es in view of us: the buffaloe are not so shy as
the rest, for they suffer us to approach within one hundred yards before
they run, and then stop and resume their pasture at a very short
distance. The wolves to-day pursued a herd of them, and at length caught
a calf that was unable to keep up with the rest; the mothers on these
occasions defending their young as long as they can retreat as fast as
the herd, but seldom returning any distance to seek for them.

Tuesday 23. A clear and pleasant morning, but at nine o'clock the wind
became so high that the boats were in danger of upsetting; we therefore
were forced to stop at a place of safety till about five in the
afternoon, when the wind being lower we proceeded and encamped on the
north at the distance of thirteen and a half miles: the party on shore
brought us a buffaloe calf and three blacktailed deer: the sand on the
river has the same appearances as usual, except that the quantity of
wood increases.

Wednesday 24. The wind blew so high during the whole day that we were
unable to move; such indeed was its violence, that although we were
sheltered by high timber the waves wet many articles in the boats: the
hunters went out and returned with four deer, two elk, and some young
wolves of the small kind. The party are very much afflicted with sore
eyes, which we presume are occasioned by the vast quantities of sand
which are driven from the sandbars in such clouds as often to hide from
us the view of the opposite bank. The particles of this sand are so fine
and light that it floats for miles in the air like a column of thick
smoke, and is so penetrating that nothing can be kept free from it, and
we are compelled to eat, drink, and breathe it very copiously. To the
same cause we attribute the disorder of one of our watches, although her
cases are double and tight; since without any defect in its works, that
we can discover, it will not run for more than a few minutes without
stopping.

Thursday 25. The wind moderated this morning, but was still high; we
therefore set out early, the weather being so cold that the water froze
on the oars as we rowed, and about ten o'clock the wind increased so
much that we were obliged to stop. This detention from the wind and the
reports from our hunters of the crookedness of the river, induced us to
believe that we were at no great distance from the Yellowstone river. In
order therefore to prevent delay as much as possible, captain Lewi