven miles we reached a large
sandbar making out from the north. We again stopped for dinner, after
which we went on to a small plain on the north covered with cottonwood
where we encamped, having made nineteen miles. The country around is
much the same as that we passed yesterday: on the sides of the hills,
and even on the banks of the rivers, as well as on the sandbars, is a
white substance which appears in considerable quantities on the surface
of the earth, and tastes like a mixture of common salt with glauber
salts: many of the streams which come from the foot of the hills, are so
strongly impregnated with this substance, that the water has an
unpleasant