University of Virginia Library

Chapter VII

FROM FORT MANDAN TO THE YELLOWSTONE

VII. Clark's Journal, March 22–April 27, 1805
Lewis's Journal, April 7–27

[Clark:]

23 (22 mistake) of March Friday 1805

A CLOUDY Day visited by Mrs. La[ro]ck, Mc..Kinsey[1]
& the 2d. Chief of the Big bellies, the white wolf and
many other Minataries, we Gave a Medal Some
Clothes and wampom to the 2[nd] Chief and Delivered a
Speach, which they all appeared well pleased with in the evening
the men Danced Mr. Jessomme displeased.

24th. (23) of March Satturday 1805—

after Brackfast Mr. La Rocke and Mr. McKinsey and the
Cheifs & men of the Minetarras leave us. Soon after we were
Visited by a Brother of the Burnia (of the Borgne, or one eyed
chief of the Menitarees) who gave us a Vocabulary of his
Language.[2] the Coal & many other Mandans also visit us to
day a find Day in the fore part in the evening a little rain
& the first this winter.

25th. (24th..) of March Sunday 1805. —

a Cloudy morning wind from the NE the after part of the
Day fair, Several Indians visit us to day, prepareing to Set
out on our journey, Saw Swans & Wild Gees flying N.E.
this evening.

26th.. (25th) of March Monday 1805—

a fine Day wind S.W. but fiew Inds. Visit us to day the Ice
haveing broken up in Several places, The ice began to brake
away this evening and was near destroying our Canoes as they
were dec[e]nding to the fort, river rose only 9 Inches to day
prepareing to Depart.

27th. (26) of March Tuesday 1805—

The river choked up with ice opposit to us and broke away
in the evening raised only 1/2 Inch all employed prepareing
to Set out.

28th. (27) of March Friday (Wednesday) 1805—

a windey Blustering Day Wind S W ice running the [ice]
Blocked up in view for the Space of 4 hours and gave way
leaveing great quantity of ice on the Shallow Sand bars. had
all the Canoes corked [calked] pitched & tined in and on the
cracks and windshake which is universially in the Cotton wood.

29th. (28) of March Satturday (Thursday) 1805—

The ice has stoped running owing to Som obstickle above,
repare the Boat & Perogues, and prepareing to Set out but
few Indians visit us to day they are now attending on the
river bank to Catch the floating Buffalow

30th. (29) of March Sunday (Friday) 1805—

The obstickle broke away above & the ice came down in
great quantities the river rose 13 inches the last 24 hours I
observed extrodanary dexterity of the Indians in jumping from
one cake of ice to another, for the purpose of Catching the

buffalow as they float down[3] many of the cakes of ice which
they pass over are not two feet square. The Plains are on fire
in View of the fort on both Sides of the River, it is Said to be
common for the Indians to burn the Plains near their Villages
every Spring for the benefit of their hors[e]s, (Qu) and to
induce the Buffalow to come near to them.

31st. (30th) Saturday. of March Monday (Saturday) (Sunday) 1805—

(Ser. Ordway now here) Cloudy Day Sever[al] Gangs of
Gees and Ducks pass up the river. but a Small portion of
ice floating down to day, but fiew Inds. Visit us to day all
the party in high Sperits they pass but fiew nights without
amuseing themselves danceing possessing perfect harmony and
good understanding towards each other, Generally helthy
except Venerials Complaints which is verry Common amongst
the natives (Qu.) and the men Catch it from them

April the 1st. Tuesday (Monday) 1805 —

The fore part of to day haile rain with Thunder & lightning,
the rain continued by intimitions all day, it is worthey
of remark that this is the 1st. rain which has fallen Sence we
have been here or Sence the 15 of October last, except a fiew
drops at two or three defferent times. had the Boat Perogues
& Canoes all put into the Water.

April the 2nd.. Friday (Tuesday) 1805—

a cloudy day, rained all the last night we are prepareing to
Set out all thing nearly ready. The 2d. Chief of the 2d. Mandan
Village took a miff at our not attending to him perticularly
after being here about ten days and moved back to his village.

The Mandans Killed twenty one elk yesterday 15 miles
below this, they were So Meager that they [were] Scercely
fit for use.

April the 3rd.. Thursday (Wednesday) 1805—

a white frost this morning, Some ice on the edge of the
water, a fine day Pack up and prepare to load

observed equal altitudes of the ☉ with Sextant and artificial horizen

     

A. M.	7 H. - 51 m - 15.s.	P.M.	5 h. - 1 m. - 22 s.
"	" - 52 - 52.5		5 - 3 - 3
	" - 54 - 30		" - 5 - 41

altitude produc'd from this observation is 36° - 31″ - 15″. Chronomiter
too fast 32 minits

observed Time and Distance of ☉s. & ☽s. nearest limbs with the
Sextant and Chronomiter—Sun west.

               

	Time	Distance
PM.	5H. - 15M. - 50S.	43°. - 27′ - 15″
	" - 18 - 24	" - 30 - 0
	" - 20 - 5	" - 30 - 30
	" - 31 - 29	" - 34 - 0
	" - 36 - 47	" - 36 - 30
	" - 39 - 7	" - 37 - 15
	" - 40 - 55	" - 37 - 30

Mrs. La Rocke & McKinsey Clerk to the N W. Compy. Visit
us. Mr. McKinzey wishes to Get pay for his horse lost in
our Service this Winter and one of which our men were robed
this winter by the Tetons, we Shall pay this man for his
horse. we are all day engaged packing up Sundery articles
to be sent to the President of the U.S.[4]

Box No. 1, contains the following articles i. e.

In package No. 3 & 4 Male & female antelope, with their Skelitons.

No. 7 & 9 the horns of two mule or Black tailed deer. a Mandan bow
an[d] quiver of arrows— with some Recara's tobacco seed.

No. 11 a Martin Skin, Containing the tail of a Mule Deer, a weasel
and three Squirels from the Rockey mountains.

No. 12, The bones & Skeleton of a Small burrowing wolf of the
Praries the Skin being lost by accedent.

No. 99. The Skeliton of the white and Grey hare.

Box No. 2, Contains 4 Buffalow Robes, and a ear of Mandan Corn.

The large Trunk Contains a male & female Braro or burrowing dog
of the Praire and the female's Skeliton.

a carrote of Ricaras Tobacco

a red fox Skin Containing a Magpie

No. 14 Minitarras Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian
dress.

No. 15 a mandan robe containing two burrowing Squirels, a white
weasel and the Skin of a Loucirvia. also

13 red fox Skins.

1 white Hare Skin &c.

4 horns of the mountain ram

1 Robe representing a battle between the Sioux & Ricaras against
the Minetares and Mandans.

In Box No. 3.

Nos. 1 & 2 the Skins of the Male & female Antelope with their Skeletons.
& the Skin of a Yellow Bear which I obtained from the Sieoux

No. 4. Box. Specimens of plants numbered from 1. to 67.

Specimens of Plants numbered from 1 to 60.

1 Earthen pot Such as the Mandans manufacture and use for culinary
purposes.[5]

1 Tin box containing insects mice &c.

a Specimine of the fur of the antilope.

a Specimon of a plant, and a parcel of its roots higly prized by the natives
as an efficatious remidy in cases of the bite of the rattle Snake or
Mad Dog.

In a large Trunk[6]

Skins of a male and female Braro, or burrowing Dog of the Prarie,
with the Skeleton of the female.

1 Skin of the red fox Containing a Magpie

2 Cased Skins of the white hare.

1 Minitarra Buffalow robe Containing Some articles of Indian
Dress.

1 Mandan Buffalow robe Containing a dressed Lousirva Skin, and
2 cased Skins of the Burrowing Squirel of the Praries.

13 red fox Skins

4 Horns of the Mountain Ram, or big horn.

1 Buffalow robe painted by a mandan man representing a battle
fought 8 years Since by the Sioux & Recaras against the mandans,
me ni tarras & Ah wah har ways. (Mandans &c. on horseback

• Cage No. 6.

  Contains a liveing burrowing Squirel of the praries

• Cage No. 7.

  Contains 4 liveing Magpies

• Cage No. 9.

  Containing a liveing hen of the Prairie

a large par of Elks horns containing [contained, i. e., held together—
Ed.] by the frontal bone.

April the 4th. 1805 Wednesday (Thursday)—

a blustering windey Day the Clerks of the N W Co. leave
us, we are arrangeing all things to Set out. &c.

April the 5th. 1805 Thursday (Friday) —

we have our 2 perogues & Six Canoes loaded with our Stores
& provisions, principally provisions, the wind verry high from
the N W. a number of Mandans Visit us to day[7]

April the 6th. Friday (Satturday) 1805—

a fine day visited by a number of Mandans, we are informed
of the arrival of the whole of the recarra nation on the
other Side of the river near their old village, we Sent an
interpreter to see with orders to return imediately and let us
know if their Chiefs ment to go down to See their great father.

[Lewis:]

Fort Mandan April 7th. 1805.[8]

Having on this day at 4. P.M. completed every arrangement
necessary for our departure, we dismissed the barge and crew
with orders to return without loss of time to St. Louis, a small
canoe with two French hunters accompanyed the barge; these
men had assended the missouri with us the last year as engages.[9] The barge crew consisted of six soldiers and two [blank space
in MS.] Frenchmen; two Frenchmen and a Ricara Indian also
take their passage in her as far as the Ricara Vilages, at which
place we expect Mr. Tiebeau [Tabeau] to embark with his
peltry who in that case will make an addition of two, perhaps
four men to the crew of the barge. We gave Richard Warfington,
a discharged Corpl., the charge of the Barge and crew,
and confided to his care likewise our dispatches to the government,
letters to our private friends, and a number of articles
to the President the United States.[10] One of the Frenchmen
by the Name of (Joseph) Gravline an honest discrete man and
an excellent boat-man is imployed to conduct the barge as
a pilot; we have therefore every hope that the barge and with
her our dispatches will arrive safe at St.. Louis. Mr. Gravlin

who speaks the Ricara language extreemly well, has been imployed
to conduct a few of the Recara Chiefs to the seat of
government who have promised us to decend in the barge to
St: Liwis with that view.

At same moment that the Barge departed from Fort Mandan,
Capt. Clark emba[r]ked with our party and proceeded up
the River. as I had used no exercise for several weeks, I
determined to walk on shore as far as our encampment of this
evening; accordingly I continued my walk on the N. side of
the River about six miles, to the upper Village of the Mandans,
and called on the Black Cat or Pose-cop′-se-ha′, the great chief
of the Mandans; he was not at home; I rested myself a [few]
minutes, and finding that the party had not arrived I returned
about 2 miles and joined them at their encampment on the N.
side of the river opposite the lower Mandan village. Our
part[y] now consisted of the following Individuals. Sergts.
John Ordway, Nathaniel Prior, & Patric Gass; Privates, William
Bratton, John Colter, Reubin, and Joseph Fields, John
Shields, George Gibson, George Shannon, John Potts, John
Collins, Joseph Whitehouse, Richard Windsor, Alexander
Willard, Hugh Hall, Silas Goodrich, Robert Frazier, Peter
Crouzatt, John Baptiest la Page, Francis Labiech, Hue Mc.. Neal,
William Warner, Thomas P. Howard, Peter Wiser, and John
B. Thompson. Interpreters, George Drewyer and Tauasant
Charbono also a Black man by the name of York, servant
to Capt. Clark, an Indian Woman wife to Charbono with a
young child, and a Mandan man who had promised us to
accompany us as far as the Snake Indians with a view to bring
about a good understanding and friendly intercourse between
that nation and his own, the Minetares and Ahwahharways.

Our vessels consisted of six small canoes, and two large
perogues. This little fleet altho' not quite so rispectable as
those of Columbus or Capt. Cook, were still viewed by us
with as much pleasure as those deservedly famed adventurers
ever beheld theirs; and I dare say with quite as much anxiety
for their safety and preservation. we were now about to penetrate
a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which
the foot of civilized man had never trodden; the good or evil

it had in store for us was for experiment yet to determine, and
these little vessells contained every article by which we were
to expect to subsist or defend ourselves. however, as the
state of mind in which we are, generally gives the colouring to
events, when the immagination is suffered to wander into
futurity, the picture which now presented itself to me was a
most pleasing one. enterta[in]ing as I do, the most confident
hope of succeeding in a voyage which had formed a da[r]ling
project of mine for the last ten years, I could but esteem this
moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life.
The party are in excellent health and sperits, zealously attached
to the enterprise, and anxious to proceed; not a whisper of
murmur or discontent to be heard among them, but all act in
unison, and with the most perfict harmony. I took an early
supper this evening and went to bed. Capt. Clark myself the
two Interpretters and the woman and child sleep in a tent of
dressed skins. this tent is in the Indian stile, formed of a
number of dressed Buffaloe skins sewed together with sinues.[11]
it is cut in such manner that when foalded double it forms the
quarter of a circle, and is left open at one side here it may be
attatched or loosened at pleasure (Qu) by strings which are
sewed to its sides for the purpose. to erect this tent, a parsel
of ten or twelve poles are provided, fore or five of which are
attatched together at one end, they are then elivated and their
lower extremities are spread in a circular manner to a width
proportionate to the demention of the lodge; in the same
position orther poles are leant against those, and the leather is
then thrown over them forming a conic figure.

