foggy and cool. We passed at about three miles distance, a small willow
island to the north, and a creek on the south, about twenty-five yards
wide, called by the French, L'eau qui Pleure, or the Weeping Water, and
emptying itself just above a cliff of brown clay. Thence we made two and
a half miles to another island; three miles further to a third: six
miles beyond which is a fourth island; at the head of which we encamped
on the southern shore; in all eighteen miles. The party, who walked on
the shore to-day, found the plains to the south, rich, but much parched
with frequent fires, and with no timber, except the scattering trees
about the sources of the runs, which are numerous and fine. On the
north, is a similar prairie country. The river continues to fall. A
large yellow wolf was this day killed. For a month past the party have
been troubled with biles, and occasionally with the dysentery. These
biles were large tumours which broke out under the arms, on the legs,
and, generally, in the parts most exposed to action, which sometimes
became too painful to permit the men to work. After remaining some days,
they disappeared without any assistance, except a poultice of the bark
of the elm, or of Indian meal. This disorder, which we ascribe to the
muddiness of the river water, has not affected the general health of the
party, which is quite as good, if not better, than that of the same
number of men in any other situation.

Saturday, July 21. We had a breeze from the southeast, by the aid of
which we passed, at about ten miles, a willow island on the south, near
high lands covered with timber, at the bank, and formed of limestone
with cemented shells: on the opposite side is a bad sandbar, and the
land near it is cut through at high water, by small channels forming a
number of islands. The wind lulled at seven o'clock, and we reached, in
the rain, the mouth of the great river Platte, at the distance of
fourteen miles. The highlands which had accompanied us on the south, for