five miles, on the south
side, where we found the musquitoes very troublesome.

August 4. A violent wind, accompanied by rain, purified and cooled the
atmosphere last night; we proceeded early, and reached a very narrow
part of the river, where the channel is confined within a space of two
hundred yards, by a sand point on the north, and a bend on the south;
the banks in the neighbourhood washing away, the trees falling in, and
the channel filled with buried logs. Above this is a trading house, on
the south, where one of our party passed two years, trading with the
Mahas. At nearly four miles, is a creek on the south, emptying opposite
a large island of sand; between this creek and our last night's
encampment, the river has changed its bed, and encroached on the
southern shore. About two miles further, is another creek on the south,
which, like the former, is the outlet of three ponds, communicating with
each other, and forming a small lake, which is fed by streams from the
highlands. At fifteen miles, we encamped on the south. The hills on both
sides of the river are nearly twelve or fifteen miles from each other;
those of the north containing some timber, while the hills of south are
without any covering, except some scattering wood in the ravines, and
near where the creeks pass into the hills; rich plains and prairies
occupying the intermediate space, and partially covered, near the water,
with cottonwood. There has been a great deal of pumice stone on shore
to-day.

August 5th. We set out early, and, by means of our oars, made twenty and
a half miles, though the river was crowded with sandbars. On both sides
the prairies extend along the river; the banks being covered with great
quantities of grapes, of which three different species are now ripe; one
large and resembling the purple grape. We had some rain this morning,
attended by high wind; but generally speaking, have remarked that
thunder storms are less frequent than in the Atlantic states, at this
season. Snakes too are less frequent, though we killed one to-day of the
shape and size of the rattlesnake, but of a lighter colour. We fixed our
camp on the north side. In the evening, captain Clarke, in pursuing some
game, in an eastern direction, found himself at the distance of three
hundred and seventy yards from the camp, at a point of the river whence
we had come twelve miles. When the water is high, this peninsula is
overflowed, and judging from the customar