[Clark:]

7th. of April Satturday [Sunday] 1805[12] —

a windey day, The Interpreter we Sent to the Villages returned
with Chief of the Ricara's & 3 men of that nation,

this Chief informed us that he was Sent by his nation to know
the despositions of the nations in this neighbourhood in respect
to the recara's Settleing near them, that he had not yet
made those arrangements, he request that we would speek to
the Assinniboin, & Crow Inds. in their favour, that they wished
to follow our directions and be at peace with all, he viewed
all nations in this quarter well disposed except the Sioux. The
wish of those recaras appears to be a junction with the Mandans
& Minetarras in a Defensive war with the Sioux who rob them
of every Spece [species] of property in Such a manner that
they cannot live near them any longer. I told this Chief we
were glad to See him, and we viewed his nation as the Dutifull
Children of a Great father who would extend his protection to
all those who would open their ears to his good advice, we
had already Spoken to the Assinniboins, and should Speeke to
the Crow Indians if we should see them &c. as to the Sioux
their Great father would not let them have any more good
Guns &c. would take care to prosu Such measurs as would
provent those Sioux from Murd[er]ing and taking the property
from his dutyfull red Children &c. we gave him a certificate
of his good Conduct & a Small Medal, a Carrot of Tobacco
and a String of Wompom. he requested that one of his men
who was lame might decend in the boat to their nation and
returned to the Mandans well Satisfied. The name of this
Chief of War is Kah-kah, We-to—Raven brave. This Cheif
delivered us a letter from Mr. Taboe. informing us of the wish
of the Grand Chiefs of the Recarras to visit their Great
father and requesting the privolage of put'g on board the
boat 3000lb. of Skins &c. & adding 4 hands and himself to the
party. this preposeal we Shall agree to, as that addition will
make the party in the boat 15 Strong and more able to defend
themselves from the Seoux &c.[13]

[Clark:]

Fort Mandan Aprilth.. 7th.. 1805

Sunday, at 4 oClock PM, the Boat, in which was 6 Soldiers 2
frenchmen & an Indian, all under the command of a corporal
who had the charge of dispatches, &c.—and a canoe with 2
french men, Set out down the river for St. Louis. at the same
time we Sout out on our voyage up the river in 2 perogues
and 6 canoes, and proceded on to the 1st villag. of Mandans &
camped on the S.S. our party consisting of Sergt. Nathaniel
Pryor Sgt. John Ordway. Sgt. Pat: Gass, William Bratten, John
Colter Joseph & Reuben Fields. John Shields George Gibson
George Shannon, John Potts, John Collins, Jos: Whitehouse,
Richard Windser, Alexander Willard, Hugh Hall, Silas Gutrich,
Robert Frazure, Peter Crouzat, John Baptiest la page, Francis
Labich, Hugh Mc. Neal, William Warner, Thomas P. Howard,
Peter Wiser, J. B. Thompson and my servent york, George
Drew yer who acts as a hunter & interpreter, Shabonah and
his Indian Squar to act as an Interpreter & interpretress for the
snake Indians—one Mandan & Shabonahs infant. Sah-kah-gar
we â

[Lewis:]

April 8th.

Set out early this morning, the wind blew hard against us,
from the N.W. we therefore traveled very slowly. I walked
on shore, and visited the black Cat, took leave of him after
smoking a pipe as is their custom, and then proceeded on
slowly by land about four miles where I wated the arrival of
the party, at 12 Oclock they came up and informed me that
one of the small canoes was behind in distress. Capt. Clark
returned fou[n]d she had filled with water and all her loading
wet. we lost half a bag of bisquit, and about thirty pounds
of powder by this accedent; the powder we regard as a serious
loss, but we spread it to dry immediately and hope we shall
still be enabled to restore the greater part of it. this was the
only powder we had which was not perfectly secure from geting
wet. we took dinner at this place, and then proceed on
to oure encampment, which was on the N. side opposite to
a high bluff.[14] the Mandan man came up after we had encamped

and brought with him a woman who was extreemly
solicitous to accompany one of the men of our party, this
however we positively refused to permit.

Courses distances and references for Apl. 8th.

From the upper point on an island (being the point to which Capt.
Clark took his last course when he assended the river in surch of a
place for winter quarters 1st November last) to a point of wood land
Star'd side, passing a high bluff on the Lar'd. N40°. W. 3 1/2°

[Clark:]

8th.. of April Monday 1805

Set out very early wind hard a head from the N.W. proceeded
on passed all the villages the inhabitants of which
flocked down in great numbers to view us, I took my leave
of the great Chief of the Mandans who gave me a par of excellent
mockersons, one canoe filed with water every thing in
her got wet 2/3 of a barrel of powder lost by this accident.

           

From the upper part of an island just below Marpar-}
perycopatoo's camp to a point of wood land on the
Stad. side passing a high bluff on the Lad. containing	N. 40°. W. 3 1/2
many horizontal narrow stratas of Carbonate wood,
some of which are sixty feet above the su[r]face of
the water

Camped on the S.S. opsd. a high bluff. an Indian Joined us,
also an Indian woman with a view to accompany us, the
woman was Sent back the man being acquainted with the
countrey we allowed him to accompanie us

[Lewis:]

Tuesday April 9th.

Set out as early as it was possible to see this morning and
proceed about five miles where we halted and took beakfas
the Indian man who had promised us to accompany us as far
as the Snake Indians, now informed us of his intention to relinquish
the journey, and accordingly returned to his village.
we saw a great number of brant passing up the river, some

of them were white, except the large feathers in the first and
second joint of the wing which are black. there is no other
difference between them and the common gray brant but that
of their colour—their note and habits are the same, and they
are freequently seen to associate together. I have not yet
positively determined whether they are the same, or a different
species. Capt Clark walked on shore to-day[15] and informed
me on his return, that passing through the prarie he had seen
an anamal that precisely resembled the burrowing squrril, accept
in point of size, it being only about one third as large
as the squirrel, and that it also burrows. I have observed in
many parts of the plains and praries, the work of an anamal
of which I could never obtain a view. their work resembles
that of the salamander common to the sand hills of the States
of South Carolina and Georgia, and like that anamal also it
never appears above the ground. the little hillocks which
are thrown up by these anamals have much the appearance
of ten or twelve pounds of loose earth poared out of a vessel
on the surface of the plain. in the state they leave them you
can discover no whole through which they throw out this
earth; but by removing the loose earth gently you may discover
that the soil has been broken in a circle manner for
about an inch and a half in diameter; where it appears looser
than the adjacent surface, and is certainly the place through
which the earth has been thrown out, tho' the operation is
performed without leaving any visible aperture. the Bluffs
of the river which we passed today were upwards of a hundred
feet high, formed of a mixture of yellow clay and sand—
many horizontal stratas of carbonated wood, having every appearance
of pitcoal at a distance; were seen in the the face of
these bluffs. these stratas are of unequal thicknesses from 1 to
5 feet, and appear at different elivations above the water some
of them as much as eighty feet.[16] the hills of the river are very
broken, and many of them have the apearance of having been
on fire at some former period. considerable quantities of
pumice stone and lava appear in many parts of these hills
where they are broken and washed Down by the rain and
melting snow. when we halted for dinner the squaw busied
herself in serching for the wild artichokes which the mice[17]
collect and deposit in large hoards. this operation she performed
by penetrating the earth with a sharp stick about some
small collections of drift wood. her labour soon proved successful,
and she procured a good quantity of these roots. the
flavor of this root resembles that of the Jerusalem Artichoke,
and the stalk of the weed which produces it is also similar,
tho' both the root and stalk are much smaller than the Jerusalem
Artichoke. the root is white and of an ovate form,
from one to three inches in length and usually about the size
of a man's finger. one stalk produces from two to four, and
somitimes six of these roots.

at the distance of 6 miles passed a large wintering or hunting
camp of the Minetares on the Stard side. these lodges
about thirty in number are built of earth and timber in their
usual stile. 2 1/4 miles higher we passed the entrance of Miry
Creek, which discharges itself on the Stard side. this creek is
but small,—takes it's rise in some small lakes near the Mouse
river and passes in it's course to the Missouri, through beatifull,
level, and fertile plains, intirely destitute of timber.
Three miles above the mouth of this creek we passed a hunting
camp of Minetares who had prepared a park and were
wating the return of the Antelope; which usually pass the
Missouri at this season of the year from the Black hills on
the South side, to the open plains on the north side of the
river; in like manner the Antelope repasses the Missouri from
N. to South in the latter end of Autumn, and winter in the
black hills, where there is considerable bodies of woodland.
we proceed on 11 1/2 miles further and encamped on the N. side
in a most beatifull high extensive open bottom.[18]

The courses and distances of this day are as follow

                             

		miles
N. 20° W.	to a Stard point opposte to a bluff	1
N.	to a Stard point d°   d°   d°	1/2
N. 80. E.	to a sand point on Lard side	1 1/2
N.	to a Lard point	1/2
N. 18. W.	to a handsome elivated plain on Lard Sd	1
N. 22. E.	to a point of willows on Lard side opposit} to a wintering camp of the Minetares	1 1/2
N. 20. W.	to the mouth of Miry creek Stard side, passing a small run and a hill called snake den	2 1/4
W.	to a point on Lard side	1
S. 75 W.	to a point on Stard opposite to a camp of Minetares, and lower po.t of a high bluff	4
N. 65. W.	to the upper point point of woo[d]land on Std. sd.	3
S. 45. W.	to a point of timber on the Lard. side	2
S. 30. W.	to a sand point on the Stard. side	1 1/4
S. 78. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard side	4
		23 1/2

[Clark:]

9th.. of April Tuesday 1805.—

Set out this morning verry early under a gentle breeze from
the S.E. at Brackfast the Indian deturmined to return to his
nation. I saw a Musquetor to day great numbers of Brant
flying up the river, the Maple, & Elm has buded & cotton
and arrow wood beginning to bud. I saw in the prarie an
animal resembling the Prarie dog or Barking Squirel & burrow
in the same way, this animal was about 1/3 as large as the
barking Squirel. But fiew resident birds or water fowls which
I have Seen as yet at 6 miles passed an old hunting camp of
Menitarres on the S. S. 2 1/2 miles higher passed the mouth
of Miry Creek on the S.S. passed a hunting camp of Menetarees
on the S.S. waiting the return of the Antilope, Saw
Great numbers of Gees feedin in the Praries on the young
grass, I saw flowers in the praries to day, juniper grows on
the Sides-of the hills, & runs on the ground all the hills
have more or Less indefferent coal in stratas at different hites
from the waters edge to 80 feet. those stratias from 1 inch to
5 feet thick we campd. on the S.S. above some rocks makeing
out in the river in a butifull ellivated plain.

Course distance & refferences for the 9th.

                           

N. 20°. W. 1		mile on the S. pt. opsd. a Bluff
N—	1/2	a mile on the S. pt. d°.
N. 80°. E	1 1/2	miles to a sand pt. on the L.S.
N.—	1/2	a mile to the L. pt.
N. 18°. W.	1	mile to a handsom elivated plain on L.S.
N. 22°. E	1 1/2	miles to a pt. of willows on the L.S. opposit a Wintering camp of the Minitarrees.
N. 20°. W.	2 1/4	miles to the mouth of Miry Creek, pass'd a hill call[ed] Snake house & a small run S.S.
West	1	mile to a pt. on the Larboard side
S. 75°. W.	4	miles to a pt. on the S.S. opsd. a Bluff and a camp of Miniterras.
N. 65°. W.	3	miles to the upper part of the timber S.S.
S. 45°. W.	2	miles to a pt. of timber on the L.S.
S. 30. W.	1 1/4	miles to a Sand pt. on the S.S.
S. 78°. W.	4	miles to a pt. of wood on the L.S.
	23 1/2

[Lewis:]

Wednesday April 10th 1805.

Set out at an early hour this morning, at the distance of
three miles passed some Minetares who had assembled themselves
on the Lard [larboard] shore to take a view of our little
fleet. Capt Clark walked on shore to-day, for several hours,
when he returned he informed me that he had seen a gang of
Antelopes in the plains but was unable to get a shoot at them,
he also saw some geese and swan. the geese are now feeding
in considerable numbers on the young grass which has sprung
up in the bottom praries. the Musquetoes were very troublesome
to us to-day. The country on both sides of the missouri
from the tops of the river hills, is one continued level
fertile plain as far as the eye can reach, in which there is not
even a solitary tree or shrub to be seen, except such as from
their moist situations or the steep declivities of hills are sheltered
from the ravages of the fire. at the distance of 12 miles
from our encampment of last night we arrived at the lower
point of a bluff on the Lard side; about 1 1/2 miles down this
bluff from this point, the bluff is now on fire and throws out
considerable quantities of smoke which has a strong sulphurious

smell. the appearance of the coal in the blufs continues
as yesterday.[19] at 1. P.M. we overtook three french
hunters who had set out a few days before us with a view
of traping beaver; they had taken 12 since they left Fort
Mandan. these people avail themselves of the protection
which our numbers will enable us to give them against the
Assinniboins who sometimes hunt on the Missouri; and
intend ascending with us as far as the mouth of the Yellow
stone river and continue there hunt up that river. this is the
first essay of a beaver hunter of any discription on this river.
the beaver these people have already taken is by far the best I
have ever seen. the river bottoms we have passed to-day are
wider and possess more timber than usual. the courant of the
Missouri is but moderate, at least not greater than that of
the Ohio in high tide; it's banks are falling in but little; the
navigation is therefore comparitively with it's lower portion
easy and safe. we encamped this evening on a willow point,
Stard. side just above a remarkable bend in the river to the
S.W. which we called the little bason.[20]

Cou[r]ses and distances of this day.

                   

		miles.
S. 45. W.	to a point of timbered land on the Std Sid.	3
W.	to a point of timbered land on the Lard. sd.	3
S. 72. W.	to a tree in a bend on the Stard. side	2
S. 32. W.	to a point of woods on the Stard. side	4
W.	on the Stard. point	1/2
N. 40. W.	on the Stard. point	1/2
N. 50. E.	to a point on the Lard. side, opposite to a low bluff	2
S. 52. W.	to a point on the Stard. side opposite to a bluf, above which a small creek falls in.	3 1/2
		18 1/2

[Clark:]

10th.. of April Wednesday 1805

Set out verry early. the morning cool and no wind proceeded
on passed a camp of Inds. on the L.S. this day
proved to be verry worm, the Misquetors troublesom. I saw
Several antilope on the S.S. also gees & swan, we over took
3 french men Trappers The countrey to day as usial except
that the points of Timber is larger than below, the coal continue
to day, one man saw a hill on fire at no great distance
from the river, we camped on the S.S. just above a remarkable
bend in the river to the S W, which We call the little bason.

Course Distance & refferences the 10th

                 

S. 45°. W.	3	miles to a pt. of timbered land on the S.S.
West	3	miles to a pt. of timbered land on the L.S.
S 72°. W.	2	miles to a tree in an elevated plain in the bend to the S.S.
S. 32°. W.	4	miles to a pt. of wood on the S.S.
West	1/2	a mile on the S. point.
N. 40° W.	1/2	a mile on the S. point.
N. 50° E	2	miles to a pt. on the L.S. opsd. a low bluff.
S 52° W	3 1/2	miles to a pt. on the S.S. opsd. a bluff above which a small creek falls in
	18 1/2

[Lewis:]

Thursday April 11th.

Set out at an early hour; I proceeded with the party and
Capt. Clark with George Drewyer walked on shore in order to
procure some fresh meat if possible. we proceeded on abot
five miles, and halted for breakfast, when Capt. Clark and
Drewyer joined us; the latter had killed, and brought with
him a deer, which was at this moment excep[t]able, as we had
had no fresh meat for several days. the country from fort
Mandan to this place is so constantly hunted by the Minetaries
that there is but little game. we halted at two P.M.
and made a comfortable dinner on a venison stake and beavers
tales with the bisquit which got wet on the 8th. inst. by the accident
of the canoe filling with water before mentioned. the
powder which got wet by the same accedent, and which we had
spread to dry on the baggage of the large perogue, was now
examined and put up; it appears to be almost restored, and

our loss is therefore not so great as we had at first apprehended.
the country much the same as yesterday. on the
sides of the hills and even the banks of the rivers and sandbars,
there is a white substance t[h]at appears in considerable
quantities on the surface of the earth, which tastes like a
mixture of common salt and glauber salts. many of the
springs which flow from the base of the river hills are so
strongly impregnated with this substance that the water is
extreemly unpleasant to the taste and has a purgative effect.[21]
saw some large white cranes pass up the river —these are the
largest bird of that genus common to the country through
which the Missouri and Mississippi pass. they are perfectly
white except the large feathers of the two first joints of the
wing which are black. we encamped this evening on the Stard.
shore just above the point of woodland which formed to
extremity of the last course of this day. there is a high bluff
opposite to us, under which we saw some Indians, but the
river is here so wide that we could not speake to them; suppose
them to be a hunting party of Minetares. we killed two
gees to-day.

