the pond he heard a snake making a guttural noise like a turkey. He
fired his gun, but the noise became louder. He adds, that he has heard
the Indians mention this species of snake, and this story is confirmed
by a Frenchman of our party. All the next day, the river being very
high, the sandbars were so rolling and numerous, and the current so
strong, that we were unable to stem it even with oars added to our
sails; this obliged us to go nearer the banks, which were falling in, so
that we could not make, though the boat was occasionally towed, more
than fourteen miles. We passed several islands and one creek on the
south side, and encamped on the north opposite a beautiful plain, which
extends as far back as the Osage river, and some miles up the Missouri.
In front of our encampment are the remains of an old village of the
Little Osage, situated at some distance from the river, and at the foot
of a small hill. About three miles above them, in view of our camp is
the situation of the old village of the Missouris after they fled from
the Sauks. The inroads of the same tribe compelled the Little Osage to
retire from the Missouri a few years ago, and establish themselves near
the Great Osages. The river, which is here about one mile wide, had
risen in the morning, but fell towards evening. Early this morning, June
16th, we joined the camp of our hunters, who had provided two deer and
two bear, and then passing an island and a prairie on the north covered
with a species of timothy, made our way through bad sandbars and a swift
current, to an encampment for the evening, on the north side, at ten
miles distance. The timber which we examined to day was not sufficiently
strong for oars; the musquitoes and ticks are exceedingly troublesome.
On the 17th, we set out early and having come to a convenient place at
one mile distance, for procuring timber and making oars, we occupied
ourselves in that way on this and the following day. The country on the
north of the river is rich and covered with timber; among which we
procured the ash for oars. At two miles it changes into extensive