University of Virginia Library

Chapter XI

FROM THE THREE FORKS OF THE MISSOURI
TO THE BEAVER'S HEAD

XI. July 28–August 10, 1805

Sunday 28th.. July 1805.

a FOGGY morning but clear. Several men went out
eairly a hunting. we put out all the baggage to air.
Capt. Clark verry unwell. we built a bowrey for his
comfort. the party in general much fatigued. Several lame,
with Sore feet &c. towards evening the hunters all returned.
had killed 7 or 8 Deer Some of them fat bucks. one of them
who had been a Short distance up the South fork & found it
not as large as the middle or west & North forks, which are
near of a Size. in the evening we had a fine Shower of rain.
Some Thunder attended it, which cooled the air much. the
men at Camp has employed themselves this day in dressing
Skins, to make cloathing for themselves. I am employed
makeing the chief part of the cloathing for the party. two
Elk killed to day also.

Monday 29th.. July 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. Several hunters went out eairly
to hunt. we conclude to lay at this Camp to day. Capt. Clark
Some better. the day verry warm the wind from the east.
the Latitude of this place is 45°, 22m, 34s. 5/10 North. the
width of the Rivers at the forks we alow the North fork to
[be] about 60 yards wide, the west fork about the Same, the
South fork about 40 yards wide. towards evening the hunters
came in had killed 2 fat buck deer, and brought in a curious
long leged redish couloured crain.

Tuesday 30th.. July 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we loaded the canoes eairly and
Set out about 9 oClock and proceeded on. Capt. Lewis and
Several men walked on Shore. we passed large bottoms of
cotton timber. the River crooked rapid and full of Islands.
the underbushes thick. the currents abound. the beaver
pleanty. a nomber of beaver dams behind the Islands &c.
we dined at the upper end of the bottoms close by a clear open
prarie or plain. at this place our Intrepters wife was taken
prisoner 4 years ago by a war party of the grossvauntous.
they took hir as She was attempting to make hir ascape by
crossing a Shole place on the River, but was taken in the
middle of it. 2 or 3 Indians killed at the Same time on Shore.
the rest of the Snakes made their ascape. the day warm, and
verry pleasant. one of the hunters killed a deer. we proceeded
on. the current verry Swift & rapids common. passed
beautiful large plains on L. S. and high land on the S. Side.
we came 13 ½ miles this day and Camped on the Stard. Side.
Capt. Lewis did not join us this evening. these bottoms are
low & many beaver dams which causes pond[s] &c.

Wednesday 31st.. July 1805.

Capt. Lewis layed out alone all last night. a fine morning.
we Set off at Sun rise and proceeded on as usal. the current
rapid. passed the Mouth of a Creek on the Lard. Side, which
was damed up by the beaver in Sundry places. the bottoms
low on each Side and covered with Small cotton timber &
young willow &c. about 8 oClock A. M. we came to Capt.
Lewis where he Camped last night. we took breakfast and proceeded
on passed a plain on the L. S. the hills begin to make
near the River on each Side. passed a verry large Island
which is Smo[o]th bottom prarie & but a little timber on it
large open plain on L. Side on which grows abundance of flax
wild Tanzey thissels &c. the above mentioned handsome
Creek runs through this prarie on Smoth bottom without timber.
only a little cotton timber on the River we dined about
1 oC. under a delightful Grove of cotton timber on L. Side

under the mountain which has large heaps of Snow on it. we
now enter the hills on each Side and keeps along under the
mountains. Capt. Clark Saw a mountain Sheep with the Spy
glass on a round hill towards the mountain. the Game is now
gitting Scarser. we are now without fresh meat which is verry
uncommon to us. the day verry warm. we proceeded on
passed clifts of rocks and high wales along the Shores. Some
pine Scatering along the hills. we Came 17 ¾ miles this day
and Camped on a Small Island on the Lard. Side. our hunter
on Shore wounded a white bear.