The courses and distances of this day

               

		miles
S. 85. W.	to the upper point of a bluff on Lard. Sd.	3
N. 38. W.	to a point on the Lard. shore, oppot. a bluff	2
S. 30. W.	to the upper part of a timbered bottom on the Lard. side. a large sand bar making out from the Stard. side 1 1/2 miles wide	2
N. 52. W.	to a red knob in a bend to the Stad. side near the upper part of a timbered bottom	5
S. 70. W.	to a point of timbered land on the Stard. Sd.	6
W.	on the Stard. point	1
		19

[Clark:]

11th. of April Thursday 1805.

Set out verry early I walked on Shore, saw fresh bear
tracks, one deer & 2 beaver killed this morning in the after
part of the day killed two gees, saw great numbers of Gees
Brant & Mallard Some White Cranes Swan & guls, the
plains begin to have a green appearance, the hills on either
side are from 5 to 7 miles asunder and in maney places have
been burnt, appearing at a distance of a redish brown choler,
containing Pumice Stone & lava, some of which rolin down to
the base of those hills. In many of those hills forming bluffs
to the river we prosieve Several Stratums of bituminious substance
which resembles coal; thoug[h] Some of the pieces
appear to be excellent coal, it resists the fire for some [time],
and consumes without emiting much flaim.

The plains are high and rich some of them are sandy containing
small pebbles, and on some of the hill Sides large
Stones are to be seen. In the evening late we observed a
party of Menetarras on the L.S. with horses and dogs loaded
going down, those are a part of the Minitarras who camped
a little above this with the Ossinniboins at the mouth of the
little Missouri all the latter part of the winter. we camped on
the S.S. below a falling in bank. the river raise a little.

Course distance &c. the 11th

             

S. 85°. W.	2	miles to the upper part of a Bluff in a bend to the Larboard Side.
N. 38°. W.	3	miles to a point on the L.S. opsd. a bluff.
S. 30°. W.	2	miles to the upper part of a timbered bottom on the L.S. a large sand bar makeing out from the S.S. 1 1/2 mils.
N 52°. W.	5	miles to a red knob in a bend to the S.S. near the upper part of wood bottom.
S. 70°. W.	6	miles to a timbered point on the S.S.
West	1	mile on the S. point.
	19

[Lewis:]

Friday April the 12th 1805.

Set out at an early hour. our peroge and the Canoes
passed over to the Lard side, in order to avoid a bank which
was rappidly falling in on the Stard.. the red perogue contrary

to my expectation or wish passed under this bank by means
of her toe line; where I expected to have seen her carried
under every instant. I did not discover that she was about to
make this attempt untill it was too late for the men to reembark,
and retreating is more dangerous than proceeding in
such cases; they therefore continued their passage up this
bank, and much to my satisfaction arrived safe above it. this
cost me some moments of uneasiness, her cargo was of much
importance to us in our present advanced situation. We proceeded
on six miles and came too on the lower side of the
entrance of the little Missouri on the Lard shore in a fine
plain where we determined to spend the day for the purpose
of celestial observation. we sent out 10 hunters to
procure some fresh meat. at this place made the following
observations.

Point of Observation N°. 1.

             

Observed ☉'s. Magnetic Azimuth with Circumfertr	S.	88°.	E.
	h	m	s
Time by Chronometer A.M.	8.	20.	25.
Altitude by Sextant	52°.	20′.	45″.
☉'s Magnetic Azimuth by Circumferenter .	S.	87°.	E.
Time by Chronometer	8°.	25′.	22″.
Altitude by Sextant	53°.	55′.	30″.

Observed equal altitudes of the ☉ with Sextant.

       

	h	m	s
A.M.	8.	30.	11.	P.M. the P.M. observation
	".	31.	52. 5	was lost in consequence
	".	33.	31.	of the Clouds.

     

Altd. by Sextant at the time of observation.	55°. 28′. 45″.
Observed Meridian altitude of the ☉s U. L. with Octant by the back observation.	81°. 25′. 15″.
Latitude deduced from this observation	[blank space in MS.]

Remarks.

The artifil. Horizon recommended by Mr. A. Ellicott, in which water
forms the reflecting surface, is used in all observations which requirs the
the uce of an Artificial horizon, except when expressly mentioned to
the contrary.

The altitude of any object in the fore observation as here entered is

that deduced immediately from the graduated limb of the instrument,
and is of course the double altitudes of the object observed.

The altitudes of objects observed by the back observation, with Octant
as here entered, is that shewn by the graduated limb of the Instrument
at the time of observation, and is the compliment of 180°. of the double
altitude of the object observed.

     

Error of Sextant— Subtractive	°. 8′. 45″.
Error of Octant fore observation—	2°. ′. ″.x
Error of d° in back observation addtve.	2°. 40′. -.x

The night proved so cloudy that I could make no further observations.

George Drewyer shot a Beaver this morning, which we found
swiming in the river a small distance below the entrance of the
little Missouri. the beaver being seen in the day, is a proof
that they have been but little hunted, as they always keep
themselves closly concealed during the day where they are so.
found a great quantity of small onions in the plain where we
encamped; had some of them collected and cooked, found
them agreeable. the bulb grows single, is of an oval form,
white, and about the size of a small bullet; the leaf resem[bles]
that of the shive, and the hunters returned this ev[en]ing
with one deer only. the country about the mouth of this
river had been recently hunted by the Minetares, and the little
game which they had not killed and frightened away, was so
extreemly shy that the hunters could not get in shoot of them.

The little Missouri disembogues on the S. side of the
Missouri 1693 miles from the confluence of the latter with
the Mississippi, it is 134 yards wide at it's mouth, and sets in
with a bould current but it's greatest debth is not more than 2 1/2
feet. it's navigation is extreemly difficult, owing to it's rapidity,
shoals and sand bars it may however be navigated with
small canoes a considerable distance. this river passes through
the Nothern extremity of the black hills where it is very narrow
and rapid and it's banks high an[d] perpendicular. it takes it's
rise in a broken country West of the Black hills with the waters
of the yellow stone river, and a considerable distance S.W. of the
point at which it passes the black hills. the country through
which it passes is generally broken and the highlands possess
but little timber. there is some timber in it's bottom lands,

which consists of Cottonwood red Elm, with a small proportion
of small Ash and box alder. the under brush is willow,
red wood, (sometimes called red or swamp willow[22] ) the red
burry, and Choke cherry the country is extreamly broken
about the mouth of this river, and as far up on both sides, as
we could observe it from the tops of some elivated hills, which
stand betwen these two rivers, about 3 miles from their junction.
the soil appears fertile and deep, it consists generally of a
dark rich loam intermixed with a small proportion of fine sand.
this river in it's course passes near the N.W. side of the turtle
mountain, which is said to be no more than 4 or 5 leagues distant
from it's entrance in a straight direction, a little to the S.
of West. this mountain and the knife river have therefore
been laid down too far S.W. the colour of the water, the bed
of the river, and it's appearance in every respect, resembles the
Missouri; I am therefore induced to believe that the texture
of the soil of the country in which it takes it's rise, and that
through which it passes, is similar to the country through
which the Missouri passes after leaving the woody country, or
such as we are now in. on the side of a hill not distant from
our camp I found some of the dwarf cedar of which I preserved
a specimen (See N° 2.) this plant spreads it's limbs
alonge the surface of the earth, where they are sometimes
covered, and always put forth a number of roots on the under
side, while on the upper there are a great number of small
shoots which with their leaves seldom rise higher than 6 or
eight inches. they grow so close as perfectly to conceal the
ea[r]th. it is an evergreen; the leaf is much more delicate
than the common Cedar, and it's taste and smell the same. I
have often thought that this plant would make very handsome
edgings to the borders and walks of a garden; it is quite as
handsom as box, and would be much more easily propegated.
the appearance of the glauber salts and Carbonated wood still
continue.

Cou[r]se and distance of this day was.

N. 80°. W. to the entrance of the little Missouri—4m1/2

[Clark:]

12th April Friday 1805

a fine morning Set out verry early. the murcury stood
56° above 0. proceeded on to the mouth of the Little Missouri
river and formed a camp in a butifull elivated plain on the
lower side for the purpose of takeing Some observations to fix
the Latitude & Longitude of this river. this river falls in on the
L. Side and is 134 yards wide and 2 feet 6 Inches deep at
the mouth, it takes its rise in the N W extremity of the black
mountains, and [runs] through a broken countrey in its whole
course washing the N W base of the Turtle Mountain which
is Situated about 6 Leagues S W of its mouth, one of our
men Baptiest who came down this river in a canoe informs me
that it is not navagable, he was 45 days descending.

One of out men Shot a beaver swimming below the mouth
of this river.

I walked out on the lower Side of this river and found the
countrey hilley the soil composed of black mole & a small perportion
of sand containing great quantity of Small peable some
limestone, black flint, & sand Stone

I killed a Hare changeing its colour some parts retaining
its long white fur & other parts assumeing the short grey, I
saw the Magpie in pars, flocks of Grouse. the old field lark &
crows, & observed the leaf of the wild chery half grown,
many flowers are to be seen in the plains, remains of Minetarra
& Ossinneboin hunting camps are to be seen on each side
of the two Missouris

The wind blew verry hard from the S. all the after part of
the day, at 3 oClock PM. it became violent & blowey accompanied
with thunder and a little rain. We examined our
canoes &c found Several men which had already commenced
cutting our bags of corn & parched meal, the water of the
little Missouri is of the same texture colour & quallity of that
of the Big Missouri the after part of the day so cloudy that
we lost the evening observation.

Course & Distance of the 12th.

N. 80°. W. 4 1/2 miles to the mouth of the Little Missouri River on
the S.S.

[Lewis:]

Saturday April 13th..

Being disappointed in my observations of yesterday for
Longitude, I was unwilling to remain at the entrance of the
river another day for that purpose, and therefore determined
to set out early this morning; which we did accordingly; the
wind was in our favour after 9 A.M. and continued favourable
untill three 3. P. M. we therefore hoisted both the sails in the
White Perogue, consisting of a small squar sail, and spritsail,
which carried her at a pretty good gate, untill about 2 in the
afternoon when a suddon squall of wind struck us and turned
the perogue so much on the side as to allarm Sharbono who
was steering at the time, in this state of alarm he threw the
perogue with her side to the wind, when the spritsail gibing
was as near overseting the perogue as it was possible to have
missed. the wind however abating for an instant I ordered
Drewyer to the helm and the sails to be taken in, which was
instant[ly] executed and the perogue being steered before the
wind was agin plased in a state of security. this accedent was
very near costing us dearly. beleiving this vessell to be the
most steady and safe, we had embarked on board of it our
instruments, Papers, medicine and the most valuable part of
the merchandize which we had still in reserve as presents for
the Indians. we had also embarked on board ourselves, with
three men who could not swim and the squaw with the young
child, all of whom, had the perogue overset, would most probably
have perished, as the waves were high, and the perogue
upwards of 200 yards from the nearest shore; however we
fortunately escaped and pursued our journey under the square
sail, which shortly after the accident I directed to be again
hoisted. our party caught three beaver last evening; and the
French hunters 7. as there was much appearance of beaver
just above the entrance of the little Missouri these hunters
concluded to remain some days, we therefore left them without
the expectation of seeing them again. just above the entrance
of the little Missouri the great Missouri is upwards of a mile
in width, tho' immediately at the entrance of the former it is
not more than 200 yards wide and so shallow that the canoes
passed it with seting poles. at the distance of nine miles passed

the mouth of a creek on the Stard. side which we called onion
creek from the quantity of wild onions which grow in the plains
on it's borders. Capt. Clark who was on shore informed me
that this creek was 16 yards wide a mile & a half above it's
entrance, discharges more water than creeks of it's size usually
do in this open country, and that there was not a stick of
timber of any discription to be seen on it's borders, or the
level plain country through which it passes. at the distance
of 10 Miles further we passed the mouth of a large creek, discharging
itself in the center of a deep bend. of this creek and
the neighbouring country, Capt. Clark who was on shore gave
me the following discription. "This creek I took to be a
small river from it's size, and the quantity of water which it
discharged; I ascended it 1 1/2 miles, and found it the discharge
of a pond or small lake, which had the appearance of having
formerly been the bed of the Missouri. several small streams
discharge themselves into this lake. the country on both sides
consists of beautifull level and elivated plains; asscending as
they recede from the Missouri; there were a great number
of Swan and gees in this lake and near it's borders I saw the
remains of 43, temperary Indian lodges, which I presume were
those of the Assinniboins who are now in the neighbourhood
of the British establishments on the Assinniboin river" This
lake and it's discharge we call goos Egg from the circumstance
of Capt. Clark shooting a goose while on her nest in the top
of a lofty cotton wood tree, from which we afterwards took one
egg. the wild gees frequently build their nests in this manner,
at least we have already found several in trees, nor have we as
yet seen any on the ground, or sand bars where I had supposed
from previous information that they most commonly deposited
their eggs. saw some Buffaloe and Elk at a distance to-day
but killed none of them. we found a number of carcases of
the Buffaloe lying along shore, which had been drowned by
falling through the ice in winter and lodged on shore by the
high water when the river broke up about the first of this
month. we saw also many tracks of the white bear of enormous
size, along the river shore and about the carcases of
the Buffaloe, on which I presume they feed. we have not
as yet seen one of these anamals, tho' their tracks are so
abundant and recent. the men as well as ourselves are
anxious to meet with some of these bear. the Indians give a
very formidable account of the streng[t]h and ferocity of this
anamal, which they never dare to attack but in parties of six
eight or ten persons; and are even then frequently defeated
with the loss of one or more of their party. the savages attack
this anamal with their bows and arrows and the indifferent guns
with which the traders furnish them, with these they shoot
with such uncertainty and at so short a distance, that (unless
shot thro' head or heart wound not mortal) they frequently mis
their aim & fall a sacrefice to the bear. two Minetaries were
killed during the last winter in an attack on a white bear. this
anamall is said more frequently to attack a man on meeting
with him, than to flee from him. When the Indians are about
to go in quest of the white bear, previous to their departure,
they paint themselves and perform all those supersticious rights
commonly observed when they are about to make war uppon
a neighbouring nation. O[b]served more bald eagles on this
part of the Missouri than we have previously seen. saw the
small hawk, frequently called the sparrow hawk, which is
common to most parts of the U. States. great quantities of
gees are seen feeding in the praries. saw a large flock of white
brant or gees with black wings pass up the river; there were
a number of gray brant with them; from their flight I presume
they proceed much further still to the N.W. we have
never been enabled yet to shoot one of these birds, and cannot
therefore determine whether the gray brant found with the
white, are their brude of the last year or whether they are the
same with the grey brant common to the Mississippi and lower
part of the Missouri. we killed 2 antelopes to-day which we
found swiming from the S. to the N. side of the river; they
were very poor. We encamped this evening on the Stard. shore
in a beautifull plain, elivated about 30 feet above the river.

