Clark: August 27, 1804

27th August, Monday. This morning the Morning Star was observed to be very large. G. Drewyer (Drouillard) came up and informed us that he could neither find Shannon nor the horses; he had walked all night. We sent Shields and J. Fields back to look for Shannon and the horses and to catch up with us on the river above at the Grand Calumet, or River KaCure, and we set out under a gentle breeze from the S.E. We proceeded on and passed a bluff at 7 miles, several miles in extent, of white clay marl or chalk. Under this bank we discovered a large stone resembling lime, encrusted with a substance like glass, which I take to be cobalt, and also ore. Three miles above this bluff we set the prairie on fire to let the Sioux know we wished to see them. At two o'clock an Indian swam to the pirogue. We landed, and two others came; they were boys. They informed us that the Sioux were camped nearby, on the River Jacque. One Maha (Omaha) boy informed us that his nation had gone to make peace with the Pania's (Pawnees). We sent Sgt. Pryor and a Frenchman with the interpreter Mr. Durion to the camp to see and invite their great chiefs to come and council with us at the Calumet Bluffs ____ miles above on the L.S. We proceeded on 1 1/2 miles farther and camped on the S.S.

27th August, Monday, 1804. This morning the star called the Morning Star was much larger than common. G. Drewyer (Drouillard) came up and informed us that he could neither find Shannon nor the horses. We sent Shields and J. Fields back to hunt for Shannon and the horses, with directions to keep on the hills to the Grand Calumet above, on River Ka cure.

We set sail under a gentle breeze from the S.E. At 7 miles we passed a white clay marl or chalk bluff. Under this bluff is extensive—I discovered large stones much like lime, encrusted with a clear substance which I believe to be cobalt; also ore is embedded in the dark earth, resembling slate but much softer. Above this bluff we had the prairie set on fire to let the Sioux see that we were on the river, and as a signal for them to come to it.

At 2 o'clock we passed the mouth of River Jacque, or Yankton. One Indian at the mouth of this river swam to the pirogue; we landed, and two others came to us. These Indians informed us that a large camp of Sioux was on River Jacque near the mouth. We sent Sgt. Pryor and a Frenchman with Mr. Durioin (Durion), the Sioux interpreter, to the camp, with directions to invite the principal chiefs to council with us at a bluff above called the Calumet. Two of those Indians accompanied them, and the third remained in the boat, showing an inclination to continue. This boy is a Mahar (Omaha), and he informed us that his nation had gone to the Parnias (Pawnees) to make peace with that nation.

We proceeded on about one and a half miles and camped on a bar extending out from the S.S. The wind blew hard from the south. A cool and pleasant evening. The river has fallen very slowly and is now low.