Thursday 1st.. day of August 1805

a clear morning. we Set out as usal and proceeded on.
Some of the men killed a goose & a beaver. about 8 oClock
A. M. we took breakfast under Some handsome ceeder trees on
S. Side. Capt. Lewis Sergt. Gass Sharbonoe & Drewyer Set out
by land to go on up the River to make discoverys &c expecting
to find Indians &c. we proceeded on. find currents as usal
and choak cherrys along the River. the current Swift the
hills higher and more pine and ceeder timber on them. we
passed high clifts about 500 feet high in many places. considerable
of pine on the Sides of the hills all the hills rough and
uneven. at noon Capt. Clark killed a mountain Sheep, on the
Side of a Steep redish hills or clifts the remainder of the
flock ran up the Steep clifts. the one killed roled down
Some distance So we got it and dined eairnestly on it. it
being Capt. Clarks buthday he ordered Some flour gave out to
the party. we Saw Some timber along the Shores resembling
ceeder which Some call Juniper, which had a delightfull Shade.
I left my Tommahawk on the Small Island where we lay last
night which makes me verry Sorry that I forgot it as I had used
it common to Smoak in.[1] proceeded on passed verry high
ragid clifts, and a bad rapid at the upper end of a Small Island
the toe rope broke of the Capts.. perogue, and it was in danger
of upsetting. passed a Spring run or creek on L. Side. came
in to a valley. passed bottoms of timber and the mouth of a

large creek on S. Side, and a Spring also. we came 13½ miles
and Ca[m]ped in a fine bottom covered with cotton timber
and thick bushes &c. Saw a white bear. the hunters
killed 5 deer we took on board 2 Elk which Capt. Lewis had
killed and left on Shore for us. Saw Snow on the Mountains
a Short distance to the South of us.

Friday 2nd.. August 1805.

a fine pleasant morning. we Set out eairly and proceeded
on the River is now Small crooked Shallow and rapid.
passed bottoms of cotton timber &c. Saw abundance of beaver
Sign, trees a foot over which had newly been cut down. Saw
a pond which was made by the beaver damming up the water
as in ma[n]y places. passed a high bank in which was a village
of what is called bank Swallows. high hills a little back
from the River on each Side of the River. considerable of
pine on them, & covered with Short grass. I have a pain in
my Shoulder. we proceeded on passed large beautiful bottom
prarie on each Side, & bottoms of timber. Saw a nomber of
old Indian Camps. the beaver houses are verry pleanty &
ponds where they resort. the day warm. we proceeded on
passed a nomber of Islands and bottoms. the River Shallow
and rapid. passed Smoth praries &c. Saw 2 grey Eagles
which had nests on the top of dry trees. Came 14 ¾ miles
this day & Camped on a Smoth plain on L. Side. Saw a gang
of Elk back under the hills. the country back from the River
is broken & Mountainous.

Saturday 3rd.. August 1805.

a clear morning. we Set out as usal and proceeded on.
Capt. Clark walked on Shore a Short time and killed a Deer.
the River verry crooked and filled with Islands. proceeded on.
Saw 2 deer little ahead, one of the hunters went after them and
killed a panther on an Island. it differs Some from those in
the States it was 7 ½ feet long, & of a redish coulour the turshes
[tusks] long the tallants [talons] large but not verry long.
passed verry rapid water So that we had to double man the
canoes and drag them over the Sholes & rapids. passed a large

prarie on S. Side. high grass & bushes along the River. the
bottoms has been burned over by the natives I expect last fall.
passed a verry large Spring on L. S. which makes from under
the mountains. the beaver has damed up the mouth & built
lodges all through the pond it forms. it falls over the beaver
dam in to the River verry Steep, about 4 feet. passed over a
bad rapid and halted about one to dine at a bottom of timber
on the S. Side. the day pleasant & warm. proceeded on
passed Several Springs one large one on L. S. plains and bottoms,
Some of which is covred with cotton & birch timber
the River Still getting more rapid and the rapids longer than
below. Came 11½ miles this day and Camped on L. Side
Cot. wood.

