The Journals of Lewis & Clark: September 5, 1804

September 4, 1804

September 6, 1804

September 5, 1804

5th September 1804 Wednesday, Set out early the wind blew hard from the South as it has for Some Days past, we Set up a jury mast & Sailed, I saw a large gangue of Turkeys, also Grous Seen Passed a large Island of about 3 miles long in the Middle of the river opposit the head of this Island the Poncarre River Coms into the Missourei on the L. S.- the S. S is a Clift under which great numbers of Springs run out of mineral water, Saw Several wild goats on the Clift & Deer with black tales,- Sent Shields & Gibson to the Poncas Towns, which is Situated on the Ponca river on the lower side about two miles from its mouth in an open butifull Plain, at this time this nation is out hunting the biffalow they raise no corn or Beens, Gibson killed a Buffalow in the Town, The two men which has been absent several Days is ahead, we came to on the upper pt. of a large Island at 3 oClock to make a mast Sent out Some hunters on the Island (which I call no preserve Island, at this place we used the last of our Preservs) They killed 3 bucks, & two Elk which welurked

September 5th Wednesday 1804

Set out early the winds blew hard from the South, Goats turkeys Seen to day, passed a large Island (1) opsd. this Island near the head the Poncasar River Coms into the Missourie from the West this river is about 30 yards wide. dispatched two men to the Poncaries Village Situated in a handsom Plain on the lower Side of this Creek about two miles from the Missourie (the Poncasars nation is Small and at this time out in the praries hunting the Buffalow), one of the men Sent to the Village Killed a Buffalow in the town, the other, a large Buck near it, Some Sign of the two men who is a head.

above the Island on the S. S We passed under a Bluff of Blue earth, under which Seveal Mineral Springs broke out of the water of which had a taste like Salts, we Came too on the upper point of a large Island (which I call No preserves Island) here we made a Ceeder Mast, our hunters brought in three bucks, and two elks this evening which we had jurked

One of the hunter Shields, informed that he Saw Several black tailed Deer, near the Poncaser Village

Sept 5th

saw some wild goats or antelopes on the hill above the Glauber Salts Springs they ran off we could not discover them sufficiently distinctly to discribe even their colour their track is as large as a deer reather broader & more blont at the point

This day one of our hunters brought us a Serpent beautifully variagated with small black spotts of a romboydal form on a light yellow white ground the black pedominates most on the back the whiteis yellow on the sides, and it is nearly white on the belly with a few party couloured scuta on which the black shews but imperfectly and the colouring matter seems to be underneath the Scuta- it is not poisonous it hisses remarkably loud; it has 221 Scuta on the belly and 51 on the tale, the eyes are of a dark black colour the tale terminates in a sharp point like the substance of a cock's spur- Length 4 Ft. 6 I.