Clark: July 30, 1806

Friday 30th July 1806 Set out early this morning at 12 miles arived at the
Commencement of Shoals the Chanel on the Stard Side near a high bluff.
passed a Succession of those Shoals for 6 miles the lower of which was
quit across the river and appeared to have a decent of about 3 feet. here
we were Compeled to let the Canoes down by hand for fear of their
Strikeing a rock under water and Splitting. This is by far the wost place
which I have Seen on this river from the Rocky mountains to this place a
distance of 694 miles by water. a Perogu or large Canoe would with Safty
pass through the worst of those Shoals, which I call the Buffalow Sholes
from the Circumstance of one of those animals being in them. the rock
which passes the river at those Sholes appear hard and gritty of a dark
brown Colour. the Clifts on the Stard. Side is about 100 feet in hight, on
the Lard Side the Country is low and the bottom rises gradually back. here
is the first appearance of Birnt hills which I have Seen on this river
they are at a distance from the river on the Lard Side. I landed at the
enterance of a dry Creek on the Lard side below the Shoals and took
brackfast. Those Dry Rivers, Creeks &c are like those of the Missouri
which take their rise in and are the Conveyance of the water from those
plains. they have the appearanc of dischargeing emence torrents of water.
the late rains which has fallen in the plains raised Sudenly those Brooks
which receive the water of those plains on which those Suden & heavy
Showers of rain must have fallen, Several of which I have Seen
dischargeing those waters, whiles those below heading or takeing their
rise in the Same neighbourhood, as I passed them appears to have latterly
been high. those Broods discharge emencely of mud also, which Contributes
much to the muddiness of the river. after Brackfast proceeded on the river
much narrower than above from 3 to 400 yards wide only and only a fiew
scattering trees to be Seen on the banks. at 20 miles below the Buffalow
Shoals passed a rapid which is by no means dangerous, it has a number of
large rocks in different parts of the river which Causes high waves a very
good Chanel on the Lard. Side. this rapid I call Bear rapid from the
Circumstance of a bears being on a rock in the Middle of this rapid when I
arived at it. a violent Storm from the N. W. obliged us to land imediately
below this rapid, draw up the Canoes and take Shelter in an old Indian
Lodge above the enterance of a river which is nearly dry it has laterly
been very high and Spread over nearly 1/4 a mile in width. its Chanel is
88 yards and in this there is not more water than could pass through an
inch auger hole. I call it Yorks dry R. after the rain and wind passed
over I proceeded on at 7 Miles passed the enterance of a river the water
of which is 100 yds wide, the bead of this river nearly 1/4 of a mile this
river is Shallow and the water very muddy and of the Colour of the banks a
darkish brown. I observe great quantities of red Stone thrown out of this
river that from the appearance of the hills at a distance on its lower
Side induced me to call this red Stone river. as the water was
disagreeably muddy I could not Camp on that Side below its mouth. however
I landed at its enteranc and Sent out and killed two fat Cows, and took as
much of the flesh as the Canoes would conveniently Carry and Crossed the
river and encamped at the enterance of a Brook on the Lard. Side under a
large Spredding Cotton tree. The river on which we passed to day is not So
wide as above containing but fiew islands with a Small quantity of Cotton
timber. no timber of any kind to be Seen on the high lands on either Side.

In the evening below the enterance of redstone river I observed great
numbers of Buffalow feeding on the plains, elk on the points and
antilopes. I also Saw Some of the Bighorn animals at a distance on the
hills. Gibson is now able to walk, he walked out this evening and killed
an antilope.