From this point the river bore
N. 20 degrees E. to a bluff on the south, at the distance of twelve
miles: towards this he directed his course, ascending the hills which
are about two hundred feet high, and passing through plains for three
miles, till he found the dry ravines so steep and numerous that he
resolved to return to the river and follow its banks. He reached it
about four miles from the beginning of his course, and encamped on the
north in a bend among some bushes which sheltered the party from the
wind: the air was very cold, the northwest wind high, and the rain wet
them to the skin. Besides the game just mentioned, he observed buffaloe,
elk, wolves, foxes, and we got a blaireau and a weasel, and wounded a
large brown bear, whom it was too late to pursue. Along the river are
immense quantities of roses which are now in full bloom, and which make
the low grounds a perfect garden.

Wednesday 5. The rain fell during the greater part of the last night,
and in the morning the weather was cloudy and cold, with a high
northwest wind: at sunrise he proceeded up the river eight miles to the
bluff on the left side, towards which he had been directing his course
yesterday. Here he found the bed of a creek twenty-five yards wide at
the entrance, with some timber, but no water, notwithstanding the rain:
it is, indeed, astonishing to observe the vast quantities of water
absorbed by the soil of the plains, which being opened in large crevices
presents a fine rich loam: at the mouth of this stream (which he called
Lark creek) the bluffs are very steep and approach the river so that he
ascended them, and crossing the plains reached the river, which from the
last point bore N. 50 degrees W: four miles from this place it extended
north two miles. Here he discovered a lofty mountain standing alone at
the distance of more than eighty miles in the direction of N. 30 degrees
W. and which from its conical figure he called Tower mountain. He then
proceeded on these two hills and afterwards in different courses six
miles, when he again changed for a western course across a deep bend
along the south side: in making this passage over the plains he found
them like those of yesterday, level and beautiful, with great quantities
of buffaloes, and some wolves, foxes, and antelopes, and intersected
near the river by deep ravines. Here at the distance of from one to nine
miles from the river, he met the largest village of barking squirrels
wh