The courses and distances of this day are as follow.

             

		miles.
N . 18° W.	to a point of wood on the L. side, point on the Lard. at 1 1/2 miles	7 1/2
N. 10. W.	to the upper point of a Low bluff on the Stad. pass a creek on Stard. side.	5
N. 45. W.	to a point of Woodland on Lard. side	4.
N. 28. W.	to a point of Woodland Stard. side	3.
S. 35. W.	to a point of Woodland on Std. side, passed a creek on Stard. side near the commencement of this course also, two points on the Lard. side, the one at a mile, and the other 1/2 a mile further, also a large sand bar in the river above the entrance of the creek	4.
		23 1/2

Note our encampment was one mile short of the extremity of the last
course.—

[Clark:]

13th of April Satturday 1805

Set out this morning at 6 oClock, the Missouri above the
mouth of Little Missouri widens to nearly a mile containing a
number of Sand bars this width &c. of the River continues
Generally as high as the Rochejhone River. Cought 3 beaver
this morning, at 9 miles passed the mouth of a Creek on the
S.S. on the banks of which there is an imense quantity of wild
onions or garlick, I was up this Creek 1/2 a m[ile] and could
not See one Stick of timber of any kind on its borders, this
creek is 16 yds wide 1/2 a mile up it and discharges more water
than is common for Creeks of its Size. at about 10 miles
higher we pass a creek about 30 yards wide in a deep bend to
the N W. This creek I took to be a Small river from its size
& the quantity of water which it discharged, I assended it
1 1/2 miles and found it the discharge of a pond or Small Lake
which has appearance of haveing been once the bead of the
river. Some small streams discharge themselves into this
Lake. the countery on both sides is butifull elevated plains
assending in Some parts to a great distance near the aforesaid
Lake (what we call Goose egg L from a circumstance of my
shooting a goose on her neast on some sticks in the top of a

high cotton wood tree in which there was one egg) We saw
8 buffalow at a distance which were verry wild, I saw near
the Lake the remains of 43 lodges, which has latterly been
abandoned I suppose them to have been Ossinniboins and
now near the british establishments on the Ossinniboin River
tradeing. we camped on the S.S. in a butifull Plain. I observe
more bald Eagles on this part of the Missouri than usial
also a small Hawk Killed 2 Antelopes in the river to day.

Course distance &c. the 13th. of April 1805

           

N. 18°. W	7 1/2	miles to a point of wood on the L.S. passed a point on the L.S. at 1 1/2 miles
N. 10°. W.	5	miles to the upper point of a low bluff on the S.S. passed a creek on the S.S.(I)
N. 45°. W.	4	miles to a point of woodland on L.S.
N. 28°. W.	3	miles to a point of woodland on S.S. the river makeing a Deep bend to the N.W.
S 35°. W.	4	miles to a point of wood on the S. S. passed a creek (2) on the S.S. near the commencement of this course, also two points on the L.S one at a mile & the other 1/2 a mile further, also a large sand bar in the middle of the river above the mouth of the creek
	23 1/2

emence numbers of Geese to be seen pared &c. a Gange
of brant pass one half of the gange white with black wings or
the large feathers of the 1st. & 2d. joint the remdd of the
com[mo]n col[o]r. a voice much like that of a goos &
finer &c.

[Lewis:]

Sunday April 14th 1805.

One of the hunters saw an Otter last evening and shot at it,
but missed it. a dog came to us this morning, which we supposed
to have been lost by the Indians who were recently
encamped near the lake that we passed yesterday. the mineral
appearances of salts, coal and sulphur, together with birnt
hills & pumice stone still continue. while we remained at the
entrance of the little Missouri, we saw several pieces of pumice
stone floating down that stream, a considerable quant[it]y of

which had lodged against a point of drift wood a little above
it's entrance. Capt. Clark walked on shore this morning, and
on his return informed me that he had passed through the
timbered bottoms on the N. side of the river, and had extended
his walk several miles back on the hills; in the
bottom lands he had met with several uninhabited Indian
lodges built with the boughs of the Elm, and in the plains he
met with the remains of two large encampments of a recent
date, which from the appearance of some hoops of small kegs,
seen near them we concluded that they must have been the
camps of the Assinniboins, as no other nation who visit this
part of the missouri ever indulge themselves with spirituous
liquor. of this article the Assinniboins are pationately fond,
and we are informed that it, forms their principal inducement
to furnish the British establishments on the Assinniboin river
with the dryed and pounded meat and grease which they do.
they also supply those establishments with a small quantity of
fur, consisting principally of the large and small wolves and
the small fox[23] skins. these they barter for small kegs of rum
which they generally transport to their camps at a distance
from the establishments, where they revel with their friends
and relations as long as they possess the means of intoxication,
their women and children are equally indulged on those occations
and are all seen drunk together. so far is a state of
intoxication from being a cause of reproach among them, that
with the men, it is a matter of exultation that their skill and
industry as hunters has enabled them to get drunk frequently.
in their customs, habits and dispositions these people very
much resemble the Siouxs from whom they have descended.
The principal inducement with the British fur companies, for
continuing their establishments on the Assinniboin river, is
the Buffaloe meat and grease they procure from the Assinniboins,
and Christanoes, by means of which, they are enabled
to supply provision to their engages on their return from
rainy Lake to the English river and the Athabaskey country
where they winter; without such resource those voyagers
would frequently be straitened for provision, as the country
through which they pass is but scantily supplyed with game,
and the rappidity with which they are compelled to travel in
order to reach their winter stations, would leave them but
little leasure to surch for food while on their voyage.

The Assinniboins have so recently left this neighbourhood,
that the game is scarce and very shy. the river continues
wide, and not more rapid than the Ohio in an averge state of
it's current. the bottoms are wide and low, the moister parts
containing some timber; the upland is extreemly broken,
chonsisting of high gaulded nobs as far as the eye can reach
on ether side, and entirely destitute of timber. on these hills
many aromatic herbs are seen; resembling in taste, smel and
appearance, the sage, hysop, wormwood, southernwood,[24] and
two other herbs which are strangers to me; the one resembling
the camphor in taste and smell, rising to the hight of 2
or 3 feet; the other about the same size, has a long, narrow,
smo[o]th, soft leaf of an agreeable smel and flavor; of this
last the A[n]telope is very fond; they feed on it, and perfume
the hair of their foreheads and necks with it by rubing against
it. the dwarf cedar and juniper is also found in great abundance
on the sides of these hills. where the land is level, it is
uniformly fertile consisting of a dark loam intermixed with a
proportion of fine sand. it is generally covered with a short
grass resembling very much the blue grass. the miniral
appearances still continue; considerable quantities of bitumenous
water, about the colour of strong lye trickles down the
sides of the hills; this water partakes of the taste of glauber
salts and slightly of allumn. while the party halted to take
dinner today Capt. Clark killed a buffaloe bull; it was meagre,
and we therefore took the marrow bones and a small proportion
of the meat only. near the place we dined, on the Lard.
side, there was a large village of burrowing squirrels. I have
remarked that these anamals generally celect a South Easterly
exposure for their residence, tho' they are sometimes found in

the level plains. passed an Island, above which two small
creeks fall in on Lard. side; the upper creek largest, which we
called Sharbono's Creek, after our interpreter who encamped
several weeks on it with a hunting party of Indians. this was
the highest point to which any whiteman had ever ascended
except two Frenchmen (one of whom Lapage was now with us.
See at Mandan) who having lost their way had straggled a few
miles further, tho' to what place precisely I could not learn.[25]
I walked on shore above this creek and killed an Elk, which
was so poor that it was unfit for uce; I therefore left it, and
joined the party at their encampment on the Stard. shore a little
after dark. on my arrival Capt. Clark informed me that he
had seen two white bear pass over the hills shortly after I
fired, and that they appeared to run nearly from the place
where I shot. the lard. shore on which I walked was very
broken, and the hills in many places had the appearance of
having sliped down in masses of several acres of land in surface.
we saw many gees feeding on the tender grass in the
praries and several of their nests in the trees; we have not in a
single instance found the nest of this bird on or near the
ground. we saw a number of Magpies their nests and eggs.
their nests are built in trees and composed of small sticks
leaves and grass, open at top, and much in the stile of the
large blackbird comm to the U.'States. the egg is of a bluish
brown colour, freckled with redish brown spots. one of the
party killed a large hooting owl; I observed no difference
between this bird and those of the same family common to the
U.'States, except that this appeared to be more booted and
more thickly clad with feathers.

The courses and distances of the 14th April.

               

		Miles
S. 45. W.	to the mouth of a small creek at the upper part of a timbered bottom	2 1/2
W. -	to a point of Woodland on the Lard. side	3 1/2
N. 85. W.	to a point on the Stard. opposite to a bluff	2
N. 80. W.	to a point on Stard opposite to a bluff on Lad.	1 3/4
W.	to the lower point of an Island which from the circumstance of our arriving at it on sunday-we called Sunday Island. the river washes the base of the hills on both sides of this Island	1
N. 70. W.	to a point of woodland on the Stard. Side the Island and it's sandbar occupy 1/2 the distance of this course pass two small creeks on the Lard. Side, the upper one the largest, called Sharbono's creek.	3 1/4
	Miles	14

Point of Observation No. 2.

On the Stard. shore 1/2 of a mile above the extremity of the third
course of this day observed Meridian Altd. ☉8 L. L. with Octant by the
back Obt. 81° 34′ ″—

Latitude deduced from this Observatn.

Point of Observation No. 3.

At our encampment of this evening on the Sid. Sd. observed time and
distance of ☽'s Western limb from Regulus, with Sextant. *West.—

                       

		Time.—			Distance.—
	h	m	s	°	′	″
P.M.	10.	47.	2—	72.	20.	30.
	".	51.	10.—	".	21.	-
	".	53.	19—	".	21.	45.
	".	56.	2.—	".	23.	-
	".	58.	58—	".	24.	15.
P.M .	11.	2.	2.—	72.	25.	45.
	".	4.	27 .—	".	27.	15.
	".	7.	55—	".	29.	-.
	".	10.	19—	".	30.	-.
	".	12.	12—	".	31.	15.

Observed time and distance of ☽'s Eastern limb from a. Aquilæ with
Sextant. *. East.—

                       

			Time.		Distance.
	h	m	s	°	′	″
P.M.	11.	22.	7.—	82.	16.	45.
	".	27.	7 .—	".	16.	15
	".	30.	23.—	".	15.	30.
	".	32.	27 .—	".	15.	15.
	".	34.	39 .—	".	15.	15.
P.M .	11.	36.	47.—	82.	14.	30.
	".	39.	34.—	".	14.	-
	".	43.	2.—	".	13.	15.
	".	46.	8.—	".	13.	30.
	".	48.	16 .—	".	13.	-

[Clark:]

14th.. of April Sunday 1805.

a fine morning, a dog came to us this morning we suppose
him to be left by the Inds. who had their camps near the
Lake we passed yesterday not long sence, I observed several
single Lodges built of stiks of [c]otten timber in different
parts of the bottoms. in my walk of this [day] which was
through the wooded bottoms and on the hills for several
miles back from the river on the S.S. I saw the remains of
two Indian incampmints with wide beeten tracks leading to
them. those were no doubt the camps of the Ossinnaboin
Indians (a Strong evidence is hoops of Small Kegs were found
in the incampments) no other nation on the river above the
Sioux make use of Spiritious licquer. The Ossinniboins is
said to be pasionately fond of Licquer, and is the principal
inducement to their putting themselves to the trouble of
catching the fiew wolves and foxes which they furnish, and
receive their [liquor] always in small Kegs. The Ossinniboins
make use of the Same kind of Lodges which the Sioux and
other Indians on this river make use of. Those lodges or
tents are made of a number of dressed buffalow Skins sowed
together with sinews & deckerated with the tales, & Porcupine
quils, when open it forms a half circle with a part about
4 Inches wide projecting about 8 or 9 Inches from the center
of the Streight Side for the purpose of attaching it to a pole
to it the hight they wish to raise the tent, when the[y] errect
this tent four poles of equal length are tied near one end,
those poles are elevated and 8, 10 or 12 other poles are
anexed forming a circle at the ground and lodging in the forks
of the four attached poles, the tents are then raised, by attaching
the projecting part to a pole and incumpassing the
poles with the tent by bringing the two ends together and attached
with a cord, on land as high as is necessary, leaveing
the lower part open for about 4 feet for to pass in & out, and
the top is generally left open to admit the smoke to pass.
The Borders of the river has been so much hunted by those
Indians who must have left it about 8 or 10 days past and I
prosume are now in the neighbourhood of British establishments
on the Ossinniboin; the game is scerce and verry wild.

The River continues wide and the current jentle not more
rapid than the current of the Ohio in middle State. The
bottoms are wide and low and the moist parts of them contain
Som wood such as cotton Elm & small ash, willow rose
bushes &c. &c. & next to the hills Great quantity of wild
Isoop, [hyssop] the hills are high broken in every direction,
and the mineral appearance of Salts continue to appear in a
greater perportion, also Sulpher, coal & bitumous water in a
smaller quantity, I have observed but five burnt hills, about
the little Missouri, and I have not seen any Pumey stone
above that River I saw Buffalow on the L.S. crossed and
dureing the time of dinner killed a Bull, which was pore, we
made use of the best of it, I saw a village of Burrowing dogs
on the L. S. passed a Island above which two small creeks
falls in on the L.S. the upper of which is the largest and we
call Shabonas Creek after our interpreter who incamped several
weeks on this creek and is the highest point on the Missouri
to which a white man has been previous to this time. Capt.
Lewis walked out above this creek and killed an Elk which
he found so meager that it was not fit for use, and joined the
boat at Dusk at our camp on the S.S. opposit a high hill
several parts of which had sliped down. on the side of those
hills we Saw two white bear running from the report of Capt.
Lewis Shot, those animals assended those Steep hills with
supprising ease & verlocity, they were too far to discover their
prosise colour & size. Saw several gees nests on trees, also the
nests & egs of the Magpies, a large grey owl killed, booted &
with ears &c.

