University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

May 9th" Thursday 1805

a fine Day wind from the East we proceeded on verry well
the countrey much the appearance which it had yesterday the
bottom & high land rich black earth, Timber not so abondant
as below, we passed the mouth of a river (or the appearance
of a river) on the Lard. Side the bend of which as far as we

Went up it or could See from a high hill is as large as that of
the Missouri at this place which is near half a mile this river
did not contain one drop of running water, about a mile
below this river a large creeke joins the river L.S. which is also
Dry. Those dry Streams which are also verry wide, I think
is the conveyance of the melted Snow, & heavy rains which
[it] is Probable fall in from the high mountainous Countrey
which is said to be between this river & the Yellow Stone
river. I walked on shore the fore part of this day, & observed
Great quantities of the Shining Stone which we view as quarts.
I killed 2 Bucks & a Buffalow, Capt Lewis also killed one
which verry good meat, I saw enumerable herds of buffalow,
& goats to day in every direction. The Missouri keeps its
width which is nearly as wide as near its mouth, great number
of sand bars, the water not so muddy & sand finer & in smaller
perpotion. Capt. Lewis killed 4 pleaver different from any I
have ever before seen, larger & have white breast & the underfeathers
of the wings are white &c.

Course & Distance 9th. of May

                     

	miles
N. 30°. W.	2 ½	to a clump of high trees on the Stard Side in a bend
S. 15°. W.	2 ½	to the upper part of the Lard point, passing over a large sand bar at the upper pt. of a willow Island in a deep bend to the N.
S. 5°. W.	3	to a point of high timber on the Std Side opsd. a bluff pt. on the Ld Side
S. 20°. E.	6	to a willow point on the Std. Side
S. 10°. E	1 1/4	to the enterance of a Great Dry river on the Lard. Side
S. 85°. W.	1 ½	to a bluff point on the Lard. Side
N. 60°. W.	3	to a tree in a bend to the Std. Side passing over a sand pt. from L.S.
South	1 3/4	to the upper part of the timbered bottom on the Lad Side in a bend
S 60°. W	3m	to the mouth of a small creek in a bend to the Stad Side in the mouth of which we came too for the night and called this creek Verner's Creek, the water it contained was principally backwater[10]
m	24 ½