University of Virginia Library

Thursday 24.th July 1806.

had all our baggage put on board of the two small canoes
which when lashed together is very Study and I am convinced
will [carry] the party I intend takeing down with me. at
8 AM. we Set out and proceeded on very well to a riffle about
1 mile above the enterance of [Clarks fork or] big horn river (a
river 150 Yds. wide comes in from S West, we thought it the B. H.
but aftds. when we found the B. H. we called it Clarks fork, a bold
river washing plain. The Indians call this [blank space in MS.]
or "The lodge where all dance")[38] at this rif[f]le the small
canoes took in a good deel of water which obliged us to land a
little above the enterance of the [this river which the [blank
space] has called Clarks fork] to dry our articles and bail the
canoes. I also had Buffalow skin tacked on so as to prevent
the waters flacking in between the two canoes. This last River
is 150 yards wide at it's Mouth and 100 a short destance up
the water of a light Muddy colour and much Colder than that
of the Rochejhone a Small Island is Situated imediately in its
mouth, the direction of this river is South and East of that
part of the rocky mountains which can be seen from its enterance
and which seem to termonate in that direction. (good place
for fort &c here the beaver country begins—best between this &
Rochejaune.) I thought it probable that this might be the big
horn river, and as the Rochejhone appeared to make a great
bend to the N. I deturmined to set the horses across on S. side.
ones chanel of the river passes under a high black bluff from
one mile below the place we built the Canoes to within 3 miles
of the enterance of Clarks fork when the bottoms widen on
each side those on the Stard. Side from 1/2 to a mile in width,
river much divided by Islands, at 6 Ms. below the fork I
halted on a large Island Seperated from the Stard. Shore by a
narrow Chanel, on this, This being a good place to cross the
river I deturmined to wait for Sergt. pryor and put him across
the river at this place. on this Island I observd. a large lodge

the same which Shannon informed me of a fiew days past. this
Lodge [is] a council lodge, it is of a Conocil form 60 feet
diameter at its base built of 2[0] poles each pole a 2½ feet in
secumpherance and 45 feet long built in the form of a lodge &
covered with bushes. in this Lodge I obse[r]ved a Cedar bush
Sticking up on the opposit side of the lodge fronting the dore,
on one side was a Buffalow head, and on the other several
Sticks bent and stuck in the ground. a Stuffed Buffalow skin
was suspended from the Center with the back down. the top
of those poles were deckerated with feathers of the Eagle &
Calumet Eagle also several curious pieces of wood bent in Circleler
form with sticks across them in form of a Griddle hung
on tops of the lodge poles others in form of a large Sturrip.
This Lodge was errected last Summer. It is situated in the
center of a butifull Island thinly covered with Cotton wood
under which the earth which is rich is covered with wild rye
and a Species of grass resembling the bluegrass, and a mixture
of Sweet grass which the Indian plat and ware around their
necks for its cent which is of a strong sent like that of the
Vinella[39] after Dinner I proceeded on passed the enterance of a
Small creek and some wood on the Stard Side[40] where I met with
Sergt. Pryor, Shannon & Windser with the horses they had
but just arived at that place. Sergt. Pryor informed me that it
would be impossible for the two men with him to drive on the
horses after him without tireing all the good ones in pursute of
the more indifferent to keep them on the course. that in passing
every gangue of buffalow several of which he had met with,
the loos horses as soon as they saw the Buffalow would imediately
pursue them and run around them. All those that [had]
speed sufficient would head the buffalow and those of less
speed would pursue on as fast as they could. he at length
found that the only practiacable method would be for one of
them to proceed on and when ever they saw a gang of Buffalow
to Scear them off before the horses got up. This disposition in
the horses is no doubt owing to their being frequently exercised
in chasing different animals by their former owners the Indians
as it is their Custom to chase every species of wild animal with
horses, for which purpose they train all their horses. I had
the horses drove across the river and set Sergt. Pryor and his
party across. H. Hall who cannot swim expressed a Willi[ng]ness
to proceed on with Sergt. Pryor by land, and as another
man was necessary to assist in driveing the horses, but observed
he was necked, I gave him one of my two remaining Shirts a
par of leather Legins and 3 pr. of mockersons which equipt him
completely and sent him on with the party by land to the
Mandans. I proceeded on [down] the river much better than
above the enterance of the Clarks fork deep (more navigable) and
the Current regularly rapid from 2 to 300 yards in width where
it is all together, much divided by islands maney of which are
large and well Supplyed with cotton wood trees, some of them
large, Saw emence number of Deer Elk and buffalow on the
banks. Some beaver. I landed on the Lard Side walked out
into the bottom and Killed the fatest Buck I every saw;
Shields killed a deer and my man york killed a Buffalow Bull,
as he informed me for his tongue and marrow bones. for me
to mention or give an estimate of the differant Species of wild
animals on this river particularly Buffalow, Elk Antelopes &
Wolves would be increditable. I shall therefore be silent on
the subject further. So it is we have a great abundance of the
best of meat. we made 70 Ms. to day current rapid and much
divided by islands. [Campd. a little below Pryors river[41] of 35
yds. on S. E.]

