Sunday, July 29, with an invitation to the Indians, to meet us above on the river, and then proceeded.  We soon came to a northern bend in the river, which runs within twenty yards of Indian Knob creek, the water of which is five feet higher than that of the Missouri.  In less than two miles, we passed Boyer’s creek on the north, of twenty-five yards width.  We stopped to dine under a shade, near the highland on the south, and caught several large catfish, one of them nearly white, and all very fat.  Above this highland, we observed the traces of a great hurricane, which passed the river obliquely from N.W. to S.E. and tore up large trees, some of which perfectly sound, and four feet in diameter, were snapped off near the ground.  We made ten miles to a wood on the north, where we encamped.  The Missouri is much more crooked, since we passed the river Platte, though generally speaking, not so rapid; more of prairie, with less timber, and cottonwood in the low grounds, and oak, black walnut, hickory, and elm.

July 30.  We went early in the morning, three and a quarter miles, and encamped on the south, in order to wait for the Ottoes.  The land here consists of a plain, above the highwater level, the soil of which is fertile, and covered with a grass from five to eight feet high, interspersed with copses of large plums, and a currant, like those of the United States.  It also furnishes two species of honeysuckle; one growing to a kind of shrub, common about Harrodsburgh (Kentucky), the other is not so high:  the flowers grow in clusters, are short, and of a light pink colour; the leaves too, are distinct, and do not surround the stalk, as do those of the common honeysuckle of the United States.  Back of this plain, is a woody ridge about seventy feet above it, at the end of which we formed our camp.  This ridge separates the lower from a higher prairie, of a good quality, with grass, of ten or twelve inches in height, and extending back about a mile, to another elevation of eighty or ninety feet, beyond which is one continued plain.  Near our camp, we enjoy from the bluffs a most beautiful view of the river, and the adjoining country.  At a distance, varying from four to ten miles, and of a height between seventy and three hundred feet, two parallel ranges of highland affords a passage to the Missouri, which enriches the low grounds between them.  In its winding course, it nourishes the willow islands, the scattered cottonwood, elm, sycamore, lynn, and ash, and the groves are interspersed with hickory, walnut, coffeenut, and oak.

July 31.  The meridian altitude of this day made the latitude of our camp 41 degrees 18’ 1-4/10”.  The hunters supplied us with deer, turkies, geese, and beaver; one of the last was caught alive, and in a very short time was perfectly tamed.  Catfish are very abundant in the river, and we have also seen a buffaloefish.  One our men brought in yesterday an animal called, by the Pawnees, chocartoosh, and, by the French, blaireau, or badger.  The evening is cool, yet the musquitoes are still very troublesome.