August 6th. Tuesday 1805
a Clear morning Cool wind from the SW we proceeded on
with much dificuelty and fatigue over rapids & Stones; river
about 40 or 50 yards wide much divided by Islands and narrow
Bayoes to a low bluff on the Stard Side & Brackfast, dureing
the time of Brackfast Drewyer Came to me from Capt. Lewis
and informed me that they had explored both forks for 30 or
40 miles & that the one we were assending was impracti[c]able
much further up & turned imediately to the North, The
middle fork he reported was gintle and after a Short distance
turned to the S. W. and that all the Indian roads leades up
the middle fork. this report deturmind me to take the middle
fork, accordingly Droped down to the forks where I met with
Capt Lewis & party, Capt Lewis had left a Letter on a pole
in the forks informing me what he had discovered & th[e]
course of the rivers &c. this letter was Cut down by the
[beaver] as it was on a green pole & Carried off. Three Skins
which was left on a tree was taken off by the Panthers or
wolves. In decending to the Point one Can[o]e Struck &
turned on a rapid & Sunk, and wet every thing which was in
her, this misfortune obliged us to halt at the forks and dry
those articles, one other Canoe nearly turning over, filled half
full of water & wet our medison & Some goods Corn &c.
Several hunters out to day & killed a young Elk, antilope, &
3 Deer, one man Shannon did not return to night. The
evening Cool my anckle much wors than it has been. this
evening a Violent wind from the N. W. accompanied with rain
which lasted half an hour wind NW
