University of Virginia Library

Chapter VII

FROM THE MUSSELSHELL TO MARIA'S
RIVER

VII. May 23–June 7, 1805

Thursday 23rd May 1805.

a COLD frosty morning. the Standing water was froze
over. we Set off at Sun rise and proceeded on one of
the hunters who went on Some distance & Stayed out
all [night] joined us, had killed 5 deer. we passed bottoms
killed [blank space in MS.] Deer in Sd. bottoms passed pitch
pine hills on each Side of the River. passed Several Small
Islands in the River. about 2 oC. P.M. we halted and made
fire to dine at a timbred bottom on N. S. one of the hunters
took his rifle & bullett pouch on Shore the fire broke out
into the woods, and burned up his shot pouch powder horn &
the stalk of his rifle. about 3 oC we proceeded on passed pine
hills as usal. towards evening we killed a brown bear in the
river but he Sank in under a large drift of wood So that we
could not git it. we Came 28 miles to day and Camped at a
timbred bottom on the N. S. Some of the party discovered
high Mountains to the west of us a long distance or as far off
as their eyes could extend L. S.

Friday 24th.. May 1805.

clear & pleasant. we Set off as usal, & and proceeded on
passed Several Creeks & Several Small Islands in the river
passed pitch pine hills & timbred bottoms on each Side. about
3 oClock P. M. we halted to dine at a Small & narrow bottom
covered with timber on N. S. Capt. Clark who walked on Shore
had killed a fat buffaloe Some of the party went for the meat,
high black bluffs on the S. S. & a large creek which came

in a Short distance below. the wind from the S.E. So that
we Sailed Some part of the time about 4 we proceeded on.
2 canoes waited for the five men to come with the meat.
Came 24 ¾ miles to day and Camped at a bottom covered with
c. wood timber [of] which the leaves were dead. they had
been killed by the frost. the 2 canoes & 6 men Stayed behind
all night. we Saw a nomber of old Indian Camps in the
bottoms near the River.

Saturday 25th May 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we waited for the 2 canoes to
come up. about 7 oC. they came. then we Set off and proceeded
on. passed 2 creeks on the N. S. and one large one on
the S. S. passed 2 Small Islands before noon about 12 oC.
we passed a large handsom large Island covered with handsom
c. wood timber, near the N. S. Saw Several Eagles nests.
passed high bluffs & knobs and hills partly covred with pitch
pine timber on each Side of the R. the wind blew from the
N. W. about 3 oClock we halted to dine on a beautiful level
thin timbred Island near the N. S. of the River. Capt. Clark
and one man who walked on Shore joined us had killed two
Mountain Sheep, one a yew the other a ram. the ram had
large horns which turned back of a gradual taper, they have
the resemblence of our Sheep only fine brownish hair in Stead
of wool. they were poor and not as large as the natives represented,
but these are the first we have killed. about 4 oC.
P. M. we proceeded on the current has been verry Swift for
Several days. we passed river hills as usal. passed Several
Creeks in the course of the day. Came 18 miles to day and
Camped on the S. S. little above a high handsom Island in the
river mostly prarie only a little large timber at the upper end
of it. Gibson one of the hunters putt one of his Shoulders out
of place to day but got it in again.

Sunday 26th.. May 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we Set off eairly and proceeded
on. with the towing line under high bluffs which make near
the River on each Side & are verry Steep & barron. Some

Spots of pine, but the most of the knobs and river hills wash
by rains. passed high Clifts of Sand Stone on each Side.
passed Several Creeks which appeared to be large, Some on
each Side. passed Several Small Islands in the river. Some
of the hunters killed 2 mountain Sheep or Ibex as Capt. Clark
calls them which were running along in flocks where the bluffs
were to appearence nearly perpenticular we Suppose they
keep on high Steep clifts & bluffs & mountains in order to
keep out of the reach of other larger animals they are verry
Suple & run verry fast. one of these Ibex which was killed to
day, had verry large horns. the head & horns weighed 27
pounds, one of the hunters killed a hare which weighed 8 ½
pounds. we proceeded on with the towing lines all day
towards evening we Came to a rapid place in the river, where
the hills made close on each Side & high clifts of rocks. this
rapid had considerable of a fall, which gave us Some trouble to
git over our crafts but by towing & waiding in the water &
holding the canoes from filling in the waves, we all got Safe
over by dark, and Camped on the S. Side below a Small prarie
1st. at a Small bottom of timber where their was Several old
Indian Camps. Capt. Lewis & one of the hunters killed 2
buffaloe. we Came 22 miles this day.

