July 9th.. Tuesday 1805
a clear worm morning wind from the SW. Lanced [launched]
the Leather boat, and found that it leaked a little; corked
Lanced & loaded the Canoes, burried our truck wheels, &
made a Carsh [cache] for a Skin & a fiew papers I intend to
leave here
on trial found the leather boat would not answer without
the addition of Tar which we had none of, haveing Substituted
Cole & Tallow in its place to Stop the Seams &c. which would
not answer as it Seperated from the Skins when exposed to
the water and left the Skins naked & Seams exposed to the
water; this falur of our favourate boat was a great disapointment
to us, we haveing more baggage than our Canoes would
Carry. Concluded to build Canoes for to Carry them; no
timber near our Camp. I deturmined to proceed on up the
river to a bottom in which our hunters reported was large
Trees &c.
