Clark: August 25, 1804

August 25th, Saturday 1804. This morning Capt. Lewis and myself, G. Drouillard, Sgt. Ordway, Shields, J. Fields, Colter, Bratton, Cane, Labiche, Corp. Worbington, Frazer, and York set out to visit this Mountain of Evil Spirits. We set out from the mouth of the White Stone Creek at 8 o'clock. At 4 miles we crossed the creek in an open plain. At 7 miles the dog gave out and we sent him back to the creek. At 12 o'clock we reached the hill. Some time before we got to the hill we observed great numbers of birds hovering about the top of this mound. When I got on the top, those birds flew off. I discovered that they were catching a kind of flying ant which were in great numbers about the top of this hill. Those insects lit on our hats and necks, and several of them bit me very sharply on the neck. Near the top of this knoll I observed three holes which I supposed to be made by prairie wolves or badgers, which are numerous in those plains. This hill is about 70 feet high in an immense prairie or level plain. From the top I could not observe any woods except on the Missouri points and a few scattering trees on the three rivers in view, that is, the Sioux River below, the River Jacques above, and the one we have crossed. From the top of this mound we observed several large herds of buffalo and elk feeding, upwards of 800 in number. Capt. Lewis being much fatigued and very thirsty obliged us to go to the nearest water which we could see, which was the White Stone Creek at right angles from the course we came out. We got water in three miles, in the creek above where the beaver had dammed it up. After a delay of about an hour and a half we set out for our boat, crossing the creek three times waist deep, passing down an elegant bottom of about a mile in width bordered by a ridge of about 50 feet, from the top of which it was level to the river. We proceeded on by a circular direction to the place we crossed this creek going out, where we delayed about 40 minutes for the men to rest themselves in a small grove. Here we got great quantities of the best, largest grapes I ever tasted, some blue currants still on the bushes, and two kinds of plums—one the common wild plum, the other a large yellow plum growing on a small bush. This plum is about double the size of the common one and deliciously flavored. Those plains are level, without much water and no timber. All the timber on the Stone River would not thickly timber 100 acres of land. We returned to the boat at sunset, my servant nearly exhausted with heat, thirst, and fatigue. He being fat and unaccustomed to walk as fast as I went was the cause. We set fire to the prairies in two places to let the Sioux know we were on the river and as a signal for them to come to the river above. Our party in the boat and one pirogue under the command of Sgt. Pryor answered us by firing a prairie near them. We proceeded on to the place we camped last night, and as it began to rain and grow very dark, we concluded to stay all night. Our boys prepared us a supper of jerked meat and two prairie larks (which are about the size of a pigeon and peculiar to this country), and on a buffalo robe we slept very well. In the morning we proceeded on and joined the boat at 6 miles. They had camped and were jerking an elk and 5 deer which R. Fields and Shannon had brought in. From the Mound to the hill on the south side at the mouth of the Sioux River, S. 70° E.; to the opposite hills, S. 45° E.; and to the woods near River au Jacques, west.

August 25th, Saturday. Wind S.E. The boat under Sgt. Pryor, after drying some goods which got wet in the French pirogue and jerking the meat killed yesterday, set out at 12 o'clock and proceeded on six miles and camped on the larboard side. Passed a bluff of blue earth at 3 miles and a large sand island in a bend to the south side at 5 miles. R. Fields brought in 5 deer; G. Shannon an elk this evening. Rain at 3 o'clock. Mercury 86 above 0.

