ety-three yards in
width: it continues for three hundred and forty poles to the entrance of
a run or deep ravine where there is a fall of three feet, which, joined
to the decline of the river during that course, makes the descent six
feet. As it goes on the descent within the next two hundred and forty
poles is only four feet: from this passing a run or deep ravine the
descent for four hundred poles is thirteen feet; within two hundred and
forty poles a second descent of eighteen feet; thence one hundred and
sixty poles a descent of six feet; after which to the mouth of Portage
creek, a distance of two hundred and eighty poles, the descent is ten
feet. From this survey and estimate it results that the river
experiences a descent of three hundred and fifty-two feet in the course
of two and three quarter miles, from the commencement of the rapids to
the mouth of Portage creek, exclusive of the almost impassable rapids
which extend for a mile below its entrance.

The latitude of our camp below the entrance of Portage creek, was found
to be 47 degrees 7' 10" 3, as deduced from a meridian altitude of the
sun's lower limb taken with octant by back observation giving 53 degrees
10'.

Friday, June 21. Having made the necessary preparations for continuing
our route, a part of the baggage was carried across the creek into the
high plain, three miles in advance and placed on one of the carriages
with truck wheels: the rest of the party was employed in drying meat and
dressing elk skins. We killed several muledeer and an elk, and observed
as usual vast quantities of buffaloe who came to drink at the river. For
the first time on the Missouri we have seen near the falls a species of
fishing duck, the body of which is brown and white, the wings white, and
the head and upper part of the neck of a brick red, with a narrow beak,
which seems to be of the same kind common in the Susquehanna, Potomac
and James' river. The little wood which this neighbourhood affords
consists of the broad and narrow-leafed cottonwood, the box alder, the
narrow and broad-leafed willow, the large or sweet willow, which was not
common below Maria's river, but which here attains the same size and has
the same appearance as in the Atlantic states. The undergrowth consists
of roses, gooseberries, currants, small honeysuckles, and the redwood,
the inner part of which the _engages_ or watermen are fond of smoking
when mixed with tobacco.

Saturday, 22. We now set