D. P. Thompson - "The Rangers"

Finley Peter Dunne - "Observations by Mr. Dooley"

P. G. Wodehouse - "Psmith in the City"

John Lothrop Motley - "History of the United Netherlands, 1585"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Journals of Lewis and Clark

M >> Meriwether Lewis et al >> The Journals of Lewis and Clark




[Clark, April 14, 1805]
14th of April Sunday 1805.
a fine morning, a dog came to us this morning we Suppose him to be left
by the Inds. who had their camps near the Lake we passd. yesterday not
long Sence, I observed Several Single Lodges built of Stiks of cotten
timber in different parts of the bottoms. in my walk of this day which
was through the wooded bottoms and on the hills for several miles back
from the river on the S. S. I Saw the remains of two Indian incampments
with wide beeten tracks leading to them. those were no doubt the Camps
of the Ossinnaboin Indians (a Strong evidence is hoops of Small Kegs
were found in the incampments) no other nation on the river above the
Sioux make use of Spiritious licquer, the Ossinniboins is said to be
pasionately fond of Licquer, and is the principal inducement to their
putting themselves to the trouble of Catching the fiew wolves and foxes
which they furnish, and recive their liquor always in small Kegs. The
Ossinniboins make use of the Same kind of Lodges which the Sioux and
other Indians on this river make use of- Those lodges or tents are made
of a number of dressed buffalow Skins Sowed together with Sinues &
deckerated with the tales, & Porcupine quils, when open it forms a half
circle with a part about 4 Inches wide projecting about 8 or 9 Inches
from the center of the Streight Side for the purpose of attaching it to
a pole to it the hight they wish to raise the tent, when they errect
this tent four poles of equal length are tied near one end, those poles
are elevated and 8 10 or 12 other poles are anexed forming a Circle at
the ground and lodging in the forks of the four attached poles, the
tents are then raised, by attach the projecting part to a pole and
incumpassing the poles with the tent by bringing the two ends together
and attached with a Cord, or laied as high as is necessary, leaveing
the lower part open for about 4 feet for to pass in & out, and the top
is generally left open to admit the Smoke to pass- The Borders of the
river has been So much hunted by those Indians who must have left it
about 8 or 10 days past and I prosume are now in the neighbourhood of
British establishments on the Osinniboin; the game is Scerce and verry
wild. The River Continues wide and the current jentle not more rapid
than the Current of the Ohio in middle State- The bottoms are wide and
low and the moist parts of them Contain Som wood such as cotton Elm &
Small ash, willow rose bushes &c. &c. &. next to the hills Great
quantity of wild Isoop, the hills are high broken in every direction,
and the mineral appearance of Salts Continue to appear in a greater
perportion, also Sulpher, Coal & bitumous water in a Smaller quantity,
I have observed but five burnt hills, about the little Missouri, and I
have not Seen any pumey stone above that River I Saw Buffalow on the L.
S. Crossed and dureing the time of dinner killed a Bull, which was
pore, we made use of the best of it, I Saw a village of Burrowing dogs
on the L. S. passed a Island above which two Small Creeks falls in on
the L. S. the upper of which is the largest and we call Shabonas Creek
after our interpreter who incamped several weeks on this Creek and is
the highest point on the Missouri to which a white man has been
previous to this time. Capt. Lewis walked out above this creek and
killed an Elk which he found So meager that it was not fit for use, and
joined the boat at Dusk at our Camp on the S. S. opposit a high hill
Several parts of which had Sliped down. on the Side of those hills we
Saw two white bear running from the report of Capt. Lewis Shot, those
animals assended those Steep hills with Supprising ease & verlocity.
they were too far to discover their prosise Colour & Size- Saw Several
gees nests on trees, also the nests & egs of the Magpies, a large grey
owl killed, booted & with ears &c.

