o had left us at St. Charles, with a promise of
procuring us some provisions by the time we overtook them. They now made
us a present of four deer, and we gave them in return two quarts of
whiskey. This tribe reside on the heads of the Kaskaskia and Illinois
river, on the other side of the Mississippi, but occasionally hunt on
the Missouri.

May 23. Two miles from our camp of last night, we reached a river
emptying itself on the north side, called Osage Woman river. It is about
thirty yards wide, and has now a settlement of thirty or forty families
from the United States. About a mile and a half beyond this is a large
cave, on the south side at the foot of cliffs nearby three hundred feet
high, overhanging the water, which becomes very swift at this place. The
cave is one hundred and twenty feet wide, forty feet deep, and twenty
high, it is known by the name of the Tavern, among the traders who have
written their names on the rock, and painted some images which command
the homage of the Indians and French. About a little further we passed a
small creek called Tavern creek, and encamped on the south side of the
river, having gone nine miles.

Early the next morning we ascended a very difficult rapid, called the
Devil's Race Ground, where the current sets for half a mile against some
projecting rocks on the south side. We were less fortunate in attempting
a second place of equal difficulty. Passing near the southern shore, the
bank fell in so fast as to oblige us to cross the river instantly,
between the northern side and a sandbar which is constantly moving and
banking with the violence of the current. The boat struck on it, and
would have upset immediately, if the men had not jumped into the water
and held her, till the sand washed from under her. We encamped on the
south side, having ascended ten miles, and the next day, May 25, passed
on the south side the mouth of Wood river, on the north, two small
creeks and several islands, and stopped for the night at the entrance of
a creek on the north side, called by the French La Charrette, ten miles
from our last encampment, and a little above a small village of the same
name. It consists of seven small houses, and as many poor families who
have fixed themselves here for the convenience of trade, and form the
last establishment of whites on the Missouri. It rained last night, yet
we found this morning that the river had fallen several inches.

May 26. The wind being favour