In late July and early August 1806, Clark and his party traveled down the Rochejhone or Yellow Stone River toward its junction with the Missouri, passing many islands, seeing great numbers of buffalo along the banks, noting coal in the hills, abundant beaver, and the first burnt hills seen on that river. Repeated rain made travel in an open canoe miserable, and at one point buffalo crowded the river for half an hour and forced a landing while they crossed. On August 2, a large bear on a sandbar rose on its hind feet, entered the water, and swam toward the canoes, whereupon it was shot three times and returned badly wounded to shore. Mosquitoes kept the party awake on the night before August 3, when Clark reached the junction of the Rochejhone with the Missouri and made camp. He judged the Rochejhone, or Yellow Stone River, large and navigable with few obstructions, and the country from the mountains to its junction generally fertile, rich, and open plains. The Yellowstone River valley still retains much of the abundant wildlife found there in 1806, and the region's landscape has been inhabited and cared for by many groups of people and cultures over time.