Monday 27th.. May 1805.

pleasant weather. the wind high from the N. W. about
10 oC. we Set off and proceeded on with the towing lines.
the current verry Swift. passed a great nomber of rapid places.
passed verry high Steep mountains and clifts Steep precipices.
these mountains appear to be a desert part of the country. they
wash by rains, but a little rain in this part. no diews like
other parts but barron broken rich Soil but too much of a
desert to be inhabited, or cultivated. Some Spots of pitch &
Spruce pine. the game is Scarcer than it has been. no grass
nor timber for them to live in, but what Ibex or Mountain
Sheep, Elk deer &c [there are] live on what little grass their is
in the vallies and narrow plains on [the] river, which is covered
with wild hysop rose bush & Some grass. Some different
kinds of mint along the Shore. Saw mussel Shells also. the

Shore is Stoney & gravvelly. no falling in banks but the
creeks drive the earth and gravvel in Some distance in the river
which causes the most of the hard riffles, which we have had all
day and had to double man our perogues to git them over Safe.
one mountain ram or Ibex killed to day. we Came 13 mls.. to
day, and Camped at an old Indian Camp on the S. Side [of]
River we are 800 & 10 miles from the Mandans, 2415 [from
the Mouth of the Missouri].

Tuesday 28th.. May 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we Set off and proceeded on.
passed over hard riffles. the Bluffs & clifts are high [word
illegible] as yesterday. abt. 10 oC. Capt. Clark killed a mountain
Sheep & [figure illegible] Deer. about noon we halted
to dine near Some old Indian Camps. Some thunder & Small
Showers of rain which lasted about 2 hours. we then proceeded
on a pleasant afternoon. towards evening the hills
began to git lower passed large bottoms, partly covered with
c. wood timber. passed Several Islands 7 or 8 in the course
of the day, Some of them handsom groves of timber on
them. we passed a nomber of large Creeks on each Side of
the river, which force the Gravvel Stone from the hills in to
the river. we Came 21 ½ miles & Camped in a bottom of the
river on the N. S. a large Creek came in on the opposite
Shore. we Saw a gang of Elk in this bottom, & beaver Signs
[along] the Shores. a large bottom on the S. Side. we found
an Indians (?) foot ball floating down the river & dog poles
also.

Wednesday 29th.. May 1805.

Some clouday. a large buffaloe Swam the river last night,
and came out across one of the perogues & broke a blunderbuss,
& bent a rifle & came up the bank through the Camp
& like to have tramped on Several of the men as they were
a Sleep. we Set off as usal & proceeded on. passed the
Mouth of a large Creek or 2, on the S. S. & bottoms of
timber. about 10 oC. A. M. we passed a handsom bottom
on the N. S. where about 100 lodges of Indians had lately

been camped. we Suspect it was a nation called the blackfoot
Indians which live back from the River, to the Northward.
we got Some of their dog poles. we proceeded on passed
over hard rifles which was So rapid that caused high waves for
Some distance below. passed Several Creeks on each Side of
the river. about one oC. P. M. we passed high Steep clifts
of rocks on the N. S. where the natives had lately drove a
gang of buffaloe off from the plains. they fell So far on the
uneven Stone below that it killed them dead. they took what
meat they wanted, & now the wolves & bears are feasting on
the remains, which causes a horrid Smell. Capt. Clark killed
a wolf with a Sphere [spear] near that place. we Saw Several
brown bear on the mountains on the S. Side. about 3 oC.
P. M. we passed the mouth of a large Creek or Small river
on S. S. we halted [a] little above at a handsom bottom of
timber on the N. S. began to rain, the wind rose high from
N. W. So we Camped for the night. Some of the hunters
went out in the plains. they Soon returned & Said it Snowed
& hailed on the hills back from the river. our officers gave
each man a draughm of ardent Spirits. one of the hunters
killed an Elk. hard rain this evening. we had come 18
miles to day through a Mountaneous desert Country. Saw
a nomber of geese on the river. one man killed one of them.

Thursday 30th.. 1805.

