University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

July 2nd. Tuesday 1805

Some rain at day light this morning after which a fair morning,
dispatched the men for the Kegs &c. left at the Six mile
Stake, others to get timber for the boat &c. Musquetors verry
troublesom to day, day worm, after the return of the men
with the articles left at the 6 mile stake Capt Lewis myself
& 12 men crossed to an Island on which we saw a bear the
evening before, & several had been seen by the party at this
place, we killed one of the bear and returned. The river at
this place is [blank space in MS.] yards wide and about 10
feet water cought a rat in our stores, which had done some
mischief, this rat was about the size of a common large rat,
larger ears, long whiskers & toes, with a tail long & hairey
like a ground Squirel, verry fine fur and lighter than the
common rat. Wind to day as usial from the S W. and hard
all the after part of the day. those winds are also ice cool and
generally verry hard.