Departure from Fort Mandan, Missouri River — Patrick Gass: April 8, 1805

wind blew hard from the N. W. At 12 the word was passed
from a canoe in the rear that it was sinking, when we halted
in front and Captain Clarke went back to see what was the
matter. This forenoon we passed two villages of the Gross-
venters, or Big-belly’s nation of Indians on the South side and
a small river on the same side called Cutteau or Knife river.
The canoe which had been in distress, came up, and had
74, GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
received little damage except wetting some powder on board.
The woman that is with us is a squaw of the Snake nation of
Indians, and wife to our interpreter. We expect she will be
of service to us, when passing through that nation. In the
afternoon we passed very high bluffs on the South side; one
of which had lately been a burning volcano. The pumice
stones lay very thick around it, and there was a strong smell
of sulphur.* We came about fourteen miles and encamped ‘
on the North side.