Prairie dog village near present-day Chamberlain — Patrick Gass: September 10, 1804
The expedition set out early, passing high bluffs on the north side and timbered bottomland to the south. By midday they reached black sulphur bluffs on the south side, where they found the petrified backbone of a 45-foot fish; some bones were sent to Washington. A sergeant located a large salt spring about a mile and a half inland, and a hunter killed an elk. Sand bars forced them to switch from the north to the south side. They spotted eight elk swimming and many buffalo, camping on an island after killing one buffalo.
early; passed high bluffs on the north side, and saw some
timber in the bottom on the south side. At 12 we came to
black sulphur bluffs on the south side. On the top of these
bluffs we found the skeleton or back bones of a fish, 45 feet
long, and petrified: part of these bones were sent to the city
of Washington. One of our sergeants discovered a large salt
spring about a mile and a half from the river. A hunter went
up the bank and killed an elk. We left a periogue for the
men who were dressing the elk, and proceeded up the north
side of the river two miles, when we were obliged to return
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 31
on account of sand bars, and to take the south side. Here we
saw eight elk swimming the river, and had seen a great many
buffaloe during the day. We encamped on an island and
killed one buffaloe.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Early; we passed high bluffs on the north side, and saw some timber in the bottom on the south side. At 12 we came to black sulphur bluffs on the south side. On the top of these bluffs we found the skeleton, or backbones, of a fish 45 feet long, and petrified: part of these bones were sent to the city of Washington. One of our sergeants discovered a large salt spring about a mile and a half from the river. A hunter went up the bank and killed an elk. We left a pirogue for the men who were dressing the elk, and proceeded up the north side of the river two miles, when we were obliged to turn back on account of sandbars, and to take the south side. Here we saw eight elk swimming the river, and had seen a great many buffalo during the day. We camped on an island and killed one buffalo.
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