Purpose. The Occasion of their Fasting was, as they gave us to understand, that they might have good Success in Hunting, and kill Abundance of Bullocks.
Salt Water Spring.
Wild Fruit.
We held on our Way till the 25th, when the Indians
shew'd us a Spring of Salt Water, within a Musket Shot of
us, and made us go ashore to view it. We observ'd the
Ground about it was much beaten by Bullocks Feet, and
it is likely they love that Salt Water. The Country about,
was full of Hillocks, cover'd with Oaks and Wallnut-Trees,
Abundance of Plum-Trees, almost all the Plums red and
pretty good, besides great Store of other Sorts of Fruits,
whose Names we know not, and among them one shap'd
like a midling Pear, with Stones in it as big as large
Beans. When ripe it peels like a Peach, the Taste is indifferent
good, but rather of the Sweetest.
The 27th, having discover'd a Herd of Beeves, we went ashore to kill some; I shot a Heifer, which was very good Meat, we put a Board the best of it, and held on our Way till the Evening, when we encamp'd on an Island, where we observ'd an alteration in the Humour and Behaviour of our Indians. This put us under some Apprehension, and the more, for that he who was reckon'd an Hermaphrodite, told us, they intended to leave us, which oblig'd us to secure our Arms and double our Watch during the Night, for Fear they should forsake us.
Missouris River. With that Jealousy we proceeded on our Journey the 28th and 29th, coasting along the Foot of an upright Rock, about sixty, or eighty Foot high, round which the River glides. Held on the 30th and 31st, and the first of September pass'd by the Mouth of a River call'd Missouris, whose Water is always thick, and to which our Indians did not forget to offer Sacrifice.
Figure of a pretended Monster. The 2d, we arriv'd at the Place, where the Figure is of the pretended Monster spoken of by Father Marquet. That Monster consists of two scurvy Figures drawn in red, on the flat Side of a Rock, about eight or ten Foot high, which wants very much of the extraordinary Height that Re-