[Lewis, April 15, 1805]
Monday April 15th 1805.
Set out at an early hour this morning. I walked on shore, and Capt.
Clark continued with the party it being an invariable rule with us not
to be both absent from our vessels at the same time. I passed through
the bottoms of the river on the Stard. side. they were partially
covered with timber & were extensive, level and beatifull. in my walk
which was about 6 miles I passed a small rivulet of clear water making
down from the hills, which on tasting, I discovered to be in a small
degree brackish. it possessed less of the glauber salt, or alumn, than
those little streams from the hills usually do.- in a little pond of
water fromed by this rivulet where it entered the bottom, I heard the
frogs crying for the first time this season; their note was the same
with that of the small frogs which are common to the lagoons and swamps
of the U States.- I saw great quantities of gees feeding in the
bottoms, of which I shot one. saw some deer and Elk, but they were
remarkably shy. I also met with great numbers of Grouse or prarie hens
as they are called by the English traders of the N. W. these birds
appeared to be mating; the note of the male is kuck, kuck, kuck, coo,
coo, coo. the first part of the note both male and female use when
flying. the male also dubbs something like the pheasant, but by no
means as loud. after breakfast Capt. Clark walked on the Std. shore,
and on his return in the evening gave me the following account of his
ramble. "I ascended to the high country, about 9 miles distant from the
Missouri. the country consists of beatifull, level and fertile plains,
destitute of timber I saw many little dranes, which took their rise in
the river hills, from whence as far as I could see they run to the N.
E." these streams we suppose to be the waters of Mous river a branch of
the Assinniboin which the Indians informed us approaches the Missouri
very nearly, about this point. "I passed," continued he, "a Creek about
20 yards wide," which falls into the Missouri; the bottoms of this
creek are wide level and extreemly fertile, but almost entirely
destitute of timber. the water of this creek as well as all those
creeks and rivulets which we have passed since we left Fort Mandan was
so strongly impregnated with salts and other miniral substances that I
was incapable of drinking it. I saw the remains of several camps of the
Assinniboins; near one of which, in a small ravene, there was a park
which they had formed of timber and brush, for the purpose of taking
the Cabrie or Antelope. it was constructed in the following manner. a
strong pound was first made of timbers, on one side of which there was
a small apparture, sufficiently large to admit an Antelope; from each
side of this apparture, a curtain was extended to a considerable
distance, widening as they receded from the pound.- we passed a rock
this evening standing in the middle of the river, and the bed of the
river was formed principally of gravel. we encamped this evening on a
sand point on Lard. side. a little above our encampment the river was
confined to a channel of 80 yards in width.-

[Clark, April 15, 1805]
15th of April Monday 1805
Set out at an early hour, Captn Lewis walked on Shore and Killed a
goose, passed a Island in a bend to the L. S. the wind hard from the S.
E. after brackfast I walked on Shore and assended to the high Countrey
on the S. S. and off from the Missouri about three miles the countrey
is butifull open fertile plain the dreans take theer rise near the
Clifts of the river and run from the river in a N E derection as far as
I could See, this is the part of the River which Mouse river the waters
of Lake Winnipec approaches within a fiew miles of Missouri, and I
believe those dreans lead into that river. we passed a creek about 20
yds. wide on the S. S. the bottoms of this Creek is extensive &
fertile, the water of this as also, all the Streams which head a fiew
miles in the hills discharge water which is black & unfit for use (and
can Safely Say that I have not Seen one drop of water fit for use above
fort Mandan except Knife and the little Missouris Rivers and the
Missouri, the other Streams being So much impregnated with mineral as
to be verry disagreeble in its present State.) I saw the remains of
Several Camps of ossinniboins, near one of those camps & at no great
distance from the mouth of the aforesid Creek, in a hollow, I saw a
large Strong pen made for the purpose of Catching the antelope, with
wings projecting from it widining from the pen

Saw Several gangs of Buffalow and Some elk at a distance, a black bear
Seen from the Perogues to day- passed a rock in the Middle of the
river, Some Smaller rocks from that to the L. Shore, the dog that came
to us yesterday morning continues to follow us, we camped on a Sand
point to the L. S.