25th August, Saturday 1804. A cloudy morning. Capt. Lewis and myself concluded to go and see the mound which was viewed with such terror by all the different nations in this quarter. We selected Shields, J. Fields, W. Bratton, Sgt. Ordway, J. Colter, Cane, and Corp. Worbington and Frazer, also G. Drouillard, and dropped down to the mouth of White Stone River, where we left the pirogue with two men. At 200 yards we ascended a rising ground of about sixty feet. From the top of this high land the country is level and open as far as can be seen, except for some few rises at a great distance, and the mound which the Indians call Mountain of Little People or Spirits. This mound appears of a conic form and is N. 20° W. from the mouth of the creek. We left the river at 8 o'clock. At 4 miles we crossed the creek, 23 yards wide, in an extensive valley, and continued on. At two miles further our dog was so heated and fatigued we were obliged to send him back to the creek. At 12 o'clock we arrived at the hill. Capt. Lewis was much fatigued from heat, the day being very hot, and he being in a debilitated state from the precautions he was obliged to take to prevent the effects of the cobalt and mineral substance which had nearly poisoned him two days ago. His want of water and several of the men complaining of great thirst determined us to make for the first water, which was the creek in a bend N.E. from the mound about 3 miles. After a delay of about 1 hour and a half to recruit our party, we set out on our return down the creek through the bottom of about 1 mile in width, crossing the creek 3 times to the place we first struck it, where we gathered some delicious fruit such as grapes, plums, and blue currants. After a delay of an hour we set out on our back trail and arrived at the pirogue at sunset. We proceeded on to the place we camped last night and stayed all night.

This mound is situated on an elevated plain in a level and extensive prairie, bearing N. 20° W. from the mouth of White Stone Creek, nine miles. The base of the mound is a regular parallelogram, the long side of which is about 300 yards in length, the shorter 60 or 70 yards. From the longer side of the base it rises from the north and south with a steep ascent to the height of 65 or 70 feet, leaving a level plain on the top of 12 feet in width and 90 in length. The north and south parts of this mound are joined by two regular rises, each in oval forms of half its height, forming three regular rises from the plain. The ascent of each elevated part is as sudden as the principal mound at the narrower sides of its base.

The regular form of this hill would in some measure justify a belief that it owed its origin to the hand of man; but as the earth and loose pebbles and other substances of which it was composed bear an exact resemblance to the steep ground which borders the creek in its neighborhood, we concluded it was most probably the production of nature.

The only remarkable characteristic of this hill, admitting it to be a natural production, is that it is insulated or separated a considerable distance from any other, which is very unusual in the natural order or disposition of the hills.

The surrounding plains are open, void of timber, and level to a great extent; hence the wind, from whatever quarter it may blow, drives with unusual force over the naked plains and against this hill. The insects of various kinds are thus involuntarily driven to the mound by the force of the wind, or fly to its leeward side for shelter. The small birds whose food they are consequently resort in great numbers to this place in search of them, particularly the small brown martin, of which we saw a vast number hovering on the leeward side of the hill when we approached it, in the act of catching those insects. They were so gentle that they did not quit the place until we had arrived within a few feet of them.

One evidence which the Indians give for believing this place to be the residence of some unusual spirits is that they frequently discover a large assemblage of birds about this mound, which is, in my opinion, a sufficient proof to produce in the savage mind a confident belief of all the properties which they ascribe to it.

From the top of this mound we beheld a most beautiful landscape. Numerous herds of buffalo were seen feeding in various directions. The plain to the north, N.W., and N.E. extends without interruption as far as can be seen.

From the Mound to the mouth of Stone River is S. 20° E., 9 miles.

To the woods near the mouth of River Jacques is west.

To the high land near the mouth of Sioux River is S. 70° E.

To the high land on the opposite side, near the Maha town, is S. 45° E.

Some high lands can be seen from the mound at a great distance to the N.E., some nearer to the N.W. No woods except on the Missouri's points. If all the timber which is on the Stone Creek was on 100 acres, it would not be thickly timbered. The soil of those plains is delightful. Great numbers of birds are seen in those plains, such as blackbirds, the wren or prairie bird (a kind of lark about the size of a partridge with a short tail), etc.

25th August. The boat under the command of Sgt. Pryor proceeded on in our absence (after jerking the elk I killed yesterday) six miles and camped on the larboard side. R. Fields brought in five deer. George Shannon killed an elk buck. Some rain this evening.

We set the prairies on fire as a signal for the Sioux to come to the river.