Cloudy & rain, the wind high from the N. W. we delayed
untill about 10 oC. then Set off, though disagreeable
working. passed white Straight range of Clifts on the S. S.
proceeded on with the towing lines about 5 miles & halted to
dine on the N. S. Some of the hunters Shot an Elk. cold
chilly wind & rain. passed a Camp wher 29 lodges of the
blackfoot Indians had lately been & left piles of mussel Shells
at each fire. Came 8 miles. we Camped at a handsom narrow
bottom covered with thin c. wood timber, where 50 or 60
lodges of Indians had lately been Camped. they were gone
as we expect up the river. they left Several lodge poles &
considerable of fire wood gathered. 2 of the hunters went
across the river on the hill & killed 2 buffaloe.

Friday 31st.. May 1805.

cloudy. we Set off as usal. the canoes crossed the river
& the men went for the meat which was killed last nigh.
one of the hunters killed an Elk. we proceeded on. abt
11 oC. began to rain, rained moderately for Some time. we
passed verry high clifts of rocks, halted at 12 oC. to dine.
our Captains gave each man a draughm of Spirits as it was
wet. Capt. Lewis killed a fat buffaloe, & Some of the hunters
killed 2 more but lost one of them in the river. abt. 1 oC.
we proceeded on passed high white clifts of rocks & Some
pinecles [pinnacles] which is 100 feet high from the Surface
of the water. Some verry high black walls of Stone also on
each Side of the river, which is curious to see. we Saw a
brown bear on the N. S. Some of the hunters went out in
order to kill it. passed Straight white clifts of rocks on the
S. Side Came 17 ½ miles & Camped at a handsom bottom
covered with c. wood timber on the N. S. which was the first
timber we Saw to day except a fiew Scatering trees along the
Shore and a fiew ceeders on the hills. the current has been
Swift all this day. the hunters came in at dark had killed 1
black taild Deer 2 Ibex or mountain Sheep (rams) which had
handsom large horns. we took care of the horns in order to
take them back to the U. States. a pleasant evening. (one
man Saw a large pond or Small lake, out in the plains on
South Side.)

Saturday 1st.. 1805.

a clear pleasant morning we Set off eairly & proceeded on.
passed Steep clifts of white rocks which had villages of little
birds, built along the projecting rocks. one of the party killed
a Mountain ram or Ibex which had fine horns. we passed
handsom bottoms of c. wood & box elder timber on each Side.
Saw old Indian Camps at a bottom on N. S. passed a Creek
on N. S. & Straight bluffs. passed Several Small Islands.
about one oC. P. M. we passed a beautiful large Island covered
with large & Small timber Saw Some Elk on it. the hills
& bluffs are not So high on the river as they have been for
Some time. about 2 oC. we halted to dine and air our goods

&c. the wind rose from the S. E. the river bears to the
South, handsom baron plains back from the river. we Saw
Mountains a Short distance from the river on the N. S. and
on the S. S. at a considerable distance up the river. about
3 oC. we proceeded on passed a Creek on the N. S. passed
Several Islands covered with timber. passed a Straight clift
of rocks Steep from the Surface of the water about 100 feet
perpinticular, pass dd handsom high plains on each Side. Came
24 miles & Camped on the 7th. Isld. a Small Island covered with
timber. had passd. 2 [a] little below.

Sunday 2nd.. June 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we Set off as usal & proceeded
on. about 9 oC. Some of the hunters killed a buffalow and
an Elk. passed high bluffs on each Side, high plains, narrow
bottoms and Islands. passed a creek on the N. S. and one on
the S. Side about 12 oC. killed another Elk. about 1 oC.
we halted to dine at a bottom of timber on the N. S. Some
of the men killed another buffaloe. the wind high from the
N.W. clouded up. the current is not So Swift yesterday
& to day as it has been Some time past. we git along verry
well with the towing lines. a Small Sprinkling of rain. about
2 oC. we proceeded on passed Several Islands of cotton wood
bluffs & high land towards evening the hunters killed a yallow
bear in a bottom of cotton wood on S. S. we Came 18 miles
& Camped at a fork of the river. we could not determine
which was the Missourie. the hunters killed 6 Elk in all
to day. we Saw a high mountain to the west of us. one
hunter man Shot a large beaver this evening.

