The Journals of Lewis & Clark: October 1, 1804

September 30, 1804

October 2, 1804

October 1, 1804

1st of October Monday 1804 The wind blew hard from the S. E. all last night, Set out early passed a large Island in the middle of the river opposit this Island the Ricaras lived in 2 Villages on the S W. Side, about 2 Miles above the upper point of the Island the Chyenne River Coms in on the L. S. and is about 400 yards wide dischargeing but little water for a R. of its Size, the Current jentle, and navagable, to the Black mountains we haule the Boat over a Sand bar, River wide & Shoal, pass'd a Creek at 5 mils we Call Sentinal Creek, a Small one above, but little timber about this river, the hills not So high as usial, the upper Creek I call lookout Creek, Camped on a Sand bar, opposit a Tradeing house, where a Mr. Valles & 2 men had Some fiew goods to trade with the Sioux, a boy came to us, This Mr. Vallie informed us he wintered last winter 300 Legus up the Chyemne River under the Black mountains, he Sais the River is rapid and bad to navagate, it forks 100 Leagus up the N. fork enters the Black mountain 40 Leagues above the forks the Countrey like that on the Missouri less timber more Cedar, the Coat Nur or Black m. is high and Some parts retain Snow all Summer, Covered with timber principally pine, Great number of goats and a kind of anamal with verry large horns about the Size of a Small Elk, White Bear no bever on the chien great numbers in the mountains, The Chyenne Nation has about 300 Lodges hunt the Buffalow, Steel horses from the Spanish Settlements, which they doe in 1 month- the Chanal of this River is Corse gravel, Those mountains is inhabited also by the white booted Turkeys worthy of remark that the Grouse or Prarie hen is Booted, the Toes of their feet So constructed as to walk on the Snow, and the Tail Short with 2 long Stiff feathers in the middle.

Sand bars are So noumerous, that it is impossible to discribe them, & think it unnecessary to mention them.

1st of October Monday 1804

The wind blew hard all last night from the S. E. verry Cold Set out early the wind Still hard passed a large Island in the middle of the river (1) opsd. the lower point of this Island the Ricrerees formerly lived in a large Town on the L. S. above the head of the Island about 2 miles we passed the (2) River) L. S. this river Comes in from the S W. and is about 400 yards wide, the Current appears gentle, throwing out but little Sands, and appears to throw out but little water the heads of this River is Indians live Some distance up this river, the presise distance I cant learn, above the mouth of this river the Sand bars are thick and the water Shoal the river Still verry wide and falling a little we are obliged to haul the boat over a Sand bar, after makeing Several attempts to pass. the wind So hard we Came too & Stayed 3 hours after it Slackened a little we proceeded on round a bend, the wind in the after part of the Day a head- (2) passed a Creek on the L. S. which we Call the Sentinal, this part of the river has but little timber, the hills not so high. the Sand bars now noumerous, & river more than one mile wide including the Sand bars. (2) pass a Small Creek above the latter which we Call lookout C-. Continued on with the wind imediately a head, and Came too on a large Sand bar in the middle of the river, we Saw a man opposit to our Camp on the L. S. which we discovd. to be a Frenchman, a little of the willows we observed a house, we Call to them to come over, a boy Came in a Canoo & informed that 2 french men were at the house with good to trade with the Seauex which he expected down from the rickerries everry day, Severl large parties of Seauex Set out from the rics for this place to trade with those men- This Mr. Jon Vallie informs us that he wintered last winter 300 Leagues up the Chien River under the Black mountains, he informs that this river is verry rapid and dificiult even for Canoos to assend and when riseing the Swels is verry high, one hundred Leagues up it forks one fork Comes from the S. the other at 40 Leagues above the forks enters the black Mountain. The Countrey from the Missourie to the black mountain is much like the Countrey on the Missourie, less timber & a greatr perpotion of Ceder. The black Mountains he Says is verry high, and Some parts of it has Snow on it in the Summer great quantities of Pine Grow on the mountains, a great noise is heard frequently on those mountains-, on the mountains great numbers of goat, and a kind of Anamale with large Circuler horns, This animale is nearly the Size of an Argalia Small Elk. White bear is also plenty- The Chien Inds. inhabit this river principally, and Steel horses from the Spanish Settlements This excurtion they make in one month the bottoms & Sides of R Chien is Corse gravel. This frenchman gives an account of a white booted turkey an inhabitant of the Cout Noie-

1st of October Monday 1804 at the Mouth of River Chien or Dog R We proceeded now from the mouth of this river 11 miles and Camped on a Sand bar in the river opposit to a Tradeing house verry windy & Cold- 11 miles above the Chien R

The red Berry is Called by the Rees Nar-nis-

The Ricares

Names of the nations who come to the Ricares to trafick and bring Horses & robes

Those nation all live on the praries from S W. by S. to West of the Ricaries, all Speek different languages and are numerous all follow the Buffalow and winter in the mountains. The Mandans Call a red berry common to the upper part of the Missouri As-say the engages call the Same berry grease de Buff- grows in great abundance a makes a Delightfull Tart