[Clark:]
August 7th. Wednesday 1805
a fine morning put out our Stores&c. to dry & took equal
altitudes with the Sextant, as our Store[s] were a little exorsted
and one Canoe became unnecessary deturmind to leave one.
we Hauled her up in the bushes on the lower Side of the main
fork & fastened her So that the water could not flote her off.
The Countrey in this quarter is as follows i, e a Vallie of 5 or 6
miles wide Inclosed between two high Mountains, the bottom
rich Some Small timber on the Islands & bushes on the edges
of the river Some Bogs & verry good turfs in different places
in the vallie, Some scattering Pine & cedar on the mountains
in places, other Parts nacked [naked] except grass and Stone
The Lattitude of the Mouth of Wisdom River is 45° 2′ 21″.6
North, we proceeded up the Main Middle or S.E. fork,
passed a[nd] Camped on the Lard. Side above the mouth of a
bold running Stream 12 yards wide, which we call turf Creek
from the number of bogs & quan[ti]ty of turf in its waters.
this Creek runs thro a open Plain for Several miles, takeing its
rise in a high mountain to the N.E. The river Jefferson above
Wisdom is gentle Crooked and about 40 yards wide, Containing
but little timber, Some few Cotton willow Willow & Birch,
and the Srubs common to the countrey and before mentioned
at 5 oClock a thunder Storm from the N.W. accompanied with
rain which lasted about 40 minits. despatched. R Fields to
hunt Shannon, who was out hunt
g. on Wisdom river at the
time I returned down that Stream, and has made o[n] up the
river expecting us to follow him up that river. one Deer
killed this evening. all those Streams Contain emence number
of Beaver orter Musk-rats &c.
