January 9, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

January 9, 1804

 

Mon. 9th Jany—    Some Snow last night, a hard wind this morning from W, N W, river Rises with large Sheets of Ice out of Mississippi, the morning is fair (the man Ramey gives me much trouble)    I took Collins & went to the place he found a Hog Skined & Hung up, the Crows [1] had devoured the meet, Killed Prary fowl [2] and went across a Prary to a 2nd Bank where I discovered an Indian Fortification, [3] near the Second bank I attempted to cross a Bond [pond] of about 400 yds wide on the Ice & Broke in    this fortress is 9 mouns forming a Circle    two of them is about 7 foot above the leavel of the plain on the edge of the first bank and 2 m from the woods & about the Same distance from the main high land, about this place I found great quantities of Earthen ware & flints—    about ½ m. N. is a Grave on an Emenince    I returned before Sun Set, and found that my feet, which were wet had frozed to my Shoes, which rendered precaution necessary to prevent a frost bite, the Wind from the W, across the Sand Islands in the Mouth of the Missouries, raised Such a dust that I could not See in that derection, the Ice Continue to run & river rise Slowly—    exceeding Cold day

1. The common, or American, crow is Corvus brachyrhynchos [AOU, 488]. (back)
2. Probably the greater prairie chicken, first noticed November 16, 1803. (back)
3. Clark had reached the northwest edge of the Cahokia Mounds, at present Mitchell, Madison County, Illinois, about eight miles north of Cahokia. The mounds apparently served as foundations for ceremonial structures and were built between 900 and 1300 A.D. all except one of this northern group of mounds have been obliterated, but those farther south are now within Cahokia Mounds State Park. Bareis & Porter; Illinois Guide, 15–16, 610, 612. (back)