University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

May 3rd Friday 1805

we Set out reather later this morning than useal owing to
weather being verry cold, a frost last night and the Thermt
stood this morning at 26 above 0. which is 6 degrees b[e]low
freeseing. the ice that was on the Kettle left near the fire last
night was 1/4 of an inch thick. The snow is all or nearly all
off the low bottoms, the Hills are entireley covered; three of
our party found in the back of a bottom 3 pieces of scarlet one

brace in each, which had been left as a sacrifice near one of their
swet houses, on the L.S. we passed to day a curious collection
of bushes tied up in the shape of faccene about 10 feet diamuter,
which must have been left also by the natives as an offering to
their medison which they [are] convinced protected or gave
them relief near the place, the wind continued to blow hard
from the West, altho not sufficently so to detain us. I walked
on shore and killed an Elk & had him bucchered by the time
the Perogus came up which was the usial time of dineing.
The high lands are low and from 5 to 9 miles apart and there
is evident marks of the bead [bed] of the river having been
changed frequently but little appearance of the coal & burnt
hills to day. Great numbers of Buffalow, Elk, Deer, antilope,
beaver, Porcupins, & water fowls seen to day, such as, Geese,
ducks of dift. kinds, & a fiew Swan. I continued my walk on
shore after dinner, and arrived at the mouth of a river on the
St. Side, which appeared to be large, and I concluded to go up
this river a few miles to examine it accordingly I set out
North 1 mile thro wood or timbered bottom, 2 miles through
a butifull leavel plain, and 1 mile over a high plain about 50
feet higher than the bottom, & came to the little river, which
I found to be a butifull clear Stream of about 100 yds from
bank to bank, (I waded this river at the narrowest part and
made it 112 steps from bank to bank and at this place which
was a kind of fording place the water was near Knee deep,
and 38 steps wide, the bottom of a hard stiff Black clay, I
observed a Great perportion of timber in the bottoms of this
river as far as I could See which was to the East of N. 18 or
20 miles, it appears to be navagable at this time for canoes,
and from appearances must be navagable a long distance for
Perogus & boats in high water. This river we call Porcupines
from the great number of those anamals found about it's
mouth. a Short distance above about 1/4 mile and on the
Lard Side a large Creek falls in, which R. Fields went to
examine & reports that it is a bold running stream 30 yds
wide as this creek is 2000 miles up the Missouri we call it
the 2000 mile Creek, we proceeded on 3 miles & camped on
the S.S. here I joined Capt Lewis who had in my absence
walkd on the upper Side of Porcupine River for some distance.
This river from its size & quantity of water must head at no
great distance from the Saskashawan on this river I saw
emence herds [of] Elk & Buffalow & many deer & Porcupine.
I also saw the top of a mountain which did not appear verry
high to the West of N. & bore N W. I saw on the high
land limestone & pebble. The countrey about the mouth
of this river and as far as the eye can reach is butifull open
countrey. The greater part of the snow is melted.

Course & Distance 3d. of May 1805

                           

	mile
N. 50 °. W	3/4	to a point of high timber on the Std. Side in a bend
S. 65°. W.	2 1/4	to a point of high timber on the Ld. Sd. about the middle of a bend L.S.
N. 40°. W	1	mile to a point of wood land Std. Side
N. 55 W	2 1/2	miles to some dead timber in Std. bend
South	3	to the upper part of a timber in a bend to the Lard Side
N. 80°. W.	1/2	to a pt. of wood land Std. Side
S. 85°. W.	1 1/4	to the commencement of a timber on the Lard Side in a bend
North	1 1/2	to the upper part of the high timber in a bend on the Stard Side passing a Sand point at 1/2 a mile
S. 65°. W.	1/2	to a point of wood Land on the Ld Side
S 75°. W.	1 3/4	to a point of wood land on the Std Side at the mouth of a large river on the Std Side
S 45°. W	3 m.	to a high timber on the Lard Side passed the mouth of 2000 mile Creek at 1/4 of a mile on the Lard Side
N. 40°. W.	1/2	to some high timber on the S. Side just above an old channel of the river Std Side. encamped
	18 1/2