Missouri River above Great Falls, Gates of the Mountains — Patrick Gass: July 21, 1805

morning; passed some middling high hills on the river, and
rocks of a red purple colour; also two small creeks one on
each side. There are a few pines on the hills. At noon our
course began to change more to the southwest again; the
wind blew very hard and some drops of rain fell. In the after-
noon we passed through a ridge, where the river is very nar-
row; and close above a large cluster of small islands, where
we had some difficulty to get along, the water being so much
separated. We went 15 miles and a half and encamped on the
south side, on a beautiful prairie bottom. One of our hunters
killed a fine deer.