[Lewis, April 16, 1805]
Tuesday April 16th 1805.
Set out very early this morning. Capt. Clark walked on Shore this
morning, and killed an Antelope, rejoined us at 1/2 after eight A.M.-
he informed me that he had seen many Buffaloe Elk and deer in his
absence, and that he had met with a great number of old hornets nests
in the woody bottoms through which he had passed.- the hills of the
river still continue extreemly broken for a few miles back, when it
becomes a fine level country of open fertile lands immediately on the
river there are many fine leavel extensive and extreemly fertile high
plains and meadows. I think the quantity of timbered land on the river
is increasing. the mineral appearances still continue. I met with
several stones today that had the appearance of wood first carbonated
and then petrefyed by the water of the river, which I have discovered
has that effect on many vegitable substances when exposed to it's
influence for a length of time. l believe it to be the stratas of Coal
seen in those hills which causes the fire and birnt appearances
frequently met with in this quarter. where those birnt appearances are
to be seen in the face of the river bluffs, the coal is seldom seen,
and when you meet with it in the neighbourhood of the stratas of birnt
earth, the coal appears to be presisely at the same hight, and is
nearly of the same thickness, togeter with the sand and a sulphurious
substance which ususually accompanys it. there was a remarkable large
beaver caught by one of the party last night. these anamals are now
very abundant. I have met with several trees which have been felled by
them 20 Inches in diameter. bark is their only food; and they appear to
prefer that of the Cotton wood and willow; as we have never met with
any other species of timber on the Missouri which had the appearance of
being cut by them.- we passed three small creeks on the Stard. side.
they take their rise in the river hills at no great distance. we saw a
great number of geese today, both in the plains and on the river- I
have observed but few ducks, those we have met with are the Mallard and
blue winged Teal

[Clark, April 16, 1805]
16th of April Tuesday 1805
Wind hard from the S. E I walked on Shore and Killed an antilope which
was verry meagre, Saw great numbers of Elk & some buffalow & Deer, a
verry large Beaver Cought this morning. Some verry handsom high planes
& extensive bottoms, the mineral appearances of Coal & Salt together
with Some appearance of Burnt hils continue. a number of old hornets
nests Seen in every bottom more perticularly in the one opposit to the
place we camped this night- the wooded bottoms are more extensive to
day than Common. passed three Small Creeks on the S. S. to day which
take their rise in the hills at no great distance, Great numbers of
Gees in the river & in the Plains feeding on the Grass.

[Lewis, April 17, 1805]
Wednesday April 17th 1805.
A delightfull morning, set out at an erly hour. the country though
which we passed to (lay was much the same as that discribed of
yesterday; there wase more appearance of birnt hills, furnishing large
quanties of lava and pumice stone, of the latter some pieces were seen
floating down the river. Capt. Clark walked on shore this morning on
the Stard. side, and did not join us untill half after six in the
evening. he informed me that he had seen the remains of the Assinniboin
encampments in every point of woodland through which he had passed. we
saw immence quantities of game in every direction around us as we
passed up the river; consisting of herds of Buffaloe, Elk, and
Antelopes with some deer and woolves. tho we continue to see many
tracks of the bear we have seen but very few of them, and those are at
a great distance generally runing from us; I thefore presume that they
are extreemly wary and shy; the Indian account of them dose not
corrispond with our experience so far. one black bear passed near the
perogues on the 16th and was seen by myself and the party but he so
quickly disappeared that we did not shoot at him.- at the place we
halted to dine on the Lard. side we met with a herd of buffaloe of
which I killed the fatest as I concieved among them, however on
examining it I found it so poar that I thought it unfit for uce and
only took the tongue; the party killed another which was still more
lean. just before we encamped this evening we saw some tracks of
Indians who had passed about 24 hours; they left four rafts of timber
on the Stard. side, on which they had passed. we supposed them to have
been a party of the Assinniboins who had been to war against the rocky
mountain Indians, and then on their return. Capt. Clark saw a Curlou
today. there were three beaver taken this morning by the party. the men
prefer the flesh of this anamal, to that of any other which we have, or
are able to procure at this moment. I eat very heartily of the beaver
myself, and think it excellent; particularly the tale, and liver. we
had a fair wind today which enabled us to sail the greater part of the
distance we have travled, encamped on the Lard shore the extremity of
the last course

