I saw several gangs of the bighorned Anamals on the face of the steep bluffs and clifts on the Stard. side and sent drewyer to kill one which he accomplished; Capt. Clark and Bratton who were on shore each killed one of these anamals this evening. ... the horn is of a light brown colour; when dressed it is almost white extreemly transparent and very elastic. this horn is used by the natives in constructing their bows; I have no doubt but it would [make] eligant and usefull hair combs, and might probably answer as many valuable purposes to civilized man, as it dose to the savages, who form their water-cups, spoons and platters of it. ... the places they ge[ne]rally celect to lodg is the cranies or c[r]evices of the rocks in the faces of inacessable precepices, where the wold nor bear can reach them and where indeed man himself would in many instancies find a similar deficiency; yet these anamals bound from rock to rock and stand apparently in the most careless manner on the sides of precipices of many hundred feet. they are very shye and are quick of both sent and sight.

May 25, 1805
John Ordway

the 2 canoes left for meat did not join us untill 8 oClock this morning at which time we Set out.   the morning cool & pleasant    wind a head all day from the S.W.   we passed a creek on the Lard. Side [Two Calf Creek.] about 20 yards wide, which does not run    we also passed 7 Islands.  Capt Clark walked on Shore and killed a female Ibex or big hornd animel: two of the hunters killed 2 others    this animel is of a blackish colour or dark duskey colour over the body.   they have great resemblance of the deer kind, especally the leggs, but the head & huffs resemble a Sheep.    they are verry active & keep freequently on the Sides of Steep bluffs & places where wolves & bears cannot hurt them.   the Country on each Side is high broken and rocky    the rocks are soft Sand Stone and of a dark brown hard & rough, the hills also contain Coal &.C   the bars in the river covered with corse gravel the bottom of the river are Small do. [ditto]    we Saw a pole cat [Skunk, Mephitis mephitis.] to day being the first we have Seen for a long distance.   the air of this country is pure & healthy the water of the Missourie fine and cool.  Came 18 miles to day.--

May 25, 1805
Patrick Gass

We waited here in the morning until the canoes came up; and about 7 proceeded on our voyage.  The forenoon was pleasant.  We passed two creeks opposite to each other on the opposite sides of the river. [Two Calf Creek and Antelope Creek.]   About 12 we passed a bottom on the North side with one solitary tree on it, pon which there was and eagle's nest.  The bottoms here are very small.  As we went on this afternoon some of the party killed three of what the French and natives call mountain sheep [This was their first specimen of the Bighorn Sheep.]; but they very little resemble sheep, except in the head, horns and feet.  They are of a dun colour except on the belly and round the rump, where they are white. The horns of the male are very large; those of the female small. They have a fine soft hair. Captain Clarke calls them the Ibex, and says they resemble that animal more than any other. They are in size somewhat larger than a deer.  The hills here are very high and steep. One of our men [Gibson according to Whitehouse.] in an attempt to climb one had his shoulder dislocated; it was however replaced without much difficulty.  These hills are very much washed in general: they appear like great heaps of clay, washing away with every shower; with scarcely any herbs or grass on any of them.  This evening we passed an island all prairie except a few trees on the upper end of it.  We went 18 miles and encamped on the South side. [Five or six miles below Cow Island Landing Recreation Area. The expedition called the island Goodrich's Island, after Silas Goodrich.]

May 25, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

a clear pleasant morning.   we waited for the 2 Canoes to Come up.    about 7 oC. they came.   then we Set off and proceeded on.    passed 2 creeks on the N.S. [One of which is Antelope Creek.]   and one large one on the S.S. [Two Calf Creek.]     passed 2 Small Islands before noon    about 12 oC we passed a large handsom large Island covered with handsom c. wood timber, near the N.S.   Saw Several Eagles nests.   passed high bluffs & knobs and hills party covred with pitch pine timber on each Side of the R.   the wind blew from the N.W.   about 3 oClock we halted to dine on a beautiful level thin timbred Island near the N.S. of the River.  Capt. Clark and one man who walked on Shore joined us    had killed two Mountain Sheep, one a yew the other a ram.    the ram had large horns which turned back of a gradual taper, they have the resemblence of our Sheep one fine brownish hair in Stead of wool.   they were poor and not as large as the natives represented, but these are the first we have killed.

about 4 oC. P.M. we proceeded on    the current has been verry Swift for Several days.   we passed river hills as usal.  passed Several Creeks in the course of the day.  Came 18 miles to day and Camped on the S.S. little above a high handsom Island in the river mostly prarie only a little large timber at the upper end of it.  Gibson one of the hunters putt one of his Shoulders out of place to day but got it in again.

May 25, 1805
Joseph Whitehouse

This morning we had clear & pleasant weather, we waited at our encampment for the 2 Canoes that had gone for Meat, to come up <at which> it was some time before they arrived, We then set off, and proceeded on our Voyage, and passed two Creeks, lying on the North side, and one large Creek lying on the South side of the River; we passed 2 Small Islands before 12 o'Clock,  At 1 oClock we passed a large Island, covered with handsome Timber; lying near the North side of the River, were we saw several Eagles nests.--  We proceeded on, and passed high bluffs, and Nobs and hills, partly cover'd with pitch pine lying on each side of the River.--

The wind shifted to the Northwest, but blew moderately.--  About 3 o'Clock we halted to dine, on a beautiful level piece of land, thinly timbered, (being an Island,) lying near the North side of the River; Captain Clark who had walked on the Shore, having one of our party with him, since Early this morning joined us here, they had killed two mountain Sheep (or Ibex) a Ewe and a Ram, the ram had very large horns which turned back like those of a common Ram Sheep   their make resembles that of the common Sheep, but had fine brownish Colour'd hair, instead of Wool, they were poor, They were not so large as the Natives had represented them to us to be; About 4 oClock P.M. we proceeded on the current of the River running very swift, (it being so for these several days past;) and we passed several hills lying near the River, in the Course of this day.--  We encamped in the Evening, on the South side of the River, a little above a handsome Island, lying high, having some large Timber at the upper end of it, the remainder being Priari land.--