The morning of the 4th July was announced by the discharge of our gun.  At one mile we reached the mouth of a bayeau or creek, coming from a large lake on the north side, which appears as if it had once been the bed of the river, to which it runs parallel for several miles.  The water of it is clear and supplied by a small creek and several springs, and the number of goslins which we saw on it, induced us to call it the Gosling lake.  It is about three quarters of a mile wide, and seven or eight miles long.  One of our men was bitten by a snake, but a poultice of bark and gunpowder was sufficient to cure the wound.  At ten and a quarter miles we reached a creek on the south about twelve yards wide and coming from an extensive prairie, which approached the borders of the river.  To this creek which had no name, we gave that of Fourth of July creek; above it is a high mound, where three Indian paths centre, and from which is a very extensive prospect.  After fifteen miles sail we came to on the north a little above a creek on the southern side, about thirty yards wide, which we called Independence creek, in honour of the day, which we could celebrate only by an evening gun, and an additional gill of whiskey to the men.

The next day, 5th, we crossed over to the south and came along the bank of an extensive and beautiful prairie, interspersed with copses of timber, and watered by Independence creek.  On this bank formerly stood the second village of the Kanzas; from the remains it must have been once a large town.  We passed several bad sandbars, and a small creek to the south, which we called Yellow Ochre creek, from a bank of that mineral a little above it.  The river continues to fall.  On the shores are great quantities of summer and fall grapes, berries and wild roses.  Deer is not so abundant as usual, but there are numerous tracks of elk around us.  We encamped at ten miles distance on the south side under a high bank, opposite to which was a low land covered with tall rushes, and some timber.

July 6.  We set sail, and at one mile passed a sandbar, three miles further an island, a prairie to the north, at the distance of four miles called Reevey’s prairie, after a man who was killed there; at which place the river is confined to a very narrow channel, and by a sandbar from the south.  Four miles beyond is another sandbar terminated by a small willow island, and forming a very considerable bend in the river towards the north.  The sand of the bar is light, intermixed with small pebbles and some pit coal.  The river falls slowly, and, owing either to the muddiness of its water, or the extreme heat of the weather, the men perspire profusely.  We encamped on the south having made twelve miles.  The bird called whip-poor-will sat on the boat for some time.