Clark: June 14, 1804

14th June, Thursday. We set out at 6 o'clock after a thick fog and proceeded very well S. 33 W 2 miles to the lower point of an island. S. S. S. 60° W. through a narrow 1 mile channel to a small prairie. S. S. opposite this island on L. L. is a beautiful high plain. From the island S. 70 W. to a point L. S. 2 1/2 miles, just below a piece of high land on the S. S. called the Place of Snakes. Passed the worst place I have seen on L. S., a sand bar making out 2/3 across the river, sand collecting, etc., forming bars, and bars washing away. The boat struck and turned; she was near oversetting. We saved her by some extraordinary exertions of our party (ever ready to encounter any fatigue for the promotion of the enterprise). I went out to walk on the sand beach and killed a deer and turkey. During the time I was away from the boat, a cajeux (cajeux) came up from the Pania (Pawnee) nation loaded with furs. We gave them some whiskey and tobacco, settled some disputes, and parted. S. 5 E. 3 miles to point on S. S. Passed a creek S. S. 25 yards wide, called Snake Creek or (____). Passed a bad sand bar S. S., in passing which we were obliged to run great risk of losing both boat and men. Camped above. G. Drewyer (Drouillard) tells of a remarkable snake inhabiting a small lake 5 miles below which gobbles like a turkey and may be heard several miles. This snake is of size.

14th June, Thursday. We set out at 6 o'clock. After a thick fog, passed through a narrow pass on the S. S. which forms a large island. Opposite the upper point of this island, on the L. S., is one of the worst quick or moving sand bars which I have seen. Notwithstanding all our precautions to clear the sands and pass between them (which was the way we were compelled to pass, due to the immense current and falling banks on the S. S.), the boat struck the point of one. From the active exertions of the men, she was prevented from turning; if she had turned, she must have overset. We met a cajeux (cajeux) from the Pania (Pawnee) on the River Platte. We were detained 2 hours with a view of engaging one of the hands to go to the Pania nation, with a view to get those people to meet us on the river. I went out and shot a deer. We passed a highland and clay bluff on the S. S. called the Snake Bluff, from the number of snakes about this place. We passed a creek above the bluff about 18 yards wide. This creek is called Snake Creek. A bad sand bar just below, which we found difficulty in passing, and camped above. Our hunters came in. George Drewyer (Drouillard) gives the following account of a pond: at about 5 miles below on the S. S., he passed a small lake in which there were many deer feeding. He heard in this pond a snake making gobbling noises like a turkey. He fired his gun and the noise was increased. He has heard the Indians mention this species of snake, and one Frenchman gives a similar account.