Missouri River, first view of Rocky Mountains — Patrick Gass: May 31, 1805

passed through a mountainous country but the game is more
plenty, and we killed some buffaloe in our way. About 11
o’clock it began to rain slowly, and continued raining two
hours, when it cleared up. We passed some very curious
cliffs and rocky peaks, in a long range. Some of them 200
feet high and not more than eight feet thick. They seem as
if built by the hand of man, and are so numerous that they
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 93
appear like the ruins of an ancient city. We went 17 1-2 miles
and encamped at the mouth of a handsome creek on the
North side.