Course distance &c. the 14th of April

             

S. 45° W.	2 1/2	miles to the mouth of a small creek at the upper part of a wood bottom in a bend to L.S.
West	3 1/2	miles to a point of wood land on the L.S.
N. 85° W.	2	miles to a point on the S. S. opposit a bluff
N. 80° W	1 3/4	ms. to a point on S. S. passd. a bluff on the L. S.
West	1	mile to a small Island opsd the upper point the river washes the base of the hill on both sides, which we call Sunday Isld. &c.
N. 70° W.	3 1/4	miles to a pt. of wood land on the S.S. the Island & its sand bars Occupy half the distance. passed 2 small creeks on the L.S. the upper the largest.
	14

[Lewis:]

Monday April 15th. 1805.

Set out at an early hour this morning. I walked on shore,
and Capt. Clark continued with the party it being an invariable
rule with us not to be both absent from our vessels at the
same time. I passed through the bottoms of the river on the
Stard. side. they were partially covered with timber, were extensive,
level and beatifull. in my walk which was about 6
miles I passed a small rivulet of clear water making down from
the hills, which on tasting, I discovered to be in a small degree
brackish. it possessed less of the glauber salt, or alumn,
than those little streams from the hills usually do. in a little
pond of water fromed by this rivulet where it entered the
bottom, I heard the frogs crying for the first time this season;
their note was the same with that of the small frogs which are
common to the lagoons and swam[p]s of the U. States. I saw
great quantities of gees feeding in the bottoms, of which I shot
one. saw some deer and Elk, but they were remarkably shy.
I also met with great numbers of Grouse or prarie hens as they
are called by the English traders of the N.W. these birds
appeared to be mating; the note of the male, is kuck, kuck,
kuck, coo, coo, coo. the first part of the note both male and
female use when flying. the male also dubbs (drums with his
wings) something like the pheasant, but by no means as loud.
After breakfast Capt. Clark walked on the Std. shore, and on
his return in the evening gave me the following account of his
ramble. "I assended to the high country, about 9 miles distant
from the Missouri. the country consists of beatifull,
level and fertile plains, destitute of timber. I saw many little
dranes, which took their rise in the river hills, from whence as
far as I could see they run to the N. E." these streams we
suppose to be the waters of Mous river a branch of the Assinniboin
which the Indians informed us approaches the Missouri
very nearly, about this point. "I passed," continued he, a
Creek about 20 yards wide, which falls into the Missouri; the
bottoms of this creek are wide level and extreemly fertile, but
almost entirely destitute of timber. the water of this creek as
well as all those creeks and rivulets which we have passed
since we left Fort Mandan was so strongly impregnated with

salts and other miniral substances that I was incapable of drinking
it. I saw the remains of several camps of the Assinniboins;
near one of which in a small ravene, there was a park which
they had formed of timber and brush, for the purpose of taking
the cabrie[26] or Antelope. it was constructed in the following
manner. a strong pound was first made of timbers, on one
side of which there was a small apparture, sufficiently large to
admit an Antelope; from each side of this apparture, a curtain
was extended to a considerable distance, widening as they
receded from the pound." we passed a rock this evening
standing in the middle of the river, and the bed of the river
was formed principally of gravel. we encamped this evening
on a sand point on Lard. side. a little above our encampment
the river was confined to a channel of 80 yards in width.

Courses and distances of the 15th. April.

                       

		miles.
N.	to a point of wood on Lard. side, opposite to a high hill	2.
N. 18. W.	to a point of wood on the Stard. side opposite to the lower point of an Island in a Lard. bend of the river	5.
N. 20. E.	to a bluff point on Stard. passed the upper part of the Island at 2 Miles	3 1/4
N. 30. E.	to a point of woodland on Lard. side.	2 1/2
N. 10. W.	on the Lard. point	1/2
N. 15. W.	on the Lard. point	1/4
N. 12. W.	to the lower part of a bluff on the Stad. side, passing a creek on Stard.	1 1/2
N. 52. W.	to a high bluff on the Stad. side	2.
N. 75. W.	to a point of woodland on the Stard. Sid.	3.
N. 16. W.	to a point of Woodland on Lard. side	3.
		miles 23.

Point of Observation No. 4.

Apl. 15th 1805. On the Stad. shore, one mile above the extremity of
the 2nd course of this day, I took two altitudes of the sun with the Sextant
and artificial horizon.

       

		Time			Altitudes.
	h	m	s.	°	′	″
A. M.	9.	9.	33	69.	20.	45.
	10.	3.	28.	84.	24.	15.

Chronometer to fast at the time of observation on mean time.

[Clark:]

15th of April Monday 1805

Set out at an early hour, Capt. Lewis walked on shore and
Killed a goose, passed a Island in a bend to the L.S. the
wind hard from the S. E. after brackfast I walked on Shore
and assended to the high Countrey on the S. S. and off from
the Missouri about three miles the countrey is butifull open
fertile plain the dreans [drains] take theer rise near the clifts
of the river and run from the river in a N E derection as far as
I could See, this is the part of the River which Mouse river
the waters of Lake Winnipec approaches within a fiew miles
of Missouri, and I believe those dreans lead into that river. we
passed a creek about 20 yds. wide on the S. S. the bottoms of
this creek is extensive & fertile, the water of this as also, all
the Streams which head a fiew miles in the hills discharge water
which is black & unfit for use (and can safely say that I have
not seen one drop of water fit for use above fort Mandan except
Knife and the little Missouris Rivers and the Missouri, the
other Streams being so much impregnated with mineral as to
be verry disagreeble in its present state. I saw the remains
of Several camps of ossinniboins, near one of those camps &
at no great distance from the mouth of the aforesaid creek, in
a hollow, I saw a large Strong pen made for the purpose of
catching the antelope, with wings projecting from it widining
from the pen.

Saw several gangs of Buffalow and som elk at a distance, a
black bear seen from the Perogues to day. passed a rock in
the Middle of the river, some smaller rocks from that to the
L. Shore, the dog that came to us yesterday morning continues
to follow us, we camped on a sand point to the L.S.

Course distance &c. he 15th of April

                     

North	2	m. to a pt. of wood on the Ld. Sid. a high hill on the Sd. Sid.
N. 18° W.	5	miles to a point of wood on the Sd. Sid. opsd. the lower point of an Island L. Bend
N. 20° E.	3 1/4	miles to a Bluff point on the Sd. Sid. passed the upper part of the Island at 2 miles
N. 30° E.	2 1/2	miles to a point of woodland on the L. Side
N. 10° .W	1/2	a mile on the Lad. point
N. 15° W.	1/4	of a mile on the L. pt. here the waters of Mouse river is near
N. 12° W.	1 1/2	miles to the lower part of a Bluff on the Sd. Side passing a creek on the S. Side. Goat pen creek
N. 52° W.	2	miles to a high Bluff on the Sd. Side
N. 75° W.	3	miles to a pt. of woodland on the S. Side
N. 16° W.	3	miles to a point of woods on the L. S.
	23

[Lewis:]

Tuesday April 16th. 1805.

Set out very early this morning. Capt. Clark walked on
shore this morning, and killed an Antelope, rejoined us at 1/2
after eight A.M. he informed me that he had seen many
Buffaloe Elk and deer in his absence, and that he had met
with a great number of old hornets nests in the woody bottoms
through which he had passed. the hills of the river still continue
extreemly broken for a few miles back, when it becomes
a fine level country of open fertile lands. immediately on the
river there are many fine leavel extensive and extreemly fertile
high plains and meadows. I think the quantity of timbered
land on the river is increasing. the mineral appearances still
continue. I met with several stones today that had the appearance
of wood first carbonated and then petrefyed by the
water of the river, which I have discovered has that effect on
many vegitable substances when exposed to it's influence for
a length of time. I believe it to be the stratas of coal seen in
those hills which causes the fire and birnt appearances frequently
met with in this quarter. where those birnt appearances
are to be seen in the face of the river bluffs, the coal is
seldom seen, and when you meet with it in the neighbourhood
of the stratas of birnt earth, the coal appears to be presisely at
the same hight, and is nearly of the same thickness, togeter
with the sand and a sulphurious substance which ususually
accompanys it. there was a remarkable large beaver caught
by one of the party last night. these anamals are now very
abundant. I have met with several trees which have been
felled by them 20 Inches in diameter. bark is their only food;
and they appear to prefer that of the Cotton wood and willow;

as we have never met with any other species of timber on the
Missouri which had the appearance of being cut by them. we
passed three small creeks on the Stard. side. they take their
rise in the river hills at no great distance. we saw a great
number of geese today, both in the plains and on the river I
have observed but few ducks, those we have met with are the
Mallard and blue winged Teal.

Courses and distances of 16th. April.

             

S. 80°. W.	to a point of woodland on the Stard. side	3.
N. 36. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard. side.	2 1/2
S. 60. W.	to a point of wood on the Stad. side, opposite to a bluff which commences I mile below on the Lard. side	3 1/2
N. 25. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard. side	2 1/2
S. 70. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard. side, passing a point of wood and large sand bar on the Stard. side	6.
S. 65. W.	along the Lard point of woods to our encampment of this evening	1/2
		Miles 18.

Note. The distances we are obliged to pass around the sand bars is
much greater than those here stated from point to point.

[Clark:]

16th. of April Tuesday 1805

Wind hard from the S. E. I walked on shore and Killed
an antilope which was verry meagre, Saw Great numbers of
Elk & some buffalow & Deer, a verry large Beaver cought
this morning. Some verry handsom high planes & extensive
bottoms, The mineral appearances of coal & Salt together
with some appearance of Burnt hil[l]s continue. a number
of old hornets nests Seen in every bottom more perticularly
in the one opposit to the place we camped this night. the
wooded bottoms are more extensive to day than Common.
passed three small creeks on the S. S. to day which take their
rise in the hills at no great distance, Great numbers of Gees
in the river & in the Plains feeding on the Grass.

Course Distance &c. April 16th

             

S. 80°. W.	3	miles to a point of wood land on the Sd. Side.
N. 36°. W.	2 1/2	miles to a point of wood land on the L. Side
S. 60°. W	3 1/2	miles to a point of wood on the Sd. Side opsd. a bluff which commences I mile below on the Larboard Side.
N. 25°. W.	2 1/2	miles to a pt. of wood land on the L. Side.
S. 70°. W.	6	miles to a point of Wood land on the L. Side, passing a point of wood land on the Sd. Side, passing a large Sand bar Sd.
S. 65°. W.	1/2	a mile along the L. Point of wood.
	18

[Lewis:]

Wednesday April 17th. 1805.

A delightfull morning, set out at an erly hour. the country
th[r]ough which we passed to day was much the same as that
discribed of yesterday; there wase more appearance of birnt
hills, furnishing large quanties of lava and pumice stone; of
the latter some pieces were seen floating down the river.
Capt. Clark walked on shore this morning on the Stard. side,
and did not join us untill half after six in the evening. he
informed me that he had seen the remains of the Assinniboin
encampments in every point of woodland through which he
had passed. we saw immence quantities of game in every
direction around us as we passed up the river; consisting of
herds of Buffaloe, Elk, and Antelopes with some deer and
woolves. tho' we continue to see many tracks of the bear we
have seen but very few of them, and those are at a great distance
generally runing from us; I the[re]fore presume that
they are extreemly wary and shy; the Indian account of them
dose not corrispond with our experience so far. one black
bear passed near the perogues on the 16th. and was seen by
myself and the party but he so quickly disappeared that we
did not shoot at him. at the place we halted to dine on the
Lard. side we met with a herd of buffaloe of which I killed
the fatest as I concieved among them, however on examining
it I found it so poar that I thought it unfit for uce and only
took the tongue; the party killed another which was still
more lean. just before we encamped this evening we saw

some tracks of Indians who had passed about 24 hours; they
left four rafts of tim[ber] on the Stard. side, on which they had
passed. we supposed them to have been a party of the
Assinniboins who had been to war against the rocky Mountain
Indians, and then on their return. Capt. Clark saw a
Curlou to-day. there were three beaver taken this morning
by the party. the men prefer the flesh of this anamal, to that
of any other which we have, or are able to procure at this
moment. I eat very heartily of the beaver myself, and think
it excellent; particularly the tale, and liver we had a fair
wind today which enabled us to sail the greater part of the
distance we have travled, encamped on the Lard. shore the
extremity of the last course.

Courses and distances of the 17th.

                         

S. 70. W.	to a point of willows on the Stard. side	3.
S. 75. W.	along the Stard. point, opposite to a bluff	1/2.
N. 75. W.	to a wood in a bend on the Std. side	3.
N. 50. W.	to a point of woodland Stard. side	3. 1/2.
S. 60. W.	to a point of woodland on Stard. side opposite to a bluff on Lard, just above which, a creek falls in on the Lard. about 10 yards wide.	.3/4
N. 80. W.	to a willow point on the Lard. side.	3. 1/4
S. 85. W.	to a point of woodland Lard. opposite to a bluff on Stard. side	3. 3/4
West.	Along the Lard. point, opposite to a high bluff above which a small run falls in	1.
S. 40. W.	along the same point of woodland Lard. side.	1
S. 30. W.	along the Lard. side to a willow point	.1/4
S. 14. W.	to the upper part of the high timber on the Stard. side	4.
S. 28. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard. side where we encamped for the night	2
		Miles .26

[Clark:]

17th of April Wednesday 1805

a fine morning wind from the S E. Genly. to day handsom
high extencive rich Plains on each side, the mineral appearances
continue with greater appearances of coal, much greater
appearance of the hills haveing been burnt, more Pumice
Stone & Lava washed down to the bottoms and some Pumice

Stone floating in the river, I walked on the S.S. saw great
numbers of Buffalow feeding in the Plains at a distance Capt.
Lewis killed 2 Buffalow buls which was near the water at the
time of dineing, they were so pore as to be unfit for use. I
saw Several Small parties of antelopes large herds of Elk,
Some white wolves, and in a pond (formed on the S.S. by the
Missouries changeing its bead) I seen Swan, Gees, & different
kinds of Ducks in great numbers also a Beaver house. Passed
a small creek on the S.S. & several runs of water on each side,
Saw the remains of Indian camps in every point of timbered
land on the S.S. in the evining a thunder gust passed from
the S W. without rain, about sunset saw some fresh Indians
track and four rafts on the shore S.S. Those I prosume were
Ossinniboins who had been on a war party against the Rockey
Mountain Indians. Saw a curlow, some verry large beaver
taken this morning. those animals are made use of as food
and preferred by the party to any other at this season

Course distance &c 17th of April 1805

                         

S. 70°. W.	3	miles to a point of willows on the S.Sd.
S 75°. W.	1/2	miles on the Sd. Side opposid a Bluff
N. 75°. W.	3	miles to a wood in a bend to the Sd. Side
N. 50°. W	3 1/2	miles to a point of wood Land Sd. Side
S 60°. W	3/4	of a mile to a pt. of wood land on the S. Sd. opposit to a Bluff on the Ld. Side just above which a creek falls in on the Labd. about 10 yds. wide.
N. 80° W.	3 1/4	miles to a willow point on the L. Sd. a Lake & creek Std. Halls Strand lake
S. 85° W.	3 3/4	miles to a L. pt. of wood land opposit to a bluff on the Starboard Side.
West	1	mile along the L. pt of wood land, a high bluff on the S.S. above which a run falls in burnt hills
S. 40° W.	1	mile along the same point of wood land Lard. S.
S. 30° W.	1/4	of a mile on the Lad. Side of a willow point.
S. 14° W.	4	miles to the upper part of a high timber on the Starboard Side.
S. 28° W.	2	miles to a point of wood land on the L. Side where we camped for the night.
mls.	26

Note The distance we are obliged to go round sand bars &c. is much
greater than those called for in the courses from point to point &c.

