Clark: April 12, 1805

12th April Friday 1805 a fine morning Set out verry early, the murcery
Stood 56° above 0. proceeded on to the mouth of the Little Missouri river
and formed a Camp in a butifull elivated plain on the lower Side for the
purpose of takeing Some observations to fix the Latitude & Longitude
of this river. this river falls in on the L. Side and is 134 yards wide
and 2 feet 6 Inches deep at the mouth, it takes its rise in the N W
extremity of the black mountains, and through a broken countrey in its
whole course washing the N W base of the Turtle Mountain which is Situated
about 6 Leagues S W of its mouth, one of our men Baptiest who came down
this river in a canoe informs me that it is not navagable, he was 45 days
descending.

One of our men Shot a beaver Swimming below the mouth of this river.

I walked out on the lower Side of this river and found the countrey hilley
the Soil composed of black mole & a Small perportion of Sand
containing great quantity of Small peable Some limestone, black flint,
& Sand Stone I killed a Hare Changeing its Colour Some parts retaining
its long white fur & other parts assumeing the Short grey, I Saw the
Magpie in pars, flocks of Grouse, the old field lark & Crows, &
observed the leaf of the wild Chery half grown, many flowers are to be
seen in the plains, remains of Minetarra & Ossinneboin hunting Camps
are to be Seen on each Side of the two Missouris

The wind blew verry hard from the S. all the after part of the day, at 3
oClock P M. it became violent & flowey accompanied with thunder and a
little rain. We examined our canoes &c found Several mice which had
already commenced cutting our bags of corn & parched meal, the water
of the little Missouri is of the Same texture Colour & quallity of
that of the Big Missouri the after part of the day so Cloudy that we lost
the evening observation.