Calumet Bluff, meeting with Yankton Sioux — Patrick Gass: September 1, 1804
After two hours of lightning and rain, the party set out early along the north side of an island, with prairie land visible to the south. Three men hunted on the island while others spotted six elk swimming across the river; the hunters killed four elk total. Around noon, strong downriver winds forced them to land on the north side at a large prairie, where they camped for the night and dried meat. Opposite the camp stood an ancient fortification or breastwork, with sides running 2500 yards parallel to the river.
lightning and rain, which continued about two hours. We set
out early in the morning, along the north side of the island:
there is handsome prairie land on the south. Three of our
men went on the island to hunt. When we landed for break-
fast we heard several guns fired on the island, and saw six elk
swimming across the river about a mile above where we had
halted. Two of our men went up and killed one of them;
those on the island killed three. About twelve, the wind blew
so hard down the river, that we could not proceed, and we
landed on the north side, where there is an extensive prairie.
It was cloudy and rained till 4 when it cleared up. We re-
mained here for the night and dried our meat. On the bank
Opposite our camp is an ancient fortification or breastwork,
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 27
similar to those which have been occasionally discovered on
the western waters. The two ends run at right angles to the
river, and the outside, which is 2500 yards in length, parallel
to it: there is no breastwork thrown up next to the river, the
bank as is supposed, serving as a sufficient defence on that
side.*
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
There was lightning and rain, which continued about two hours. We set out early in the morning, along the north side of the island: there is handsome prairie land on the south. Three of our men went on the island to hunt. When we landed for breakfast we heard several guns fired on the island, and saw six elk swimming across the river about a mile above where we had halted. Two of our men went up and killed one of them; those on the island killed three. About twelve, the wind blew so hard down the river that we could not proceed, and we landed on the north side, where there is an extensive prairie. It was cloudy and rained until 4 o'clock, when it cleared up. We remained here for the night and dried our meat.
On the bank opposite our camp is an ancient fortification or breastwork, similar to those which have been occasionally discovered on the western waters. The two ends run at right angles to the river, and the outside, which is 2500 yards in length, runs parallel to it. There is no breastwork thrown up next to the river, the bank, as is supposed, serving as a sufficient defense on that side.
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