e, and is deep and navigable, but it is
so much choked up at the entrance by the mud of the Missouri, that its
mouth is not more than ten yards wide. Its course, as far as we could
discern from the neighbouring hills, is nearly due north, passing
through a beautiful and fertile valley, though without a tree or bush of
any description. Half a mile beyond this river we encamped on the same
side below a point of highland, which from its appearance we call Cut
bluff.

Monday, 22d. The day clear and cold: we passed a high bluff on the north
and plains on the south, in which were large herds of buffaloe, till
breakfast, when the wind became so strong ahead that we proceeded with
difficulty even with the aid of the towline. Some of the party now
walked across to the Whiteearth river, which here at the distance of
four miles from its mouth approaches very near to the Missouri. It
contains more water than is usual in streams of the same size at this
season, with steep banks about ten or twelve feet high, and the water is
much clearer than that of the Missouri; the salts which have been
mentioned as common on the Missouri, are here so abundant that in many
places the ground appears perfectly white, and from this circumstance it
may have derived its name; it waters an open country and is navigable
almost to its source, which is not far from the Saskaskawan, and judging
from its size and course, it is probable that it extends as far north as
the fiftieth degree of latitude. After much delay in consequence of the
high wind, we succeeded in making eleven miles, and encamped in a low
ground on the south covered with cottonwood and rabbitberries. The hills
of the Missouri near this place exhibit large irregular broken masses of
rocks and stones, some of which, although two hundred feet above the
water, seem at some remote period to have been subject to its influence,
being apparently worn smooth by the agitation of the water. These rocks
and stones consist of white and gray granite, a brittle black rock,
flint, limestone, freestone, some small specimens of an excellent
pebble, and occasionally broken stratas of a black coloured stone like
petrified wood, which make good whetstones. The usual appearances of
coal, or carbonated wood, and pumicestone still continue, the coal being
of a better quality and when burnt affords a hot and lasting fire,
emitting very little smoke or flame. There are huge herds of deer, elk,
buffaloe, and antelop