University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

August 18th. Sunday 1805

Purchased of the Indians three horses for which we gave a
chiefs Coat Some Handkerchiefs a Shirt Legins & a fiew arrow
points &c. I gave two of my coats to two of the under Chiefs
who appeared not well satisfied that the first Chief was dressed
so much finer than themselves, at 10 oClock I set out accompanied


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by the Indians except 3 the interpreter and wife,[4] the
fore part of the day worm, at 12 oClock it became hasey with
a mist of rain wind hard from the S.W. and cold which increased
untill night the rain Seased in about two hours. We
proceeded on thro' a wide leavel vallie without wood except
willows & Srubs for 15 miles and Encamped at a place the
high lands approach within 200 yards in 2 points the River
here only 10 yards wide Several Small Streams branching out
on each Side below. all the Indians proceeded on except the
3 Chiefs & two young men. my hunters killed two Deer
which we eate. The Course from the forks is West 9 miles
N. 60°. W. 6 miles. The Latd of the forks agreeable to observations
is 43°–30′–43″ North [actually about 45°][5]

 
[4]

Gass, who seems to have accompanied Clark's party, says (p. 173) that they
ascended the Jefferson River to its head-waters, searching for timber with which to
make canoes; not finding any, they crossed the mountain, and went to the Shoshoni
village on the Lemhi—which had, according to the Biddle text, been removed to a
place two miles farther up the river since Lewis's visit on Aug. 13.—Ed.

[5]

In the Biddle text is here interpolated (i, pp. 386–390) a brief retrospective survey
of the topography of the Missouri River valley.—Ed.