Sunday 4th.. August 1805.

a clear morning. we Set out at Sunrise, a hunter Sent on
a head to kill Some fresh meat for us to eat. proceeded on.
abt 8 oCl. A. M. we Came to Capt. Lewis camp of the 2 ult.
[inst.] he left a note letting us know he left this place yesterday
morning and ment to go on untill this evening, & if they
found no fresh Sign of Indian, they would return back a fiew
miles & hunt untill we came up. we Saw Several Elk in a
plain on L. Side. proceeded on our hunters killed 2 deer.
the rapids bad as usal. we are obledged to use the towing lines
where ever the Shore will admit. Some of the Mountains
near the River on L. S. has been burned by the natives Some
time ago. The timber killed. not So much timber on the
River as below. proceeded on killed a goose and a duck.
they are pleanty on the River. we Came 15 miles this day
and Camped at a bottoms covered with dry timber and wild
rose bush which is verry thick on S. Side. the beaver ponds
and Sign pleanty &c.

Monday 5th.. August 1805.

a clear cool morning. we Set out at Sunrise 2 hunters
Sent on a head to kill Some meat. one of them joined us
with a deer he had killed before breakfast time. the wind cold
from the South. the Shores and hills rockey, & bottom of
the River covd. with Small Stones. our other hunter joined us

at noon, had killed nothing. the rapids gits worse that ever.
it is with difficulty we git over them, & verry fatigueing. at
1 oC. P. M. clouded up. wind high. proceeded on about
a mile further up came to a fork we took the right hand fork
which was amazeing rapid. Some of the rapids falls 3 or 4
feet or their abouts in the length of our canoes. we passed
through a channel where the water was rapid and ran through
the willows & young cotton wood the beaver had fell[ed]
Some of them across the channel and [as] it [was] crooked it
was with much difficulty we got thro. obledged to forse our
way through the bushes and hall by them. Some places out
in the water could Scarsely keep our feet for the rapidity of
the current. Saw Several beaver dams verry high. night
came on. Camped on S. Side at a low bottom, which has
lately been overflowed. we expect this little Stream is high
from the Snow melting on the mountains. it appears it has
lately been higher, but is now falling a little. was it low their
would not be water enofe in it for us to proceed any further
by water. our hunter killed a deer. Came 8 miles this day.
the party much fatigued and wish to leave the canoes & go
by land.

Tuesday 6th.. August 1805.

a clear morning. we Set out as usal, and proceeded on halling
the canoes up the rapids. the bottoms low and covered
with Small timber. about 8 oClock A. M. we halted for
breakfast at a grove of timber. Saw an Indian trale or path.
G. Drewyer Came to us and informed us that we had got the
wrong fork & that their was 3 forks & Capt. Lewis allowed
that the middle fork would be the right course & the best fork
for us to go up. Capt. Lewis gone down to the forks. we
turned about and went down to the forks with the crafts. in
going through a difficult place which we went up thro last
evening, one canoe got up Set and everry perticle of the loading
got wet. one of the men who was in the bow lost his
knapsack and the most of his cloaths &c. I was in the Stern
when She Swang & jumped out to prevent hir from turning
over but the current took hir round So rapid that caught my

leg under hir and lamed me & was near breaking my leg.
lost my Shot pouch powder horn full of powder a bunch of
thred and Some mockisons &c. the remainder of the loading
Saved. we found it difficult to go down over the Sholes.
Several canoes ran fast &c. one of the large canoés took in
water & was near filling. we got down to the forks found
Capt. Lewis & party their. they informed us that they had
been about 30 miles up & their was 3 forks and the middle
fork was the best for us, to go. we halted here at the forks
on L. S. and put out all the articles which got wet to dry.
one of the men who went out to hunt this morning has not
returned. Several men went out from this place to hunt.
we had a Small Shower of rain. the hunters all returned in
the evening had killed 3 Deer and one faun Elk. we blew
the horn & fired Several guns, expecting the man who went
out this morning George Shannon was lost. the Indian goods
&c. did not all git dry this evening &c.

Wednesday 7th.. August 1805.

a clear cool morning. one man out to hunt. we unloaded
one of the Small canoes and halled it out in a grove of cotton
trees and leave hir here. we put [out] the Indian goods &c.
to git throully dry. Capt. Lewis took an observation & Shot
the air gun. the lost man not returned. the day warm, the
large horse flyes troublesome &c. about one oClock we
packed up all the baggage and Set off & proceeded on up the
middle fork. we find the current not So rapid as the right
fork. the rapids not so bad. we had Thunder Showers &
high wind this afternoon. passed Smooth plains on each Side
&c. Camped after coming 7 miles on a bottom of wood &
bushes L. Side. our hunter G. Drewyer joined us had killed
a deer.

