Original journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806 ::

Original journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806

printed from the original manuscripts in the library of the American Philosophical Society and by direction of its committee on historical documents

Lewis, Meriwether (1774-1809)

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ORIGINAL JOURNALS of the LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION 1804–1806

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[dedication]

CONTENTS TO VOL. V

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

The Original Journals of Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark

XXVII.

Chapter XXVII PART II

XXVIII.

XXIX.

XXX.

XXXI.

XXXII.

XXXIII.

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July 7th 1806.

Set out at 7 A. M.

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N. 75 E.	6 M.	with the road through a level beatifull plain on the North side of the river much timber in the bottoms hills also timbered with pitch pine. no long leafed pine since we left the praties of the knobs. crossed a branch of the creek 8 yds. wid on which we encamped at 1/4 M. also passed a creek 15 yds. wide at 1/4 further.
North	6 Ms.	passed the main creek at a mile [and] 1/2 and kept up it on the wrighthand side through handsom plain bottoms to the foot of a ridge which we ascended the main stream boar N. W. & W. as far as I could see it a wright hand fork falls into this creek at 1 M. above the commencement of this course.
N. 15. E.	8. M.	over two ridges and again striking the wrighthand fork at 4 Ms. then continued up it on the left hand side much appearance of beaver many dams. bottoms not wide and covered with low willow and grass. halted to dine at a large beaver dam the hunters killed 3 deer and a fawn. deer are remarkably plenty and in good order. Reubin Fields wounded a moos deer this morning near our camp. my dog much worried. [by the moose.—Ed.]
N. 10 E.	3 M.	up the same creek. on the east side through a handsome narrow plain.
N. 45. E.	2 M.	passing the dividing ridge[11] betwen the waters of the Columbia and Missouri rivers at 1/4 of a mile, from this gap which is low and an easy ascent on the W. side the fort mountain bears North East, and appears to be distant about 20 Miles.[12] the road for one and 3/4 miles
		decends the hill and continues down a branch.
N. 20 W.	7 Ms.	over several hills and hollows along the foot of the mountain hights passing five small rivulets running to the wright.[13] saw some sighn of buffaloe early this morning in the valley where we encamped last evening from which it appears that the buffaloe do sometimes penetrate these mountains a few miles. we saw no buffaloe this evening. but much old appearance of dung, tracks &c. encamped on a small run under the foot of the mountain, after we encamped Drewyer killed two beaver and shot a third which bit his knee very badly and escaped
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[11]

Lewis crossed the divide by the gap now known as Lewis and Clark's Pass; it
is on the boundary line between Deer Lodge and Lewis and Clarke counties, about
45 miles (in a direct line) N. N. W. from Helena. From the headwaters of Big
Blackfoot River, Lewis passed to those of Sun (Medicine) River, by which he soon
reached the Missouri—to which river he thus followed the easiest and most direct
route from the head of the Clearwater. Cf. accounts of this pass and its approaches
from either side, as given by Gass (pp. 342, 343), and by Stevens (Explor. for R.R. to
Pacific, xii, pp. 213–215); and see Clark's description, post, in scientific data, vol.
vi of the present work.—Ed.

[12]

Fort Mountain is south of Fort Shaw, identified as Square Butte, always visible
from Lewis and Clark Pass. For the explorer's first sight of this landmark, see vol.
iii, pp. 228–231, ante.—Ed.

[13]

The "rivulets running to the wright" were affluents of Dearborn River—the
nearest route to the Missouri. Lewis, however, struck north for the upper waters of
the Medicine or Sun River, in order to secure buffalo skins for the expedition.—Ed.

	Chapter XXX Original journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806

University of Virginia Library

July 7th 1806.