[Clark, April 17, 1805]
17th of April Wednesday 1805
a fine morning wind from the S E. Genly to day handsom high extencive
rich Plains on each Side, the mineral appearances continue with greater
appearances of Coal, much greater appearance of the hills haveing been
burnt, more Pumice Stone & Lava washed down to the bottoms and some
Pumice Stone floating in the river, I walked on the S. S. Saw great
numbs. of Buffalow feeding in the Plains at a distance Capt. Lewis
killed 2 Buffalow buls which was near the water at the time of dineing,
they were So pore as to be unfit for use. I Saw Several Small parties
of antelopes large herds of Elk, Some white wolves, and in a pond
(formed on the S. S. by the Missouries Changeing its bead) I Saw Swan
Gees & different kinds of Ducks in great numbers also a Beaver house.
Passed a Small Creek on the S. S. & Several runs of water on each Side,
Saw the remains of Indian camps in every point of timbered land on the
S. S. in the evining a thunder gust passed from the S W, without rain,
about Sunset Saw Some fresh Indians track and four rafts on the shore
S. S. Those I prosume were Ossinniboins who had been on a war party
against the Rockey Mountain Indians- Saw a Curlow, Some verry large
beaver taken this morning. those animals are made use of as food and
preferred by the party to any other at this Season

[Lewis, April 18, 1805]
Thursday April 18th 1805.
A fine morning, set out at an early hour. one Beaver caught this
morning by two traps, having a foot in each; the traps belonged to
different individuals, between whom, a contest ensued, which would have
terminated, most probably, in a serious rencounter had not our timely
arrival at the place prevented it. after breakfast this morning, Capt.
Clark walked on Stad. shore, while the party were assending by means of
their toe lines, I walked with them on the bank; found a species of pea
bearing a yellow flower, and now in blume; it seldom rises more than 6
inches high, the leaf & stalk resembles that of the common gardin pea,
the root is pirenial. (See specimen of vegitables No. 3.) I also saw
several parsels of buffaloe's hair hanging on the rose bushes, which
had been bleached by exposure to the weather and became perfectly
white. it every appearance of the wool of the sheep, tho much finer and
more silkey and soft. I am confident that an excellent cloth may be
made of the wool of the Buffaloe. the Buffaloe I killed yesterday had
cast his long hare, and the poll which remained was very thick, fine,
and about 2 inches in length. I think this anamal would have furnished
about five pounds of wool. we were detained today from one to five P.M.
in consequence of the wind which blew so violently from N. that it was
with difficulty we could keep the canoes from filling with water altho
they were along shore; I had them secured by placing the perogues on
the out side of them in such manner as to break the waves off them. at
5 we proceed, and shortly after met with Capt. Clark, who had killed an
Elk and a deer and was wating our arrival. we took the meat on board
and continued our march untill nearly dark when we came too on the
Stard side under a boald welltimbered bank which sheltered us from the
wind which had abated but not yet ceased. here we encamped, it being
the extremity of the last course of this day.-

