Lewis: April 28, 1805

Sunday April 28th 1805. Set out this morning at an early hour; the wind
was favourable and we employed our sails to advantage. Capt Clark walked
on shore this morning, and I proceeded with the party. the country through
which we passed today is open as usual and very broken on both sides near
the river hills, the bottoms are level fertile and partially covered with
timber. the hills and bluffs exhibit their usual mineral appearances, some
birnt hills but no appearance of Pumicestone; coal is in great abundance
and the salts still increase in quantity; the banks of the river and
sandbars are incrusted with it in many places and appear perfectly white
as if covered with snow or frost.the woods are now green, tho the
plains and meadows appear to abate of the verdure those below exhibited
some days past. we past three small runs today. two falling in on the
Stard. and one on the Lard. side, they are but small afford but little
water and head a few miles back in the hills. we saw great quantities of
game today; consisting of the common and mule deer, Elk, Buffaloe, and
Antelopes; also four brown bear, one of which was fired on and wounded by
one of the party but we did not get it; the beaver have cut great
quantities of timber; saw a tree nearly 3 feet in diameter that had been
felled by them. Capt. Clark in the course of his walk killed a deer and a
goose; & saw three black bear; he thinks the bottoms are not so wide
as they have been for some days past.