p58 1817 Journal Thomas Dean

three miles. It thundered and looked as if it would rain. We covered our boat and prepared for night to lodge on board, and it soon began to rain. The mosquitoes were so very troublesome that we could not even rest, much less sleep, and it rained all night very hard, with much thunder and lightning. The Indians in the canoes were on a beach, drinking. We passed them about noon and some came on after us, but we saw them no more.

August 23d. As we could not sleep, and being wet, we started as soon as it was light, went on up the river, past some very handsome prairies and bluffs, one of which we went onto in the morning. It was high land and thin tim- bered. We passed several small streams and creeks and we went, we supposed, twenty-three or twenty-four miles. Went on shore for the night, lodged on board. It was clear and very cool.

August 24th. Went up the river and on our way came to a settlement of Indians near a prairie which we supposed was Tippecanoe. We obtained some soft corn from them to boil and gave them salt, then went on. In the afternoon we came to a high, rocky bluff and went up onto it. It was sand rock. We could see a great way and over large prairie ground. We went on until we came to the prairie. Went up on the bank, but the weeds were so high that it was difhcult to see the grassy path of the prairie, and we went on until we stopped for the night. Then we passed through the weeds, which were seven or eight feet high and very thick, until we came to the grass, which was hfty or sixty rods. We went out a half mile on the rise of ground, but could not see to the farther side of the prairie. It is on the