[Lewis:]
Saturday
April 27th. 1805
Previous to our seting out this morning I made the following
observations.
Point of observation No.
8.
| Suns magnetic azimuth by Circumferentor |
N.
81°. E. |
|
h m
s |
| Time by Chronometer A.M. |
9. 27.
14. |
| Altitude by sextant |
44°.
56′. 30″. |
| Sun's magnetic azimuth by
Circumftr. |
N. 82°.
E. |
|
h m s |
| Time by
Chronometer A. M. |
9. 34.
29. |
|
° ′
″ |
| Altitude by Sextant |
47. 22.
-. |
| Sun's Magnetic azimuth by Circumftr. |
N. 83°.
E. |
|
h m s |
| Time by
Chronometer. A.M. |
9. 42. 17. |
| Altitude by
Sextant |
49. 56. 30. |
This morning I walked through the point formed by
the
junction of the rivers; the woodland extends about a mile,
when
the rivers approach each other within less than half a
mile; here a
beatifull level low plain commences and extends
up both rivers for many
miles, widening as the rivers recede
from each other, and extending back
half a mile to a plain
about 12 feet higher than itself; the low plain
appears to be a
few inches higher than high water mark and of course will
not
be liable to be overflown; tho' where it joins the high plain a
part of the Missouri when at it's greatest hight, passes through
a
channel of 60 or 70 yards wide and falls into the yellowstone
river. on
the Missouri about 2 1/2 miles from the entrance of
the yellowstone river,
and between this high and low plain, a
small lake is situated about 200
yards wide extending along the
edge of the high plain parallel with the
Missouri about one
mile. on the point of the high plain at the lower
extremity of
this lake I think would be the most eligible site for an establishment
between this low plain and the
Yellow stone river
their is an extensive body of timbered land extending
up the
river for many miles. this site recommended is about 400
yards distant from the Missouri and about double that distance
from
the river yellow stone; from it the high plain, rising very
gradually,
extends back about three miles to the hills, and continues
with the same width between these hills
and the timbered
land on the yellowstone river, up that stream, for seven
or
eight miles; and is one of the ha[n]dsomest plains I ever beheld.
on the Missouri side the hills sircumscribe
it's width,
& at the distance of three miles up that river from this
cite, it
is not more than 400 yards wide. Capt Clark thinks that the
lower extremity of the low plane would be most eligible for
this
establishment; it is true that it is much nearer both rivers,
and might
answer very well, but I think it reather too low to
venture a permanent
establishment, particularly if built of
brick or other durable materials,
at any considerable expence;
for so capricious, and versatile are these
rivers, that it is difficult
to say how long
it will be, untill they direct the force of
their currents against this
narrow part of the low plain, which
when they do, must shortly yeald to
their influence; in
such case a few
years only would be necessary, for the annihilation
of the plain, and with it the
fortification.
[35]
I continued
my walk on shore; at 11. A. M. the
wind became very hard
from N.W. insomuch that the perogues and canoes were
unable
either to proceede or pass the river to me; I was under the
necessity therefore of shooting a goose and cooking it for my
dinner, the wind abated about
4. P.M. and the party
proceeded
tho' I could not conveniently join
them untill night,
altho' game is very abundant and gentle, we only kill
as
much as is necessary for food. I believe that two good hunters
could conveniently supply a regiment with provisions, for
several
days past we have observed a great number of buffaloe
lying dead on the
shore, some of them entire and others partly
devoured by the wolves and
bear, those anamals either
drownded during the winter in attempting to
pass the river on
the ice during the winter or by swiming acr[o]ss at
present to
bluff banks which they are unable to ascend, and feeling themselves
too weak to return remain and perish
for the want of
food; in this situation we met with several little parties
of
them, beaver are very abundant, the party kill several of them
every day. The Eagles, Magpies, and gees have their nests
in trees
adjacent to each other; the magpy particularly appears
fond of building
near the Eagle, as we scarcely see an Eagle's
nest unaccompanyed with two
or three Magpies nests within a
short distance. The bald Eagle are more
abundant here than
I ever observed them in any part of the
country.
Courses and distances 27th. April
1805.
|
|
Miles |
| N .
9°. E. |
to the upper part of the timber on Lard. in the point,
the same being the commencement of the
low
plain, at which the Missouri and yellowstone rivers
are about 250 yards
distant. |
1. |
| West. |
to the
lower part of the timber in the bend on Lard.
side |
1. |
| N. 32. W. |
to a point of the
timbered bottom on Lard. opposite
to a low bluff,
between two points of wooded bottom
1/2 a mile
distant from each other; a beautifull
plain back, several high open
situations, between
the woodlands on the Stard.
side |
3 |
| West. |
to a point of
small willows on the Stard. side,[36]
opposite
a
low white bluff bordering a beautifull rising plain;
some woodland below
this bluff on the Lard. side,
and a thick wooded
bottom on Stard side, on this
course the river is
wide, and crouded with sandbars.
a little below the low bluff on the
Lard. side, a
timbered bottom commences; here the
country
rises gradually from the river on the Lard.
side |
3- |
|
|
Miles
8. |