Course Distance & remarks July 24th. 1806

                                                                     

	Miles
S.E. to a Bluff in a Stard. Bend passed Lower point of an Isld.	1
S.70° E. under the Stard. Bluff passed an Island on the Lard. Side	2
S.20°. E. to a Lard. Bend pasd. 4 Islands near the Lard Side. a high bluff on the Stard. Side Low leavel plain on Lard. Side	4
East to a large Island covered with wood middle of the river	1/2
N.20°. E. to the main Larboard Shore passing on the left of the Island	1/2
S.18°. E. to a bend on the left Side of the island	1/2
N.40°. E. to a Lard. Bend. timber on both sides of the river	1 1/2
S.75°. E. passing the lower point of an Island at 2 Miles opposit to the upper point of another island	2
North to the main Lard. Shore passed the Island	1. 1/2
N.65°. E. to a Bluff bank on the Stard. Side. passed some rough waves. the river about 200 yards wide	2. 1/2
N.12°.E. to a Lard. Bend passing a small island. low bottoms on Std	1. 1/2
East to a high bluff on the Stard. Side	2
N.20°. E. to a Lard. Bend. passed 2 islands, near the Stard. shore to the lower point of an Island close on Lard. small rapid	3
N.60°. E. to the upper part of a wood in a Lard Bend. low bottoms passed a small stoney Island	2 1/2
East. to the enterance of Clarks fork 100 Yds. wide. passing a bad rapid at 3 miles. passed 5 small islands	4.
	29
North to a Lard Bend. river near 300 yards wide	2.
N-58°. E. to a Stard Bend passing 5 small islands. passed an old Indian fort of logs and bark on a Island close to Lard. Side	4.
N.46°. E. to a Bluff in a Stard. Bend opsd. an Isld. passed one in Midl. R	3
N.36°. E. to a large brook in a Stard. Bend opposit a stoney bar	1 1/2
N.25°. W. to a Lard. Bend passed the lower point of 2 islands	1 1/2
N.60°. W. to a wood in the Stard. Bend passed 4 islands	3 1/2
North to a Lard Bend opposit some large timber on Stard. Side	1 1/2
N.60°. E. to a point on the Lard. Side opposit to a large island in the middle of the river. passed several small islands	3 1/2
North to a bend below some wood in the Lard Bend low bottoms on either Side [Hors[e] Creek falls in on Std.]	1.
N.64°. E. to a Lard. point passing an Island and the lower point of a large Island	2 1/2
N.45°E. to the lower part of a timbered bottom on the Lard Side (here I had the Horses crossed 26 in number &c.)	1.
East to a high Bluff bank in a Stard. Bend passed an Isld.	2.
N.20°. E. to the enterance of a brook on the Stard. Side, passing at the foot of a high black bluff on the Stard. Side .	2.
N.W. to a bend on the Lard. passed 2 small islands. a high clift of yellowish Gritty Stone on the Stard. Side .	2.
North to a low clift of dark rock on the Lard. Side. the high clift continue on the Stard for 2 miles	4
N. 12°. E. to a low black Bluff on the Lard. Side opsd. to a low bottom. 2 small stoney islands	1 1/2
N.55°. E. to the upper point of an island in a Stard. Bend passed a creek on the Lard side at 3 miles Pryors river	3 1/2
Miles	69