s
determined to go on by land in search of that river, and make the
necessary observations, so as to be enabled to proceed on immediately
after the boats should join him; he therefore landed about eleven
o'clock on the south side, accompanied by four men; the boats were
prevented from going until five in the afternoon, when they went on a
few miles further and encamped for the night at the distance of fourteen
and a half miles.

Friday 26. We continued our voyage in the morning and by twelve o'clock
encamped at eight miles distance, at the junction of the Missouri and
Yellowstone rivers; where we were soon joined by captain Lewis.

On leaving us yesterday he pursued his route along the foot of the
hills, which he ascended at the distance of eight miles; from these the
wide plains watered by the Missouri and the Yellowstone spread
themselves before the eye, occasionally varied with the wood of the
banks, enlivened by the irregular windings of the two rivers, and
animated by vast herds of buffaloe, deer, elk, and antelope. The
confluence of the two rivers was concealed by the wood, but the
Yellowstone itself was only two miles distant to the south. He therefore
descended the hills and encamped on the bank of the river, having killed
as he crossed the plain four buffaloes; the deer alone are shy and
retire to the woods, but the elk, antelope, and buffaloe suffered him to
approach them without alarm, and often followed him quietly for some
distance. This morning he sent a man up the river to examine it, while
he proceeded down to the junction: the ground on the lower side of the
Yellowstone near its mouth, is flat, and for about a mile seems to be
subject to inundation, while that at the point or junction, as well as
on the opposite side of the Missouri, is at the usual height of ten or
eighteen feet above the water, and therefore not overflown. There is
more timber in the neighbourhood of this place, and on the Missouri, as
far below as the Whiteearth river, than on any other part of the
Missouri on this side of the Chayenne: the timber consists principally
of cottonwood, with some small elm, ash, and box alder. On the sandbars
and along the margin of the river grows the small-leafed willow; in the
low grounds adjoining are scattered rosebushes three or four feet high,
the redberry, serviceberry and redwood. The higher plains are either
immediately on the river, in which case they are generally timbered, and
have an unde