[Lewis:]

Thursday April 18th 1805.

A fine morning, set out at an early hour. one Beaver
caught this morning by two traps, having a foot in each; the
traps belonged to different individuals, between whom, a contest
ensued, which would have terminated, most probably, in a
serious rencounter had not our timely arrival at the place prevented
it. after breakfast this morning, Capt. Clark walked
on Stad. shore. while the party were assending by means of
their toe lines, I walked with them on the bank; found a
species of pea hearing a yellow flower, and now in blume; it
seldom rises more than 6 inches high, the leaf & stalk resembles
that of the common gardin pea, the root is perenial. (see
specimen of vegitables No. 3.) I also saw several parsels of
buffaloe's hair hanging on the rose bushes, which had been
bleached by exposure to the weather and became perfectly
white, it [had] every appearance of the wool of the sheep,
tho' much finer and more silkey and soft. I am confident
that an excellent cloth may be made of the wool of the
Buffaloe. the Buffaloe I killed yesterday had cast his long
hare, and the poil which remained was very thick, fine, and
about 2 inches in length. I think this anamal would have
furnished about five pounds of wool.[27] we were detained
to-day from one to five P. M. in consequence of the wind
which blew so violently from N. that it was with difficulty we
could keep the canoes from filling with water altho' they were
along shore; I had them secured by placing the perogues on
the out side of them in such manner as to break the waves off
them. at 5 we proceed, and shortly after met with Capt.
Clark, who had killed an Elk and a deer and was wating our
arrival. we took the meat on board and continued our march
until nearly dark when we came too on the Stard. side under a
boald well-timbered bank which sheltered us from the wind

which had abated but not yet ceased. here we encamped, it
being the extremity of the last course of this day.

Courses and distances of the 18th. April.

                 

South	to a sand point on the Stard. side	3.
N. 75. W.	to a point of Woodland on Lard. side	2.1/2
N. 85. W.	along the Lard. point	1/2
S. 25. E.	to a sand point Stard. side	2.
S. 60. W.	to a willow point Stard. side	1.
S. 65. W.	along the Stard. shore to a point of timbered land, opposite to a bluff on Lard.	1/2
N. 25. W.	to a copse of wood on stard side, in a bend	2.
S. 50. W.	to a point of timbered land on Stard side where we encamped for the night	1 1/2
		Miles 13

Point of Observation No. 5.

On the Stard. shore at the extremity of the fifth course of this day

   

Observed Meridian Altd. of ☉'s. L. L. with Octant by the back Observation	79° 12′. 00″
Latitude deduced from this observats.

[Clark:]

18th.. of April Thursday 1805

Set out at an early hour one Beaver & a Musrat cought
this morning, the beaver cought in two traps, which like to
have brought about a missunderstanding between two of the
party &c. after brackfast I assended a hill and observed that
the river made a great bend to the South, I concluded to walk
thro' the point about 2 miles and take Shabono, with me, he
had taken a dost of Salts &c. his squar followed on with her
child, when I struck the next bend of the [river] could see
nothing of the Party, left this man & his wife & child on the
river bank and went out to hunt, Killed a young Buck Elk,
& a Deer, the Elk was tolerable meat, the Deer verry pore,
Butchered the meat and continued untill near Sunset before
Capt. Lewis and the party came up, they were detained by the
wind, which rose soon after I left the boat from the N W. &
blew verry hard untill verry late in the evening. We camped

on the S.S. in an excellent harbor, Soon after we came too,
two men went up the river to set their beaver traps they met
with a Bear and being without their arms thought prodent to
return &c. The wild cheries are in bloom, Great appearance
of Burnt hills Pumice Stone &c. the coal & salt appearance
continues, the water in the small runs much better than below.
Saw several old Indian camps, the game, such as Buffalow
Elk, antelopes & Deer verry plenty

Course distance &C. 18th of April

                 

South	3	miles to a point on the Std. Side
N. 75°. W.	2 1/2	miles to a wood point on the L. Side
N. 85°. W.	1/2	a mile along the Lad. Side
S. 25°. E	2	miles to a sand point on the Sd. Side
S. 60°. W.	1	mile to a pt. of Willows on the Sd. Side
S. 65°. W	1/2	mile along the Sd. pot. to a point of timbered land opsd. a Bluff on the Lad. Side
N. 25°. W	2.	miles to a Copse of woods on the Sd. Side
S. 50°. W.	1 1/2	miles to the upper part of a wood on the Stad. Side & camped
miles	13

[Lewis:]

Friday April 19th. 1805.

The wind blew so hard this morning from N.W. that we
dared not to venture our canoes on the river. Observed considerable
quantities of dwarf Juniper on the hill sides (see
specimen No.4)[28] it seldom rises higher then 3 feet. the wind
detained us through the couse of this day, tho' we were fortunate
in having placed ourselves in a safe harbour, the party
killed one Elk and a beaver today. The beaver of this part
of the Missouri are larger, fatter, more abundant and better
clad with fur than those of any other part of the country that
I have yet seen; I have remarked also that their fur is much
darker.

[Clark:]

19th. of April Friday 1805

a blustering windey day the wind so hard from the N.W.
that we were fearfull of ventering our Canoes in the river, lay
by all day on the S. Side in a good harber, the Praries appear

to Green, the cotton trees bigin to leave, Saw some plumb
bushes in full bloom, those were the plumb bushes which I
have seen for some time. Killed an Elk an[d] a Beaver to
day. The beaver of this river is much larger than usial, Great
deal of Sign of the large Bear,

[Lewis:]

Saturday April 20th. 1805.

The wind continued to blow tolerably hard this morning but
by no means as violently as it did yesterday; we determined
to set out and accordingly departed a little before seven. I
walked on shore on the N. side of the river, and Capt Clark
proceeded with the party. the river bottoms through which I
passed about seven miles were fertil and well covered with
Cottonwood some Boxalder, ash and red Elm. the under
brush, willow, rose bushes Honeysuccles, red willow, goosbury,
currant and servicebury & in the open grounds along the foot
of the river hills immence quantities of the hisop.[29] in the
course of my walk I killed two deer, wounded an Elk and a
deer; saw the remains of some Indian hunting camps, near
which stood a small scaffold of about 7 feet high on which were
deposited two doog slays with their harnis. underneath this
scaffold a human body was lying, well rolled in several dressed
buffaloe skins and near it a bag of the same materials conta[in]ing
sundry articles belonging to the disceased; consisting
of a pare of mockersons, some red and blue earth, beaver's
nails, instruments for dressing the Buffalo skin, some dryed
roots, several platts of the sweet grass, and a small quantity of
Mandan tobacco. I presume that the body, as well as the
bag containing these articles, had formerly been placed on the
scaffold as is the custom of these people, but had fallen down
by accedent. near the scaffold I saw the carcase of a large dog

not yet decayed, which I supposed had been killed at the time
the human body was left on the scaffold; this was no doubt the
reward, which the poor doog had met with for performing
the [blank space in MS.] friendly office to his mistres of transporting
her corps to the place of deposit, it is customary with
the Assinniboins, Mandans, Minetares &c who scaffold their
dead, to sacrefice the favorite horses and doggs of their disceased
relations, with a view of their being servicable to them
in the land of sperits. I have never heard of any instances of
human sacrefices on those occasions among them.

The wind blew so hard that I concluded it was impossible
for the perogues and canoes to proceed and therefore returned
and joined them about three in the evening. Capt. Clark
informed me that soon after seting out, a part of the bank of
the river fell in near one of the canoes and had very nearly
filled her with water, that the wind became so hard and the
waves so high that it was with infinite risk he had been able
to get as far as his present station, the white perogue and
several of the canoes had shiped water several times but happily
our stores were but little injured; those which were wet we
put out to dry and determined to remain untill the next morning,
we sent out four hunters who soon added 3 Elk 4 gees
and 2 deer to our stock of provisions. the party caught six
beaver today which were large and in fine order. the Buffaloe,
Elk and deer are poor at this season, and of cours are not very
palitable, however our good health and apetites make up
every necessary deficiency, and we eat very heartily of them.
encamped on Stard side; under a high well timbered bank.

Courses and Distances of this day.

           

		Miles
South	to the upper part of a timbered bottom at a bluff on the Lard. side	1 1/2
West	to a point of high timber on the Stad Sid. passing over a large sand point on Std. side	1 1/2
N. 45° W.	to a large tree in a bend on stard side opposite a large sand point	1 1/2
S. 45° W.	to a point of low willows on Stard. side	2
		Miles 6 1/2

Clark:]

20th. of April Satturday 1805

Wind a head from the N W. we set out at 7 oClock proceeded
on, soon after we set out a Bank fell in near one of
the canoes which like to have filled her with water, the wind
became hard and waves so rough that we proceeded with our
little canoes with much risque, our situation was such after
setting out that we were obliged to pass round the 1st Point or
lay exposed to the blustering winds & waves, in passing
round the Point several canoes took in water as also our large
Perogue but without injuring our stores &c much I proceeded
on to the upper part of the Ist bend and came too at a butifull
Glade on the S.S. about I mile below Capt Lewis who had
walked thro' the point, left his Coat & a Deer on the bank
which we took on board, a short distance below our Camp
I saw some rafts on the S. S. near which, an Indian woman
was scaffeled in the Indian form of Deposing their Dead and
fallen down She was or had been raised about 6 feet, inclosed
in Several robes tightly laced around her, with her dog Slays,
her bag of Different coloured earths paint small bones of
animals beaver nales and Several other little trinkets, also a
blue jay, her dog was killed and lay near her. Capt. Lewis
joined me soon after I landed & informed me he had walked
several miles higher, & in his walk killed 2 Deer & wounded
an Elk & a Deer, our party shot in the river four beaver &
cought two, which were verry fat and much admired by the
men, after we landed they killed 3 Elk 4 Gees & 2 Deer
we had some of our Provisions &c. which got a little wet aired,
the wind continued so hard that we were compelled to delay
all day. Saw several buffalow lodged in the drift wood which
had been drouned in the winter in passing the river; saw the
remains of 2 which had lodged on the side of the bank & eat
by the bears.

Course distance &c. 20th. of April 1805

         

South	1 1/2	miles to the upper part of a timbered bottom at a bluff on the Lad Side
West	1 1/2	miles to a high timber on the Sd. Side passing over a large Sand point on S.S.
N. 45°. W.	1 1/2	mile to a tree in a Glade in a bend to the Starboard Side a sand pt. opsd.
S. 45° W.	2	miles to a point of low willows on the Sd. Side.
	6 1/2

This morning was verry cold, some snow about 2 oClock
from flying clouds, Some frost this morning & the mud at
the edge of the water was frosed

[Lewis:]

Sunday April 21st. 1805.

Set out at an early hour this morning. Capt Clark walked
on shore; the wind tho' a head was not violent, the country
through which we passed is very simelar in every respect to
that through which we have passed for several days. We saw
immence herds of buffaloe Elk deer & Antelopes. Capt.
Clark killed a buffaloe and 4 deer in the course of his walk
today; and the party with me killed 3 deer, 2 beaver, and 4
buffaloe calves. the latter we found very delicious. I think
it equal to any veal I ever tasted. the Elk now begin to shed
their horns. passed one large and two small creeks on the
Lard. side, tho' neither of them discharge any water at present.
the wind blew so hard this evening that we were obliged to
halt several hours, we reached the place of incampment after
dark, which was on the Lard. side a little above White earth
river which discharges itself on the Stard. side. immediately at
the mouth of this river it is not more then 10 yards wide being
choked up by the mud of the Missouri; tho' after leaving the
bottom lands of this river, or even sooner, it becomes a boald
stream of sixty yards wide and is deep and navigable. the
course of this river as far as I could see from the top of Cut
bluff, was due North. it passes through a beatifull level and

fertile vally about five miles in width. I think I saw about
25 miles up this river, and did not discover one tree or bush
of any discription on it's borders. the vally was covered with
Elk and buffaloe, saw a great number of gees today as usual,
also some swan and ducks.

Courses and Distances of this day.

                 

		mils
S. 18°. E.	to a sand point Std. opposite to a bluf Lad.	1 1/2
N. 75. W.	to a point of high timber on Std. opposite a blff.	1/2
N. 40. W.	to a willow point on Lard. opposite to a bluff.	3. 1/2
N. 60. W.	to a point of woodland on Stard. side, oposite to a bluff, just below which on the Lard. side a creek falls in.	4.1/2
N. 25. E.	to a point of wood land on Lard opposite to a high bluff.	2.
N. 10. W.	to the upper part of a bluff Stard. and in a Stard. bend.	2.
S. 50. W.	to the upper point of the timbered bottom on Lard. side below a high bluff point which we called Cut bluff, at 1/2 mile Pass White Earth river on Stard.	2 1/2
		16 1/2

[Clark:]

21st.. of April Sunday 1805.

Set out early the wind gentle & from the N.W. the
river being verry crooked, I concluded to walk through the
point, the countrey on either side is verry similar to that we
have passed, Saw an emence number of Elk & Buffalow, also
Deer Antelopes Geese Ducks & a fiew Swan, the Buffalow
is about Calveing I killed a Buffalow & 4 Deer in my walk
to day, the party killed 2 deer 2 beaver & 4 Buffalow Calves,
which was verry good veele. I saw old camps of Indians on
the L. Side, we passed 1 large & 2 small creeks on the L.
Side neither of them discharge any water into the river, in
the evening the wind became verry hard a head, we made
camp at a late hour which was on the L. Side a little above the
mouth of White Earth River which falls in on the Stad Side
and is 60 yds. wide, several mls. up

miles Corse distance &c. 21d of ap1.

