two and three thousand miles
from any place where we could supply the deficiency.

Wednesday 15. As soon as a slight shower of rain had passed, we spread
out the articles to dry; but the weather was so damp and cloudy that
they derived little benefit from exposure. Our hunters procured us deer,
buffaloe, and beaver.

Thursday 16. The morning was fair and we were enabled to dry and repack
our stores: the loss we sustained is chiefly in the medicines, many
articles of which are completely spoiled, and others considerably
injured. At four o'clock we embarked, and after making seven miles
encamped on the north near some wood: the country on both sides is
broken, the low grounds narrower and with less timber, though there are
some scattered pine and cedar on the steep declivities of the hills,
which are now higher than usual. A white bear tore the coat of one of
the men which he had left on shore; and two of the party wounded a large
panther who was feasting on a deer. We caught some lean antelopes as
they were swimming the river, and killed two buffaloe.

Friday 17. We set out early and proceeded on very well; the banks being
firm and the shore bold we were enabled to use the towline, which,
whenever the banks will permit it, is the safest and most expeditious
mode of ascending the river, except under a sail with a steady breeze.
At the distance of ten and a half miles we came to the mouth of a small
creek on the south, below which the hills approach the river, and
continue near it during the day: three miles further is a large creek on
the north, and again six and three quarter miles beyond it, another
large creek to the south, which contain a small quantity of running
water of a brackish taste. The last we called Rattlesnake creek from our
seeing that animal near it. Although no timber can be observed on it
from the Missouri, it throws out large quantities of driftwood, among
which were some pieces of coal brought down by the stream. We continued
on one mile and a quarter, and encamped on the south, after making
twenty and a half miles. The country in general is rugged, the hills
high, with their summits and sides partially covered with pine and
cedar, and their bases on both sides washed by the river: like those
already mentioned the lower part of these hills is a dark rich loam,
while the upper region for one hundred and fifty feet consists of a
whitish brown sand, so hard as in many places to resemble stone, though