Clark: August 24, 1804

24th August, Friday 1804. Some rain last night and this morning. We set out at the usual time and proceeded on the same course as last night, continuing S. 48° W. 2¼ miles to the beginning of a blue clay bluff on the larboard side, about 180 or 190 feet high. We went west under rugged bluffs for 1¾ miles, passing several small drains falling into the river. These bluffs have lately been on fire and are still very hot. There is a great appearance of coal and immense quantities of cobalt inside the part of the bluff that has slipped in. On the sides of the hill grow great quantities of a kind of currant, or fruit resembling the currant in appearance but much richer and finer flavored. It grows on a shrub resembling a damson, and is now ripe and makes a delightful tart.

Above this bluff I took my servant and a French boy I have and walked on shore. I killed a deer, which York packed on his back. In the evening I killed two buck elk and wounded two others, which I could not pursue by the blood, as my ball was too small to bleed them well. My boys each shot an elk. It was late, and I crossed a point, struck the river above, and halted the boat. Twelve men went out and brought in the meat. All the latter part of the day it rained, and we are all wet.

Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and myself decided to visit a high hill situated in an immense plain three leagues N. 20° W. from the mouth of White Stone River. This hill appears to be of a conic form, and by all the different nations in this quarter is supposed to be a place of devils, or that they are in human form with remarkably large heads and about 18 inches high; that they are very watchful and are armed with sharp arrows, with which they can kill at a great distance; they are said to kill all persons who are so bold as to attempt to approach the hill. They state that tradition informs them that many Indians have suffered by these little people, and among others that three Maha men fell a sacrifice to their merciless fury not many years since. So much do the Mahas, Sioux, Ottoes, and other neighboring nations believe this fable that no consideration is sufficient to induce them to approach this hill.

24th August, Friday 1804. Some rain last night, continuing this morning. We set out at the usual time and proceeded on the course of last night to the (1) beginning of a blue clay bluff 180 or 190 feet high on the larboard side. These bluffs appear to have been lately on fire, and at this time are too hot for a man to bear his hand in the earth at any depth. There is a great appearance of coal. An immense quantity of cobalt, or a crystallized substance which answers its description, is on the face of the bluff. There are great quantities of a kind of berry resembling a currant, except double the size, and growing on a bush like a privet, and the size of a damson, deliciously flavored, and making delightful tarts. This fruit is now ripe.

I took my servant and a French boy and walked on shore, killed two buck elk and a fawn, and intercepted the boat and had all the meat butchered and in by sunset, at which time it began to rain and rained hard. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and myself walked out and got very wet. A cloudy, rainy night.

In my absence the boat passed a small (2) river called by the Indians White Stone River. This river is about 30 yards wide and runs through a plain and prairie in its whole course. In a northerly direction from the mouth of this creek, in an immense plain, a high hill is situated, and appears of a conic form, and by the different nations of Indians in this quarter is supposed to be the residence of devils. They are in human form, with remarkably large heads and about 18 inches high; they are very watchful, and are armed with sharp arrows with which they can kill at a great distance; they are said to kill all persons who are so bold as to attempt to approach the hill. They state that tradition informs them that many Indians have suffered by these little people, and among others three Mahar men fell a sacrifice to their merciless fury not many years since. So much do the Maha, Sioux, Ottoes, and other neighboring nations believe this fable that no consideration is sufficient to induce them to approach the hill.

(1) About the center of this sand island, the river of White Stone (as called by Mr. Evins, Kenvill R.) falls in on the starboard side. It appears to be about 25 or 30 yards wide. At the mouth of this river, 10 Indians had lately crossed, supposed to be Sioux, part of a band which are at war with the Mahars. This Sioux nation is divided into bands, some 100 to 500 men in a band, at peace with each other, but with different interests and prejudices. For instance, one band is the most inveterate enemy of the Mahars, while all the other bands are in the greatest harmony with that nation and even go with them to war. These Sioux follow the buffalo and kill them on foot. They pack their dogs, which carry their bedding.