On the 22d we made about eighteen miles, passing several small farms on the bank of the river, a number of islands, and a large creek on the south side, called Bonhomme, or Goodman’s river.  A small number of emigrants from the United States have settled on the sides of this creek, which are very fertile.  We also passed some high lands, and encamped, on the north side, near a small creek.  Here we met with a camp of Kickapoo Indians who had left us at St. Charles, with a promise of procuring us some provisions by the time we overtook them.  They now made us a present of four deer, and we gave them in return two quarts of whiskey.  This tribe reside on the heads of the Kaskaskia and Illinois river, on the other side of the Mississippi, but occasionally hunt on the Missouri.

May 23.  Two miles from our camp of last night, we reached a river emptying itself on the north side, called Osage Woman river.  It is about thirty yards wide, and has now a settlement of thirty or forty families from the United States.  About a mile and a half beyond this is a large cave, on the south side at the foot of cliffs nearby three hundred feet high, overhanging the water, which becomes very swift at this place.  The cave is one hundred and twenty feet wide, forty feet deep, and twenty high, it is known by the name of the Tavern, among the traders who have written their names on the rock, and painted some images which command the homage of the Indians and French.  About a little further we passed a small creek called Tavern creek, and encamped on the south side of the river, having gone nine miles.

Early the next morning we ascended a very difficult rapid, called the Devil’s Race Ground, where the current sets for half a mile against some projecting rocks on the south side.  We were less fortunate in attempting a second place of equal difficulty.  Passing near the southern shore, the bank fell in so fast as to oblige us to cross the river instantly, between the northern side and a sandbar which is constantly moving and banking with the violence of the current.  The boat struck on it, and would have upset immediately, if the men had not jumped into the water and held her, till the sand washed from under her.  We encamped on the south side, having ascended ten miles, and the next day, May 25, passed on the south side the mouth of Wood river, on the north, two small creeks and several islands, and stopped for the night at the entrance of a creek on the north side, called by the French La Charrette, ten miles from our last encampment, and a little above a small village of the same name.  It consists of seven small houses, and as many poor families who have fixed themselves here for the convenience of trade, and form the last establishment of whites on the Missouri.  It rained last night, yet we found this morning that the river had fallen several inches.