Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
July the 2nd 1804 Set out verry early this morning passd on the Left of the Isles des parques High butifull Situation— on the L S. the land indifferent lands a Creek coms in on the S. S. Called parques, [2] all at once the river became Crowded with drift that it was dangerous to cross this I Suppose was from the caveing in of the banks at [t]he head of Some Island above, (3) passed a Creek on the L. S. called Turquie or Turkey Creek [3] passed a verry bad Sand bar on the L. S. the 20 Oars & Poals could with much dificuelty Stem the Current, passed a large Island on the S. S. Called by the Inds. Wau-car-ba war-con-da or the Bear Medison Island, [4] at 12 oClock came to on the Island and put in a mast, detained four hours, exceedingly hot, wind in forepart of the day from the S. E, George Drewyer informs that the Lands he pass through yesterday & to day on the S. S. was generally Verry fine he Saw two Springs of fresh water near the Island, Deer Sign has become So Common it is hardly necessary to mention them, we Camped after dark on the S. S. opposit the 1st old Village of the Kanzas which was Situated in a Valley between two points of high land, [5] on the river back of their village commenced an extensive Prarie 〈the French〉 a large Island in front which appears to have made on that Side and thrown the Current of the river against the place the Village formerly Stood, and washes away the bank in that part. The french formerly had a Fort at this place, [6] to protect the trade of this nation, the Situation appears to be a verry elligable one for a Town, the valley rich & extensive, with a Small Brook Meanding [meandering] through it and one part of the bank affording yet a good Landing for Boats The High Lands above the Fere [Fire] river on each Side of the Missouries appear to approach each other much nearer than below that plaice, being from 3 to 6 miles between them, to the Kansas, above that place from 3 to 5 Ms. apart and higher Some places being 160 or 180 feet the river not So wide We made a Mast of Cotton wood, 〈yesterday〉 to day in the Course of the evening & night it turned of a butifull red Colour
| N. 22° E W | 1 ¼ | ms to a pt on the L S. in a bend (1) |
| N. 10° W | 2 ¼ | Ms. to a pt. of a little Isd on the S. S. passed the head of the Isd. (2) a Creek L. S |
| N. 34° E | 1 ½ | to a pt on L. S. psd. passed Turkey Creek L. S. (3) |
| N. 10° W | ½ | me. on the L. S. high land on the S. S. |
| N. 46 W. | 1 ¼ | me. on Lbd. S. 〈opsd. Lower pt.〉 of an Isd. (4) on S. S. |
| S 50 W.— [7] | To the old village of the Kansas on L. S. pass a Bulge of Isd. |
|
| S 78 W | ½ | of a me. to a Pt. on S. S. psd. 2 runs on S. S. |
| S. 81° W | 2 ¼ | mes. to a pt. on the S. S. passed the head of the Island near opsd. pt. |
| N. 82° W | 2 | mes. to a pt. on the S. S. passed verry Swift water, & Camped |
| 10 ¼ | ||
| N. 53 W [8] | 1 | me. alg. S. S. |
| N 50 W | ¼ | me. alg. S. S. |
| N. 18 E | 1 | me. to pt. on L. S opsd. an Isd. N. 40° E to Low pt. of Island 1 ¼ ml. |
July 2nd, 1804 Set out early and proceed on the left of the Islands, two of which are large a high bottom Situated on the L. S. passed the mouth of a Creek on the S. S. Called 〈Turquie〉 [NB: Parques ] [9] Creike, at this place I observed that the river was Crouded with Drift wood, and dangerous to pass as this dead timber Continued only about half an our, I concluded that Some Island of Drift had given way (3) passed a Creek on the L. S. called Turky Creek, a bad Sand bar on the L. S. we could with dificuelty Stem the Current with our 20 oars & and all the poles we had, passed a large Island on the S. S. Called by the Indians Wau-car-ba war-cand-da or the Bear Medesin Island, at 12 oClock landed on the Island & put up a mast which detained us four hours— a verry hot day winds from the S. E.— George Drewyer inform's that the Lands he passed through yesterday and to day on the S. S. was verry fine, few Springs, we Camped after dark on the S. S. above the Island & opposit the 1st old village of the Kanzes which was Situated in a valley, between two points of high Land, and imediatly on the river bank, back of the village and on a riseing ground at about one mile The French had a garrison for Some time and made use of water out of a Spring running into Turkey Creek. an extensive Prarie, as the Current of the river Sets against the banke and washes it away the landing place for Boats is indifferent— The high lands above the Fire river, approaches nearer each than below, being from 3 to 6 miles distant and above Kansas from 3 to 5 miles distant and the Hills at Some places are from 160 to 180 feet above the bottom
| N. 22° W. | 1 ¼ | ms. to a pt. on L. S. in a bend (1) |
| N. 10° W | 2 ¼ | ms. to a pt. of a Lit: Isd. on S. S. passd. Isd. (2) |
| N. 34° E | 1 ½ | ms. to a pt. on L. S. psd. Turkey Cr: (3) |
| N. 10° W | ½ | on the L. S. High Lds. on S. S. |
| N. 46 W. | 1 ¼ | ms. on S. S. of an Isd. on S. S. (4) |
| S. 87 W, | ½ | Me. on S. S. a point psd. a run |
| S. 81° W | 2 ¼ | mes. on S. S. psd. head of Island |
| N. 82 W | 2 | ms. on the L. S. psd. Swift water |
| 11 ½ | 1st old village Kansas |
Monday July 2nd 1804. we Set out verry early this morning passed a High beautiful Situation on the South Side of the river, a Creek Comes in on the North Side called parques or fence Creek or River, we passed a Creek on the South Side called Turquie or Turkey Creek, we Delayed at 12 o.C. for to put up a Temperary mast as the wind was fair, we passed a prarie on the South Side of the River called the old Village of the Kansars &C. [10] we passed Several Islands. Several Deer killed this day, we camped [11] on the North Side of the River Our flanking party did not Join us at night
Monday July 2d Set out verry early this morning passed on the Left of the Isd. parque &c High butifule Situation on the South Side the Land indifferent Lands a Creek Comes in on the 〈So〉 N Side called parkques Creek passed a creek on the N—Side called Turkey Creek High Landes came 10 miles campt on the N Side, 〈on the South Side was a old French fort in former times the old Kansas village on the Back of this village in High Hills of Prarae Land T〉 on the South Side was a old French fort who had Setled hear to protect the Trade of this nation in the valley the Kansas Had a village between tow pints of High 〈Lands〉 Praria Land a Handsom Situation for a town
Monday 2nd. At sunrise we continued our voyage, and met a quantity of drift wood which was carried down the stream; this morning we passed a creek on the south side and encamped on the north opposite an old French village and fort, but all vacant.
Monday 2nd Got on Our way at Green Island at 4 Oclock P. M., the water was Strong passd a prarie on the west S. at Sd place Crossing the [river] at Sd. place the Boat Swong the [page torn] Exerted them selves mighty well [page torn] off halted and got a mast [page torn] the Barge Roed. 10½ Miles [page torn] the head of Ordaways [12] [page torn]
Monday July 2nd This morning we left Green Island, at 4 oClock A. M. [13] Found the water to run very strong against us we passed a Priari lying on the So West side of the River, we crossed the River at this Priari, and in so doing the boat swung and got aground, but by the exertion of the Men she got off. we halted and got a Mast for our boat & We encamped in the Evening at the head of Ordaways Island, having rowed this day 10½ Miles.
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.