nearly parallel with the Missouri.  The river is, in fact, much more rapid than the Missouri, the bed of which it fills with moving sands, and drives the current on the northern shore, on which it is constantly encroaching.  At its junction the Platte is about six hundred yards wide, and the same number of miles from the Mississippi.  With much difficulty we worked round the sandbars near the mouth, and came to above the point, having made fifteen miles.  A number of wolves were seen and heard around us in the evening.

July 22.  The next morning we set sail, and having found at the distance of ten miles from the Platte, a high and shaded situation on the north, we encamped there, intending to make the requisite observations, and to send for the neighbouring tribes, for the purpose of making known the recent change in the government, and the wish of the United States to cultivate their friendship.

Chap.  II.

Some account of the Pawnee Indians—­Council held with the Otto and Missouri Indians—­Council held with another party of the Ottoes—­Death of sergeant Floyd—­The party encamp near the mouth of Whitestone river—­The character of the Missouri, with the rivers that enter it—­The surrounding country—­The various islands, bays, creeks, &c. given in the course of the expedition.

Our camp is by observation in latitude 41 degrees 3’ 11”.  Immediately behind it is a plain about five miles wide, one half covered with wood, the other dry and elevated.  The low grounds on the south near the junction of the two rivers, are rich, but subject to be overflowed.  Farther up, the banks are higher, and opposite our camp the first hills approach the river, and are covered with timber, such as oak, walnut, and elm.  The intermediate country is watered by the Papillon, or Butterfly creek, of about eighteen yards wide, and three miles from the Platte; on the north are high open plains and prairies, and at nine miles from the Platte, the Musquitoe creek, and two or three small willow islands.  We stayed here several days, during which we dried our provisions, made new oars, and prepared our despatches and maps of the country we had passed, for the president of the United States, to whom we intend to send them by a periogue from this place.  The hunters have found game scarce in this neighbourhood; they have seen deer, turkies, and grouse; we have also an abundance of ripe grapes; and one of our men caught a white catfish, the eyes of which were small, and its tail resembling that of a dolphin.  The present season is that in which the Indians go out into the prairies to hunt the buffaloe; but as we discovered some hunter’s tracks, and observed the plains on fire in the direction of their villages, we hoped that they might have returned to gather the green indian corn, and therefore despatched two men to the Ottoes or Pawnee villages with a present of tobacco, and an invitation to the chiefs to visit us.  They returned after two days absence.