Monday 3rd.. June 1805.

a fair morning. we delayed untill 8 oClock then moved our
Camp over to the point between the two rivers. two Small
canoes were unloaded and a Sergeant and 2 men I was one of
them Sent in each up the 2 rivers to See what discoveries they
could make. Some men went out a hunting also. their is 3
Islands in the Mo. [of the] left hand river, which is the largest
& Swiftest river. Some men went out towards a mountain

covred with Snow to the South of this place. the Captains
walked out on the high hills in the point they observed a
level country to the foot of the mountain which lay South of
this also a River which falls in to the right hand fork about
1 ½ miles up from the mouth on the Lard. Side. This little
River discharges a great deal of water & contains as much
cotton timber as either of the others. they Saw buffalow &
antilopes, wild cherries red & yallow berrys goose berrys
&c. abound in the river bottoms, prickley pairs on the high
plains the Captains had a Meridian altitude & the Latitude
produced was 47°, 24′, 12″ North, the after part of the day
proved cloudy. Capt. Clark measured the [width of] each
River & found the one to the right hand to be 186 yards wide
of water and the left hand fork 372 yards wide & rapid, the
right hand fork falling [into] the other at a Stand & clear.
the right hand fork & the river which fall[s] into it is couloured,
and a little muddy. Several of the party complain of their feet
being Sore by their walking in the Sand & cut by the Stones.
we to be Sure have a hard time of it oblidged to walk on Shore
& haul the towing line and 9/10 of the time barefooted. in the
evening the men all returned had been about 15 miles up each
river but could not determine which was the Missourie, nor
which would be our best course. our officers & all the men
differ in their opinions which river to take. we expect the
right hand fork would take us too far to the North, the left
hand fork we expect heads in the mountains. however the
officers conclude to leave the party here, and go by land with
a Small party up each river, in order to find out which will be
the best for us to take. the hunters killed 4 buffaloe 3 Elk
3 beaver & Deer &c. the Captn. Gave each man a dram of
ardent Spirits. I killed 2 Elk myself to day, as I was up the
left fork as a Spye.

Tuesday 4th.. June 1805.

Capt. Lewis & 6 men Set out to go up the Right hand fork.
Capt. Clark & 5 more Set out to go up the left hand fork.
they intend to go about one day & a halfs walk up the rivers
& See what discoveries they can make. Some of the men at

camp killed 2 faun Elk close by the camp for their Skins, to
dress. the day proved cloudy. a fiew drops of rain towards
evening, & high cold wind from the N. E. 2 men who had
been from camp a hunting returned had killed an Elk & a
Deer, & had Set 2 traps for beaver. cloudy all day.

Wednesday 5th.. June 1805.

the wind blew high from the N.E. all last night. a cloudy
cold windy morning. one beaver caught in a trap last night.
I Stayed in Camp dressing Skins for to make myself moccasons
&c. one of the men by the name of goodrich has caught a
considerable quantity of Small fish. Some of them Skale fish
the most part are a sort of Smallish sized cat fish. we have
caught no large ones this Season as we did last as yet &c.

Thursday 6th.. June 1805.

a cold cloudy morning. the wind blew cold from the N. E.
Some of the men went from Camp a Short distance and killed
2 buffalow one fat Elk 2 Deer 1 mule & one common Deers,
2 antilopes &c. a light Sprinkling of rain to day. about 2
oClock P.M. Capt. Clark & his party returned to Camp. they
informed us that the South fork is the most probable branch
to our course which Capt. Clark alowed we would take. they
had been about 40 miles up the South fork. when they got
about 8 miles from our Camp they found a beautiful Spring of
water, where the Small river was not more than 200 yards
from the South fork. they refreshed themselves at the Spring
with a drink of good grog. they Saw but little game on this
river. they passed through high plains, where nothing groes
but Short grass & prickley pears. the course of the river as
far as they went about S. W. they Saw a mountain to the
South of them covred with Snow. one of the men by the
name of Jo Fields was att[a]c[ke]d by an old hea bear, which
would have killed him if the rest of the party had not been in
hearin to have fired at him which made him turn his course.
they killed 3 bear & eat a part of one of them, & returned by
way of the middle branch which they came down & killed in its
bottoms a nomber of fat Elk Deer & Saw wolves antelopes &

beaver &c. the bottoms of this middle river is like thee
bottoms below the forks, covered with timber. Some cotton
trees with a leaf like the leaf of cherry. they Saw wild tanzey
&c. Capt. Lewis & party did not return this evening. the
party has been employed dressing Skins &c.

Friday 7th.. June 1805.

rained the greater part of last night. a Cloudy wet morning.
Some men went out to hunt, and killed 2 Deer, rained
moderately all day. Capt. Lewis & his party has not returned
yet. we expect the reason is owing to the badness of the
weather. nothing further occured this day.