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¡¨This¡¡morning¡¡early£»¡¡before¡¡our¡¡departure£»¡¡we¡¡saw¡¡a¡¡large¡¡herd¡¡of¡¡the¡¡big¡horned¡¡animals£»¡¡which¡¡were¡¡bounding¡¡among¡¡the¡¡rocks¡¡on¡¡the¡¡opposite¡¡cliff¡¡with¡¡great¡¡agility¡£¡¡These¡¡inaccessible¡¡spots¡¡secure¡¡them¡¡from¡¡all¡¡their¡¡enemies£»¡¡and¡¡their¡¡only¡¡danger¡¡is¡¡in¡¡wandering¡¡among¡¡these¡¡precipices£»¡¡where¡¡we¡¡would¡¡suppose¡¡it¡¡scarcely¡¡possible¡¡for¡¡any¡¡animal¡¡to¡¡stand£»¡¡a¡¡single¡¡false¡¡step¡¡would¡¡precipitate¡¡them¡¡at¡¡least¡¡five¡¡hundred¡¡feet¡¡into¡¡the¡¡water¡£
¡¨At¡¡one¡¡and¡¡one¡¡fourth¡¡miles¡¡we¡¡passed¡¡another¡¡single¡¡cliff¡¡on¡¡the¡¡left£»¡¡at¡¡the¡¡same¡¡distance¡¡beyond¡¡which¡¡is¡¡the¡¡mouth¡¡of¡¡a¡¡large¡¡river¡¡emptying¡¡from¡¡the¡¡north¡£¡¡¡¡It¡¡is¡¡a¡¡handsome£»¡¡bold£»¡¡and¡¡clear¡¡stream£»¡¡eighty¡¡yards¡¡widethat¡¡is£»¡¡nearly¡¡as¡¡broad¡¡as¡¡the¡¡Missouriwith¡¡a¡¡rapid¡¡current£»¡¡over¡¡a¡¡bed¡¡of¡¡small¡¡smooth¡¡stones¡¡of¡¡various¡¡figures¡£¡¡The¡¡water¡¡is¡¡extremely¡¡transparent£»¡¡the¡¡low¡¡grounds¡¡are¡¡narrow£»¡¡but¡¡possess¡¡as¡¡much¡¡wood¡¡as¡¡those¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Missouri¡£¡¡¡¡The¡¡river¡¡has¡¡every¡¡appearance¡¡of¡¡being¡¡navigable£»¡¡though¡¡to¡¡what¡¡distance¡¡we¡¡cannot¡¡ascertain£»¡¡as¡¡the¡¡country¡¡which¡¡it¡¡waters¡¡is¡¡broken¡¡and¡¡mountainous¡£¡¡In¡¡honor¡¡of¡¡the¡¡Secretary¡¡of¡¡War¡¡we¡¡called¡¡it¡¡Dearborn's¡¡River¡£¡¨
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¡¨Being¡¡now¡¡very¡¡anxious¡¡to¡¡meet¡¡with¡¡the¡¡Shoshonees¡¡or¡¡Snake¡¡Indians£»¡¡for¡¡the¡¡purpose¡¡of¡¡obtaining¡¡the¡¡necessary¡¡information¡¡of¡¡our¡¡route£»¡¡as¡¡well¡¡as¡¡to¡¡procure¡¡horses£»¡¡it¡¡was¡¡thought¡¡best¡¡for¡¡one¡¡of¡¡us¡¡to¡¡go¡¡forward¡¡with¡¡a¡¡small¡¡party¡¡and¡¡endeavor¡¡to¡¡discover¡¡them£»¡¡before¡¡the¡¡daily¡¡discharge¡¡of¡¡our¡¡guns£»¡¡which¡¡is¡¡necessary¡¡for¡¡our¡¡subsistence£»¡¡should¡¡give¡¡them¡¡notice¡¡of¡¡our¡¡approach¡£¡¡If¡¡by¡¡an¡¡accident¡¡they¡¡hear¡¡us£»¡¡they¡¡will¡¡most¡¡probably¡¡retreat¡¡to¡¡the¡¡mountains£»¡¡mistaking¡¡us¡¡for¡¡their¡¡enemies£»¡¡who¡¡usually¡¡attack¡¡them¡¡on¡¡this¡¡side¡£¡¨¡¡¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£¡¡¡£
Captain¡¡Clark¡¡was¡¡now¡¡in¡¡the¡¡lead¡¡with¡¡a¡¡small¡¡party£»¡¡and¡¡he¡¡came¡¡upon¡¡the¡¡remains¡¡of¡¡several¡¡Indian¡¡camps¡¡formed¡¡of¡¡willow¡brush£»¡¡Traces¡¡of¡¡Indians¡¡became¡¡more¡¡plentiful¡£¡¡The¡¡journal¡¡adds£º
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