s of the river to day we observe much timber, the cotton wood, the
sycamore, hickory, white walnut, some grapevines, and rushes--the high
west wind and rain compelled us to remain all the next day, May 31. In
the afternoon a boat came down from the Grand Osage river, bringing a
letter from a person sent to the Osage nation on the Arkansaw river,
which mentioned that the letter announcing the cession of Louisiana was
committed to the flames--that the Indians would not believe that the
Americans were owners of that country, and disregarded St. Louis and its
supplies. The party was occupied in hunting, in the course of which,
they caught in the woods several very large rats. We set sail early the
next morning, June 1st, and at six miles distant passed Bear creek, a
stream of about twenty-five yards width; but the wind being ahead and
the current rapid, we were unable to make more than thirteen miles to
the mouth of the Osage river; where we encamped and remained the
following day, for the purpose of making celestial observations. The
Osage river empties itself into the Missouri, at one hundred and
thirty-three miles distance from the mouth of the latter river. Its
general course is west and west southwest through a rich and level
country. At the junction the Missouri is about eight hundred and
seventy-five yards wide, and the Osage three hundred and ninety-seven.
The low point of junction is in latitude 38 degrees 31' 16", and at a
short distance from it is a high commanding position, whence we enjoyed
a delightful prospect of the country.

The Osage river gives or owes its name to a nation inhabiting its banks
at a considerable distance from this place. Their present name however,
seems to have originated from the French traders, for both among
themselves and their neighbours they are called the Wasbashas. They
number between twelve and thirteen hundred warriors, and consist of
three tribes: the Great Osages of about five hundred warriors, living in
a village on the south bank of the river--the Little Osages, of nearly
half that number, residing at the distance of six miles from them--and
the Arkansaw band, a colony of Osages, of six hundred warriors, who left
them some years ago, under the command of a chief called the Bigfoot,
and settled on the Vermillion river, a branch of the Arkansaw. In person
the Osages are among the largest and best formed Indians, and are said
to possess fine military capacities; but residing as