[Clark, April 18, 1805]
18th of April Thursday 1805
Set out at an early hour one Beaver & a Musrat Cought this morning, the
beaver cought in two traps, which like to have brought about a
missunderstanding between two of the party &c. after brackfast I
assended a hill and observed that the river made a great bend to the
South, I concluded to walk thro the point about 2 miles and take
Shabono, with me, he had taken a dost of Salts &c. his Squar followed
on with his child, when I Struck the next bend of the river could See
nothing of the Party, left this man & his wife & Child on the river
bank and went out to hunt, Killed a young Buck Elk, & a Deer, the Elk
was tolerable meat, the Deer verry pore, Butcherd the meat and
Continued untill near Sunset before Capt Lewis and the party Came up,
they were detained by the wind, which rose Soon after I left the boat
from the N W. & blew verry hard untill verry late in the evening. we
Camped on the S. S. in an excellent harbor, Soon after We came too, two
men went up the river to Set their beaver traps they met with a Bear
and being without their arms thought prodent to return &c. the wild
Cheries are in bloom, Great appearance of Burnt hills Pumice Stone &c.
the Coal & Salt appearance Continued, the water in the Small runs much
better than below,- Saw Several old Indian Camps, the game, Such as
Buffalow Elk, antelopes & Deer verry plenty

[Lewis, April 19, 1805]
Friday April 19th 1805.
The wind blew So hard this morning from N. W. that we dared not to
venture our canoes on the river.- Observed considerable quantities of
dwarf Juniper on the hillsides (see specimen No. 4) it seldom rises
higher then 3 feet.- the wind detained us through the couse of this
day, tho we were fortunate in having placed ourselves in a safe
harbour. the party killed one Elk and a beaver today. The beaver of
this part of the Missouri are larger, fatter, more abundant and better
clad with fur than those of any other part of the country that I have
yet seen; I have remarked also that their fur is much darker.

[Clark, April 19, 1805]
19th of April Friday 1805
a blustering windey day the wind So hard from the N, W. that we were
fearfull of ventering our Canoes in the river, lay by all day on the S.
Side in a good harber, the Praries appear to green, the cotton trees
bigin to leave, Saw some plumb bushes in full bloom, those were the
plumb bushes which I have Seen for Some time. Killed an Elk an a Beaver
to day- The beaver of this river is much larger than usial, Great deal
of Sign of the large Bear,

[Lewis, April 20, 1805]
Saturday April 20th 1805.
The wind continued to blow tolerably hard this morning but by no means
as violently as it (lid yesterday; we determined to set out and
accordingly departed a little before seven. I walked on shore on the N.
side of the river, and Capt Clark proceeded with the party. the river
bottoms through which I passed about seven miles were fertil and well
covered with Cottonwood some Box alder, ash and red Elm. the under
brush, willow, rose bushes Honeysuccle, red willow, goosbury, currant
and servicebury & in the open grounds along the foot of the river hills
immence quantities of the hisop. in the course of my walk I killed two
deer, wounded an Elk and a deer; saw the remains of some Indian hunting
camps, near which stood a small scaffold of about 7 feet high on which
were deposited two doog slays with their harnis. underneath this
scaffold a human body was lying, well rolled in several dressed
buffaloe skins and near it a bag of the same materials containg sundry
articles belonging to the disceased; consisting of a pare of
mockersons, some red and blue earth, beaver's nails, instruments for
dressing the Buffalo skin, some dryed roots, several platts of the
sweet grass, and a small quantity of Mandan tobacco.- I presume that
the body, as well as the bag containing these articles, had formerly
been placed on the scaffold as is the custom of these people, but had
fallen down by accedent. near the scaffold I saw the carcase of a large
dog not yet decayed, which I supposed had been killed at the time the
human body was left on the scaffold; this was no doubt the reward,
which the poor doog had met with for performing the ____-friendly
office to his mistres of transporting her corps to the place of
deposit. it is customary with the Assinniboins, Mandans, Minetares &c
who scaffold their dead, to sacrefice the favorite horses and doggs of
their disceased relations, with a view of their being servicable to
them in the land of sperits. I have never heard of any instances of
human sacrefices on those occasions among them.