               

S. 18°. E	1 1/2	ml. to a sand pt. S. S. opsd. a bluff on the L.S.
N. 75°. W	1/2	to a pt. of high timber on the S.Sd. opsd. a Bluff
N. 40°. W	3 1/2	to a willow pt. L. Sd. opsd. a Bluff on the S.Sd.
N. 60°. W	4 1/2	to a pt. of wood land on the S.Sd. opsd. a bluff just below which a creek falls in on the L.S.
N. 25°. E	2	to a pt. of wood land on the L.Sd. opposd. to a high bluff on the Stard. Side
N. 10° W	2	to the upper part of a low bluff on the S.Sd. opsd. to a pt. of timber on the L. Side
N 50° W	2 1/2	miles to the upper part of a timber at a high short bluff on the Lard. Side, passed white earth river at 1/2 mile on the Sd. Side
miles	16 1/2

[Lewis:]

Monday April 22nd 1805.

Set out at an early hour this morning; proceeded pretty
well untill breakfa[s]t, when the wind became so hard a head
that we proceeded with difficulty even with the assistance of
our toe lines. the party halted and Cpt. Clark and myself
walked to the white earth river which approaches the Missouri
very near at this place, being about 4 miles above it's entrance,
we found that it contained more water than streams of it's size
generally do at this season. the water is much clearer than
that of the Missouri. the banks of the river are steep and
not more than ten or twelve feet high; the bed seems to be
composed of mud altogether, the salts which have been
before mentioned as common on the Missouri, appears in
great quantities along the banks of this river, which are in
many places so thickly covered with it that they appear perfectly
white. perhaps it has been from this white appearance
of it's banks that the river has derived it's name. this river
is said to be navigable nearly to it's source, which is at no
great distance from the Saskashawan, and I think from it's
size the direction which it seems to take, and the latitude of
it's mouth, that there is very good ground to believe that it

extends as far North as latitude 50°[30] . this stream passes
through an open country generally. the broken hills of the
Missouri about this place exhibit large irregular and broken
masses of rocks and stones; some of which tho' 200 feet
above the level of the water seem at some former period to
have felt it's influence, for they appear smoth as if woarn by
the agetation of the water. this collection consists of white &
grey gannite, a brittle black rock, flint, limestone, freestone,
some small specimens of an excellent pebble and occasionally
broken stratas of a stone which appears to be petrefyed wood;
it is of a black colour, and makes excellent whetstones. Coal
or carbonated wood pumice stone lava and other mineral apearances
still continue, the coal appears to be of better quality;
I exposed a specimen of it to the fire and found that it birnt
tolerably well, it afforded but little flame or smoke, but produced
a hot and lasting fire. I asscended to the top of the
cutt bluff this morning, from whence I had a most delightfull
view of the country, the whole of which except the vally
formed by the Missouri is void of timber or underbrush,
exposing to the first glance of the spectator immence herds of
Buffaloe, Elk, deer, & Antelopes feeding in one common and
boundless pasture, we saw a number of bever feeding on the
bark of the trees alonge the verge of the river, several of which
we shot, found them large and fat. walking on shore this
evening I met with a buffaloe calf which attatched itself to
me and continued to follow close at my heels untill I embarked
and left it.[31] it appeared allarmed at my dog which
was probably the cause of it's so readily attatching itself to me.
Capt Clark informed me that he saw a large drove of buffaloe
pursued by wolves today, that they at length caught a calf
which was unable to keep up with the herd. the cows only
defend their young so long as they are able to keep up with
the herd, and seldom return any distance in surch of them.

Courses and distances of 22nd. of April. 1805.

                 

		miles
N. 60°. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard. side.	2.1/2
W.	along the woodland on Lard. shore	1
S. 70. W.	to the lower point of a bluff in a bend on stard. side	1.
S. 20. W.	to the upper part of the stard. bluff.	2.
S. 60. E.	to a point of woods in a bend on Stard.	1.
S. 30. E.	to a willow point on the Stard. side.	2.
N. 65. E.	to an object in a bend on Lard. where we encamped for the evening	1 1/2
		Miles .11.

Point of Observation No. 6.— April 22nd. 1805.

On the Lard. shore one mile above the cut bluff

Observed time and distance of ☉'s and ☽'s nearest limbs, with Sextant,
the ☉ East.

                                   

		Time.			Distance.
h	m	s	o	°	′	″
A.M.	10.	44.	3.—	84.	20.	45
	".	46.	16 .—	".	20.	30.
	".	48.	8.—	".	20.	-.
	".	49.	28.—	".	19.	45.
	".	50.	24 .—	".	19.	30
	".	51.	27.—	".	19.	30
	".	52.	35.—	".	19.	-.
	".	53.	40.—	".	18.	45.
A.M .	11.	1.	54.—	84.	15.	-.
	".	1.	54.—	84.	15.	-.
	".	6.	8.—	".	13.	45.
	".	7.	2.—	".	12.	45
	".	8.	3.—	".	12.	45
	".	9.	4.—	".	12.	37 1/2
	".	10.	20. —	".	12.	30
	".	12.	40.—	".	12.	-.

Observed equal altitudes of the ☉ with Sextant

       

	h	m	s		h	m	s
A.M.	11.	21.	49. —	P.M.	5.	13.	38.
	".	23.	38—		".	15.	31.
	".	25.	29.—		".	17.	20.

Altitude by Sextant at the time of observation 77°. 52′ 45″

[Clark:]

22nd of April Monday 1805

a verry cold morning Some frost, we set out at an early
hour and proceeded on verry well untill brackfast at which
time the wind began to blow verry hard ahead, and continued

hard all day we proceeded on with much dificuelty with the
assistance of the toe Ropes. Capt. Lewis & my self walked to
the River which is near the Missouri four miles above its
mouth, this river is 60 yards wide and contains a greater
perportion of water at this time than is common for Rivers of
its size it appears navagable as fur as any of the party was,
and I am told to near its source in morrasses in the open
Plains, it passes (as far as we can see which is 6 or 7 Leagus)
thro' a butifull extinsive vallee, rich & fertile and at this time
covered with Buffalow, Elk & antelopes, which may be Seen
also in any other direction in this quarter, this river must
take its rise at no great distance East of the Saskashawan, and
no doubt as far N. as Latd. 50°.

Some of the high plains on the broken rivers [banks] of
the river contains great quantity of Pebble Stones of various
sizes, The Stratum of coal is much richer than below, the
appearances of Mineral & burnt hills still continue the river
rising a little, Saw an emence number of beaver feeding on
the waters edge & swiming killed several, Capt. Lewis assended
a hill from the top of which he had a most inchanting
prospect of the Countrey around & the meanderings of the
two rivers, which is remarkable crooked, a buffalow calf
which was on the shore alone followed Cap Lewis some distance,
I observed a large drove of buffalow prosued by
wolves cought one of their calves in my view, those animals
defend their young as long as they can keep up with the drove

Course & Distance 22nd.. of April

                 

	miles
N. 60°. W.	2 1/2	to a point of wood land on the Ld. Side
West	1	along the wood on the Ld. point
S. 70°. W.	1	to the lower point of a bluff in a bend to the Starboard Side
S. 20°. W.	2	to the upper part of the Said bluff on the Starboard Side
S. 60°. E	1	to a wood in a bend to the Sd. Side
S. 30°. E	2	to a willow point on the Sd. Side
N. 65°. E	1 1/2	to an object in a bend to the L. S. and camped
	11

[Lewis:]

Tuesday April 23rd.

Set out at an early hour this morning, about nine A.M.
the wind arose, and shortly after became so violent that we
were unabled to proceed, in short it was with much difficulty
and some risk that I was enabled to get the canoes and perogues
into a place of tolerable safety, there being no timber on
either side of the river at this place, some of the canoes shiped
water, and wet several parsels of their lading, which I directed
to be opened and aired. we remained untill five in the evening
when the wind abating in some measure, we reloaded, and
proceeded, shortly after we were joined by Capt. Clark who
had walked on shore this morning, and passing through the
bottom lands had fallen on the river some miles above, and
concluding that the wind had detained us, came down the river
in surch of us. he had killed three black-taled, or mule deer,
and a buffaloe Calf, in the course of his ramble, these hard
winds, being so frequently repeated, become a serious source
of detention to us. incamped on the Stard. side.[32]

Courses and distances of the 23rd. April.

             

		Miles
S. 25°. E.	to a point of timbered land on Stard.-	2. 1/2
S.	along this Stard. point of woodland. a high bluff opposite	1.
S. 78. W.	to a cops of woods, under a hill on Stard. in a bend	4.
S. 14. E.	to a point of high timber in a Lard. bend passing the extremity of a little bay Std.	4 1/2
S. 25. W.	to a point of woodland on the Lard. side.	1 1/2
		13 1/2

[Clark:]

23rd.. of April 1805

A cold morning at about 9 oClock the wind as usial rose
from the N W and continued to blow verry hard untill late in
the evening I walked on Shore after brackfast in my walk
on the S Side passed through extensive bottoms of timber intersperced
with glades & low open plains, I killed 3 mule or
black tail Deer, which was in tolerable order, Saw Several
others, I also killed a Buffalow calf which was verry fine, I
struck the river above the Perogus which had come too in a

bend to the L.S. to shelter from the wind which had become
violently hard, I joined Capt Lewis in the evening & after
the winds falling which was late in the evening we proceeded
on & encamped on the S.S. The winds of this countrey which
blow with some violence almost every day, has become a serious
obstruction in our progression onward, as we cant move when
the wind is high with[out] great risque, and [if] there was no
risque the winds is generally a head and often too violent to
proceed

Course & Distance 23d. April

           

S. 25° E	2 1/2	miles to a point of timbered land on the Starboard Side
South	1	mile on the Sd point, of wood land a high Bluff opposit.
S. 78°. W.	4	miles to a copse of woods under a hill to the Sd. Side in a bend
S. 14°. E.	4 1/2	miles to a point of high timber in a larboard bend, passing the enterence of a little bay to S.S.
S. 25°. W.	1 1/2	miles to a point of woods on the Ld. Side
miles	13 1/2

[Lewis:]

Wednesday April 24th.

The wind blew so hard during the whole of this day, that
we were unable to move, notwithstanding that we were sheltered
by high timber from the effects of the wind, such was it's
violence that it caused the waves to rise in such manner as to
wet many articles in the small canoes before they could be
unloaded, we sent out some hunters who killed 4 deer & 2
Elk, and caught some young wolves of the small kind. Soar
eyes is a common complaint among the party. I believe it
origenates from the immence quantities of sand which is driven
by the wind from the sandbars of the river in such clouds that
you are unable to discover the opposite bank of the river in
many instances, the particles of this sand are so fine and light
that they are easily supported by the air, and are carried by
the wind for many miles, and at a distance exhibiting every
appearance of a collumn of thick smoke. so penitrating is this
sand that we cannot keep any article free from it; in short we
are compelled to eat, drink, and breath it very freely. my

pocket watch, is out of order, she will run only a few minutes
without stoping. I can discover no radical defect in her works,
and must therefore attribute it to the sand, with which, she
seems plentifully charged, notwithstanding her cases are double
and tight.

[Clark:]

24th of April Wednesday 1805

The wind rose last night and continued blowing from the
N. & N W. and sometimes with great violence, untill 7
oClock P.M, Several articles wet in the Perogues by their
takeing water &c. as the wind was a head we could not move
to day Sent out hunters, they killed 4 Deer 2 Elk & cought
some young wolves of the small kind, The party complain
much of the Sand in their eyes, The sand is verry fine and
rises in clouds from the Points and bars of the river, I may
say that dureing those winds we eat Drink & breeth a preportion
of sand.

[Lewis:]

Thursday April 25th. 1805.

The wind was more moderate this morning, tho' still hard;
we set out at an early hour.[33] the water friezed on the oars
this morning as the men rowed, about 10 oclock A.M. the
wind began to blow so violently that we were obliged to lye
too. my dog had been absent during the last night, and I was
fearfull we had lost him altogether, however, much to my
satisfaction he joined us at 8 oclock this morning. The wind
had been so unfavorable to our progress for several days past,
and seeing but little prospect of a favourable chang; knowing
that the river was crooked, from the report of the hunters who
were out yesterday, and beleiving that we were at no very great
distance from the Yellow stone River; I determined, in order
as much as possible to avoid detention, to proceed by land with
a few men to the entrance of that river and make the necessary
observations to determine it's position, which I hoped to effect
by the time that Capt. Clark could arrive with the party;

accordingly I set out at 11 OCk. side, accompanyed
by four men, we proceeded about four miles, when falling in
with some buffaloe I killed a yearling calf, which was in good
order; we soon cooked and made a hearty meal of a part of it,
and renewed our march. our rout lay along the foot of the
river hills. when we had proceeded about four miles, I
ascended the hills from whence I had a most pleasing view of
the country, particularly of the wide and fertile vallies formed
by the missouri and the yellowstone rivers, which occasionally
unmasked by the wood on their borders disclose their meanderings
for many miles in their passage through these delightfull
tracts of country. I could not discover the junction of the
rivers immediately, they being concealed by the wood; however,
sensible that it could not be distant I determined to
encamp on the bank of the Yellow stone river which made it's
appearance about 2 miles South of me. the whol face of the
country was covered with herds of Buffaloe, Elk & Antelopes;
deer are also abundant, but keep themselves more concealed in
the woodland. the buffaloe Elk and Antelope are so gentle
that we pass near them while feeding, without apearing to
excite any alarm among them; and when we attract their attention,
they frequently approach us more nearly to discover what
we are, and in some instances pursue us a considerable distance
apparenly with that view. in our way to the place I had
determined to encamp, we met with two large herds of buffaloe,
of which we killed three cows and a calf. two of the former,
wer but lean, we therefore took their tongues and a part of
their marrow-bones only. I then proceeded to the place of
our encampment with two of the men, taking with us the Calf
and marrowbones, while the other two remained, with orders
to dress the cow that was in tolerable order, and hang the meat
out of the reach of the wolves, a precaution indispensible to
it's safe keeping, even for a night. we encamped on the bank
of the yellow stone river, 2 miles South of it's confluence with
the Missouri. On rejoining Capt. Clark, the 26th. in the evening,
he informed me, that at 5. P.M. after I left him the wind
abated in some measure and he proceeded a few miles further
and encamped.

The courses and distances of this day (25th.) being as follow.