Thursday 8h.. August 1805.

a clear cold morning. 4 hunters Sent out eairly to hunt.
we Set out at Sunrise, and proceeded on passed beautiful
Smooth prarie on each Side, but little timber only willows and
bushes currents &c. passed the left hand fork which empties
in at 2 places, but is not as large as the middle fork. Saw a

little Snow on the knobs & mountains at a Short distance
back from the [River.] this large & extensive valley which
looks verry pleasant. the Soil of these praries is much better
than below, for a long distance. we proceeded on passed a
fine Spring on L. S. one of the hunters brought us a deer
which he killed. Saw a nomber of geese & ducks on the
River. passed delightful prarie on each Side covred with high
grass thissels Small Sun flowers and a nomber of other kinds
of flowers &c. at noon R. Fields joined us had been hunting
for Shannon but had not found him. he had killed a deer &
a goat &c. one of the other hunters joined us had killed a
deer & a goat also the day warm & pleasant, in this valley,
which is 10 or 12 miles wide & all prarie. proceeded on
halled the canoes over Several Shole places. this little River
which we call Jeffersons River is only about 25 yards wide but
jenerally eight or 10 feet deep, and verry crooked. we passed
upwards of 60 points this day in comming [blank space in
MS.] miles and Camped in a thicket of bushes on the Lard.
Side. one more deer kill[ed].

Friday 9th.. August 1805.

a clear cool morning. Several hunters out on Shore we
Set out as usal and proceeded on the wind high from the
S. E. took on board a goat which one of the hunters had
killed. we halted abt. 8 oC. for breakfast. George Shannon
joined us who had been lost 3 days. he had killed 3 buck
Deer, which was fat. he brought in the Skins & a little meat.
Capt. Lewis G. Drewyer H. Mc. Neal & John Shields Set out
to go on by land a long distance to look out the way for us to
go & expect to find the Snake nation of Indians. we proceeded
on. took on bord a deer which one of the hunters
killed. we Saw no game worth notice except a fiew Deer.
the River and Smooth prarie the Same as yesterday. back
at the forks our Captains named this Stream Jeffersons River,
the N. fork Sensable River, and the South fork[2] not known
yet. So I expect that ought to be called the head of the

Missourie although we are yet on the head branch, which we
expect to See the head of it Soon. Some Thunder. the
Musquetoes troublesome. the beaver pleanty as usal &c.
Saw Snow on the Mountains Some distance a head. proceeded
on passed the old bed of the River where it formerly
ran along the high land at South Side of the prarie Some
cotton trees along it. the prarie low, Some part of which is
soft & boggy which we expect is good turf to burn [if it] was
dug & dryed. Thunder Showers passed round or over.
Came 18 miles and Camped on L. S. near a grove of cotton
trees & willows.

Saturday 10th.. August 1805.

a clear pleasant morning. we Set out as usal. Several
hunters out on Shore. we now begin to live on fresh meat &
that poor venson & goat meat at this time. as our fatigues
[are] hard we find that poor meat alone is not Strong diet, but
we are content with what we can git. the high land make near
the River on each Side. passed a high clifts of rocks on S.
Side. proceeded on the valley gits wider and the hills make
further from the River our officers thought proper that the
Missourie Should loose its name at the 2nd.. forks we passed
Some time ago where we expected to have found the Snake
nation of Indians. So they named the North fork Jeffersons
River, the west or middle fork Maddison River, the South fork
Gallitine River, on which is a most beautiful Spring abt. 2 mls..
from its mouth. the Small River that puts in above the forks
to Jeffersons River they call phillosify River. So Jeffersons
River is the one which we Still keep on. the last 3 forks they
call the North fork, Wisdom R. the South Philandrophey and
the west or middle fork Still retains its name Jeffersons River
it is now gitting Small crooked & Shole in places So that we
have to waid and hall the canoes over. about one oClock we
halted to dine. had a hard Thunder Shower of large hail and
rain thin proceeded on the bottom and river as usal. the
hunters killed only one deer this day. Came 13 miles this
day and Camped on the Stard. Side.