The wind blew so hard that I concluded it was impossible fror the
perogues and canoes to proceed and therefore returned and joined them
about three in the evening. Capt. Clark informed me that soon after
seting out, a part of the bank of the river fell in near one of the
canoes and had very nearly filled her with water. that the wind became
so hard and the waves so high that it was with infinite risk he had
been able to get as far as his present station. the white perrogue and
several of the canoes had shiped water several times but happily our
stores were but little injured; those which were wet we put out to dry
and determined to remain untill the next morning. we sent out four
hunters who soon added 3 Elk 4 gees and 2 deer to our stock of
provisions. the party caught six beaver today which were large and in
fine order. the Buffaloe, Elk and deer are poor at this season, and of
tours are not very palitable, however our good health and apetites make
up every necessary deficiency, and we eat very heartily of them.-
encamped on Stard side; under a high well timbered bank.

[Clark, April 20, 1805]
20th of April Satturday 1805
wind a head from the N W. we Set out at 7 oClock proceeded on, Soon
after we Set out a Bank fell in near one of the Canoes which like to
have filled her with water, the wind became hard and waves So rought
that we proceeded with our little Canoes with much risque, our
Situation was Such after Setting out that we were obliged to pass round
the 1st Point or lay exposed to the blustering winds & waves, in
passing round the Point Several canoes took in water as also our large
Perogue but without injuring our Stores & much I proceeded on to the
upper part of the 1st bend and came too at a butifull Glade on the S.
S., about 1 mile below Capt Lewis who had walked thro the point, left
his Coat & a Deer on the bank which we took on board,-. a Short
distance below our Camp I Saw Some rafts on the S. S. near which, an
Indian woman was Scaffeled in the Indian form of Deposing their dead, &
fallen down She was or had been raised about 6 feet inclosed in Several
robes tightly laced around her, with her dog Slays, her bag of
Different coloured earths paint Small bones of animals beaver nales and
Several other little trinkets, also a blue jay, her dog was killed and
lay near her. Capt. Lewis joined me Soon after I landed & informed me
he has walked Several miles higher, & in his walk killed 2 Deer &
wounded an Elk & a Deer, our party Shot in the river four beaver &
cought two, which were verry fat and much admired by the men, after we
landed they killed 3 Elk 4 Gees & 2 Deer we had Some of our Provisions
& which got a little wet aired, the wind Continued So hard that we were
Compelled to delay all day. Saw Several buffalow lodged in the drift
wood which had been drouned in the winter in passing the river; Saw the
remains of 2 which had lodged on the Side of the bank & eate by the
bears.

This morning was verry cold, Some Snow about 2 oClock from flying
clouds, Some frost this morning & the mud at the edge of the water was
frosed

[Lewis, April 21, 1805]
Sunday April 21st 1805.
Set out at an early hour this morning. Capt Clark walked on shore; the
wind tho a head was not violent. the country through which we passed is
very simelar in every rispect to that through which we have passed for
several days.- We saw immence herds of buffaloe Elk deer & Antelopes.
Capt Clark killed a buffaloe and 4 deer in the course of his walk
today; and the party with me killed 3 deer, 2 beaver, and 4 buffaloe
calves. the latter we found very delicious. I think it equal to any
veal I ever tasted. the Elk now begin to shed their horns. passed one
large and two small creeks on the Lard. side, tho neither of them
discharge any water at present. the wind blew so hard this evening that
we were obliged to halt several hours. we reached the place of
incampment after dark, which was on the Lard. side a little above White
earth river which discharges itself on the Stard. side. immediately at
the mouth of this river it is not more than 10 yards wide being choked
up by the mud of the Missouri; tho after leaving the bottom lands of
this river, or even sooner, it becomes a boald stream of sixty yards
wide and is deep and navigable. the course of this river as far as I
could see from the top of Cut bluff, was due North. it passes through a
beatifull level and fertile vally about five miles in width. I think I
saw about 25 miles up this river, and did not discover one tree or bush
of any discription on it's borders. the vally was covered with Elk and
buffaloe. saw a great number of gees today as usual, also some swan and
ducks.