July 9th.. Tuesday 1805.
a beautiful morning. the Island near our Camp is covered
with black birds. the musquetoes verry troublesome. we put
the Iron boat in to the water corked Some of the canoes and
git in readiness to depart from this place. in the afternoon
we loaded the 6 canoes but did not load the Iron boat for She
leaked Some. Soon after we got the canoes loaded there came
up a Storm of wind & Thunder. the waves dashed over in
the canoes So that we had to unload again. our officers conclude
that the Iron boat will not answer our purpose as we
cannot git Tar nor pitch to pay the [bottom of] hir over the
hides. the coal Tallow & bease wax would not Stick to the
hides &c. the time being So far Spent they concluded to
burry hir at this place and go about 20 miles up the River and
make 2 canoes which would answer much better. So we Sunk
Sd. Iron boat in the River So that Shee may be taken apart the
better tomorrow. about 10 men got ready to go with Capt.
Clark to make the canoes, about 20 mls.. by water and only about
5 by land from this place.