                   

		Miles
N. 68°. W.	to a point of woodland on Lard. side	2. 1/2
West	to a tree in a low plain, in a bend on Std.	1. 1/4
South.	to the upper part of a low bluff in a bend on Stard. side	1. 1/2
East.	to a point of timbered land on Stard. side.	2. 1/2
S. 28° E.	along the Stard. point, opposite a bluff	.3/4
S. 20° W.	along the Stard. point opposite a bluff	1.
N. 65° W.	to the upper part of a timbered bottom in a bend on Stard. side	3.
S. 72° W.	to the lower point of some timber in a bend on Stard. side	1. 3/4
		Miles. 14 1/4

[Clark:]

25th. of April Thursday 1805

The wind was moderate & ahead this morning, we set out
at an early hour The morning cold, some flying clouds to be
seen, the wind from the N: ice collected on the ores this
morning, the wind increased and became so violent about
1 oClock we were obliged to lay by our canoes haveing taken
in some water, the Dog which was lost yesterday, joined us
this morning.

finding that the winds retarded our pregression for maney
days past, and no app[e]arance of an alteration, and the river
being [so] crooked that we could never have 3 miles fair wind,
Capt. Lewis concluded to go by land as far as the Rochejhone
or yellow Stone river, which we expect is at no great distance
by land and make Some Selestial observations to find the
situation of its mouth, and by that measure not detain the
Perogues at that place any time for the purpose of makeing
those necessary observations he took 4 men & proceeded on
up the Missouri on the L. Side, at 5 oClock the wind luled
and we proceeded on and incamped

Course Distance &c. 25th. of April

                 

N. 68°. W.	2 1/2	miles to point of wood land on the Larboard Side
West	1 1/4	miles to a tree in a bend to the Std. Side in a low plain
South	1 1/2	miles to the upper part of a low bluff in a bend to the Sd. Side
East	2 1/2	miles to a point of timbered land on the Starboard Side.
S. 28°. E.	3/4	on the Std. point. Bluff opsd.
S 20°. W.	1	mile on the Std. point bluff opsd.
N. 65°. W	3	miles to the upper part of a timbered bottom in a bend to the S.Sd.
S. 72° W.	1 3/4	mile to the lower part of some timber in a bend to the S. Side
	14 1/4

[Lewis:]

Friday April 26th. 1805.

This morning I dispatched Joseph Fields up the yellow-stone
river with orders to examine it as far as he could conveniently
and return the same evening; two others were
directed to bring in the meat we had killed last evening, while
I proceeded down the river with one man in order to take a
view of the confluence of this great river with the Missouri,
which we found to be two miles distant on a direct line N.W.
from our encampment, the bottom land on the lower side of
the yellowstone river near it's mouth, for about one mile in
width appears to be subject to inundation; while that on the
opposite side of the Missouri and the point formed by the
junction of these rivers is of the common elivation, say from
twelve to 18 feet above the level of the water, and of course
not liable to be overflown except in extreem high water, which
dose not appear to be very frequent, there is more timber in
the neighbourhood of the junction of these rivers, and on the
Missouri as far below as the White-earth river, than there is
on any part of the Missouri above the entrance of the Chyenne
river to this place. the timber consists principally of Cottonwood,
with some small elm, ash and boxalder. the under
growth on the sandbars and verge of the river is the small
leafed willow; the low bottoms, rose bushes which rise to
three or four fe[e]t high, the redburry, servicebury, and the

redwood; the high bottoms are of two discriptions, either
timbered or open; the first lies next to the river and it's under
brush is the same with that of the low timbered bottoms with
the addition of the broad leafed willow, Goosbury, choke
cherry, purple currant, and honeysuckle bushis; the open
bottoms border on the hills, and are covered in many parts by
the wild hyssop which rises to the hight of two feet. I
observe that the Antelope, Buffaloe Elk and deer feed on this
herb; the willow of the sandbars also furnish a favorite winter
food to these anamals as well as the growse, the porcupine,
hare, and rabbit. about 12 O[c]lock I heard the discharge of
several guns at the junction of the rivers, which announced to
me the arrival of the pa[r]ty with Capt Clark; I afterwards
learnt that they had fired on some buffaloe which they met
with at that place, and of which they killed a cow and several
Calves; the latter are now fine veal. I dispatched one of the
men to Capt Clark requesting him to send up a canoe to take
down the meat we had killed and our baggage to his encampnt,
which was accordingly complyed with. after I had completed
my observations in the evening I walked down and joined the
party at their encampment on the point of land formed by the
junction of the rivers; found them all in good health, and
much pleased at having arrived at this long wished for spot,
and in order to add in some measure to the general pleasure
which seemed to pervade our little community, we ordered a
dram to be issued to each person; this soon produced the
fiddle, and they spent the evening with much hilarity, singing
& dancing, and seemed as perfectly to forget their past toils,
as they appeared regardless of those to come. in the evening,
the man I had sent up the river this morning returned, and
reported that he had ascended it about eight miles on a
streight line; that he found it crooked, meandering from side
to side of the valley formed by it; which is from four to five
miles wide. the corrent of the river gentle, and it's bed much
interrupted and broken by sandbars; at the distance of five
miles he passed a large Island well covered with timber, and
three miles higher a large creek falls in on the S.E. side above
a high bluff in which there are several stratas of coal, the
country bordering on this river as far as he could percieve,
like that of the Missouri, consisted of open plains. he saw
several of the bighorned anamals in the cou[r]se of his walk;
but they were so shy that he could not get a shoot at them;
he found a large horn of one of these anamals which he
brought with him. the bed of the yellowstone river is entirely
composed of sand and mud, not a stone of any kind to be
seen in it near it's entrance. Capt Clark measured these
rivers just above their confluence; found the bed of the Missouri
520 yards wide, the water occupying 330. it's channel
deep. the yellowstone river including it's sandbar, 858 yds. of
which, the water occupyed 297 yards; the depest part 12 feet;
it was falling at this time & appeard to be nearly at it's
summer tide. the Indians inform that the yellowstone river
is navigable for perogues and canoes nearly to it's source in
the Rocky Mountains, and that in it's course near these
mountains it passes within less than half a day's march of a
navigable part of the Missouri. it's extreem sources are adjacent
to those of the Missouri. river platte, and I think probably
with some of the South branch of the Columbia river.[34] the
first part of its course lies through a mountanous rocky country
tho' well timbered and in many parts fertile; the middle, and
much the most extensive portion of the river lies through a
delightfull rich and fertile country, well covered with timber,
intersperced with plains and meadows, and well watered; it is
some what broken in many parts. the lower portion consists
of fertile open plains and meadows almost entirely, tho' it
possesses a considerable proportion of timber on it's borders.
the current of the upper portion is extreemly rappid, that of
the middle and lower portions much more gentle than the
Missouri. the water of this river is turbid, tho' dose not
possess as much sediment as that of the Missouri. this river
in it's course recieves the waters of many large tributary
str[e]ams principally from the S.E. of which the most considerable
are the Tongue and bighorn rivers (& Clark's fork)
the former is much the largest, (rather the smallest—next in
size Clarkes fork, and the Big horn the largest by much.) and
heads with the river Platte and Bighorn river, as dose the
latter with the Tongue river and the river Platte. a suficient
quantity of limestone may be readily procured for building
near the junction of the Missouri and yellowstone rivers. I
could observe no regular stratas of it, tho' it lies on the sides
of the river hills in large irregular masses, in considerable
quantities; it is of a light colour, and appears to be of an
excellent quality.

The courses and distances of the 26th. as the party ascended the
Missouri, are as follow

           

		Miles
S . 45. E.	to a point of woodland on the Stard. side	2 1/2
S. 40. W.	along the Stad. point, opposite a bluff	1 1/2
N. 75. W.	to the commencement of the wood in a bend on Stard. side	3.
South.	to the point of land formed by the junction of the Missouri and yellow stone rivers	1.
		Miles— 8.

Point of Observation No. 7. April 26th. 1805.

On the Lard. bank of the yellowstone river 2 miles S.E. of it's junction
with the Missouri observed Equal altitudes of the ☉ with Sextant
and artificial horizon.

         

	h	m	s		h	m	s
A.M.	9.	41.	13.—	P.M.	6.	49.	3.	Altd. given by Sextant at the
	".	42.	52 —		".	50.	41.	time of observation
	".	44.	31.—		".	52.	17.	48°. 57′. 45″
								h. m. s.

Chronometer too fast mean time [blank space in MS.]

☞. the clouds this morning prevented my observing the moon
with a. Aquilæ; and as the moon was not again observeable untill the
1st. of May, I determined not to wait, but reather to relinquish for the
present the obtaining the necessary data to fix the longitude of this place.
Observed Meridian altitude of ☉'s L. L. with Octant by the
back observation 73°. 47′

Latitude deduced from this observation. [blank space in MS.]

[Clark:]

26th. of April Friday 1805

last night was verry cold. the Thermometer stood at 32
abov 0 this morning. I set out at an early hour, as it was
cold I walked on the bank, & in my walk Shot a beaver & 2
Deer, one of the Deer in tolerable order, the low bottom of
the river is generaly covered with wood[,] willows & rose
bushes, red berry, wild cherry & red or arrow wood intersperced
with glades The timber is Cottonwood principally,
Elm small ash also furnish a portion of the timber. The clay
of the bluffs appear much whiter than below, and contain
several Stratums of coal, on the hill sides I observe pebbles
of different size & colour. The river has been riseing for
several days, & raised 3 inches last night, at 12 oClock
arrived at the forks of the Roche Johne & Missouri and
formed a camp on the point. Soon after George Drewyer
came from Capt Lewis & informed me that he was a little way
up the Rochejohne and would join me this evining, I sent
a canoe up to Capt Lewis and proceeded [to] measure the
width of the [river], and find the debth. The Missouri is
520 yards wide above the point of Yellow Stone and the water
covers 330 yards, the YellowStone River is 858 yards wide
includeing its sand bar, the water covers 297 yards and the
deepest part is 12 feet water, it is at this time falling, the
Missouri rising The Indians inform that the Yellow Stone
River is navagable for Perogues to near its source in the Rocky
Mountains, it has many tributary streams, principally on
the S.E. side, and heads at no great distance from the Missouri,
the largest rivers which fall into it is Tongue river
which heads with the waters of River Platt, and Bighorn river
which also heads with Platt & Tongue R the current of this
river is said to be rapid near its mouth it is verry jentle, and
its water is of a whitish colour much clearer of Sediment than
the Missouri, the Countrey on this river is said to be broken
in its whole course & contains a great deel of wood, the
countrey about its mouth is verry fine, the bottoms on either
side is wooded with Cotton wood, ash, Elm, &c. near the
banks of the river back is higher bottoms and covered with
red berry, Goose berry & rose bushes &. interspersed with

small open Glades, and near the high land is Generally open
rich bottoms. at our arrival at the forks I observed a Drove
of Buffalow Cows & Calves on a sand bar in the point, I
directed the men to kill the fattest Cox, and 3 or 4 calves,
which they did and let the others pass, the cows are poor,
calves fine veele.

Course & Distance 26th. of April

         

S. 45°. E	2 1/2	miles to a point of wood land on the Starboard Side
S. 40°. W.	1 1/2	miles on the S. pt. a bluff opposit
N. 75°. W.	3	miles to the commencement of a wood bottom in a bend to the Std. Side
South	1	mile to the junction of Rochejhone or yellowstone River & the Mis[s]ouri
	8

Capt Lewis joined me in the evening after takeing equal
altitudes a little way up the Yellowstone river the countrey
in every direction is plains except the moul[d] bottoms of the
river, which are covered with some indifferent timber such as
Cotton wood, Elm & small ash, with different kind of S[h]rubs
& bushes on the forks about 1 mile from the point at which
place the 2 rivers are near each other a butifull low leavel
plain commences, and extends up the Missouri & back, this
plain is narrow at its commencement and widens as the Missouri
bends north, and is bordered by an extencive wood land
for many miles up the Yellow Stone river, this low plain is
not Subject to over flow, appear to be a fiew inches above high
water mark and affords a butifull commanding situation for a
fort near the commencement of the Prarie, about [blank
space in MS.] miles from the Point & [blank space in MS.]
yards from the Missouri a small lake is Situated, from this
lake the plain rises gradually to a high butifull countrey, the
low Plain continues for some distance up both rivers on the
Yellow Stone it is wide & butifull opsd. the point on the S.
Side is some high timbered land, about 1 1/2 miles below on
the same side a little distance from the water is an elivated
plain. Several of the party was up the Yellow Stone R several
miles, & informed that it meandered through a butifull countrey

Joseph Fields discovered a large creek falling into the
Yellowstone River on the S E. Side 8 miles up near which he
saw a big horned animal, he found in the Prarie the horn of
one of those animals which was large and appeared to have
laid several years I Saw maney buffalow dead on the banks of
the river in different places some of them eaten by the white
bears & wolves all except the skin & bones, others entire,
those animals either drounded in attempting to cross on the
ice dureing the winter or swiming across to bluff banks where
they could not get out & too weak to return we saw several
in this Situation. emence numbers of antelopes in the forks
of the river, Buffalow & Elk & Deer is also plenty. beaver
is in every bend. I observe that the Magpie Goose duck &
Eagle all have their nests in the Same neighbourhood, and it
is not uncommon for the Magpie to build in a few rods of the
eagle, the nests of this bird is built verry strong with sticks
covered verry thickly with one or more places through which
they enter or escape, the Goose I make no doubt falls a pray
to those vicious eagles

[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.

[Clark:]

27th. of April Satturday 1805

after take[ing] the azmuth of the Sun & brackfasting we
set out wind moderate & a head, at 11 oClock the wind
rose and continued to blow verry hard a head from the N. W.
untill 4 oClock PM, which blew the sand off the Points in
such clouds as almost covered us on the opposit bank, at 4
I set out from my unpleasent Situation and proceeded on,
Capt. Lewis walked on shore in the Point to examine & view
the Countrey and could not get to the boats untill night, Saw
great numbers of Goats or antilopes, Elk, Swan Gees & Ducks,
no buffalow to day I saw several beaver and much sign, I
shot one in the head which imediately sunk, altho the game
of different kinds are in abundance we kill nothing but what
we can make use of

Course, distance the 27th. of April

       

N. 9°. E	1	mile to the upper part of the wood in the point and commencement of a butifull elivated plain at which place the Yellow Stone river is about 250 yards distant from the Mi[s]souri
West	1	mile to the lower part of the timber in a bend to the Lard. Side back of which and on the river below is [a] high bottom, and the upper plains are not so high as below and butifull as far as can be seen
N. 32°. W	3	miles to a point of the timbered bottom on the Lad. Side opposit a low bluff between two points of wooded bottom 1/2 a mile distant from each a butifull plain back, several high open situations between the wood land in the S. bend.
West miles	3/8	miles to a point of small Willows on the Sd. Side opposit a low white bluff bordering a butifull riseing Plain, some wood land below this bluff on the L.S. and a thick wooded bottom on the S. Side in this course the river is wide and crouded with sand bars, a little above the low bluff on the L.S. a timbered bottom commences, here the countrey runs gradually from the river on the L.S.