University of Virginia Library

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109

[Lewis:]

Sunday June 2nd. 1805.

The wind blew violently last night and was attended by a
slight shower of rain; the morning was fair and we set out at
an early hour. imployed the chord as usual the greater part
of the day. the courant was strong tho' regular, and the
banks afforded us good toeing. the wind was hard and against
us yet we proceded with infinitely more ease than the two precedeing
days. The river bluffs still continue to get lower and
the plains leveler and more extensive; the timber on the river
increases in quantity; the country in all other rispects much
as discribed yesterday. I think we are now completely above
the black hills (see note of May 29). we had a small shower
of rain today but it lasted only a few minutes and was very
moderate. Game becomeing more abundant this morning and
I thought it best now to loose no time or suffer an opportunity
to escape in providing the necessary quantity of Elk's
skins to cover my leather boat which I now expect I shall be
obliged to use shortly. Accordingly I walked on shore most
of the day with some of the hunters for that purpose and
killed 6 Elk 2 buffal[o]e 2 Mule deer and a bear, these
anamals were all in good order we therefore took as much of
the meat as our canoes and perogues could conveniently carry.
the bear was very near catching Drewyer; it also pursued
Charbono who fired his gun in the air as he ran but fortunately
eluded the vigilence of the bear by secreting himself
very securely in the bushes untill Drewyer finally killed it by
a shot in the head; the (only) shot indeed that will conquer
the farocity of those tremendious anamals. in the course of
the day we passed 9 Islands all of them small and most of
them containing some timber. we came too on the Lard. side
in a handsome bottom of small cottonwood timber opposite
to the entrance of a very considerable river; but it being too
late to ex[a]mine these rivers minutely to night we determined
to remain here untill the morning, and as the evening was
favourable to make some observations.

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110

Courses and distances June 2nd. 1805.

Point of observation No. 25. June 2nd.

On the Lard. side, one mile from the commencement of the 12th. course
of this day, observed Meridian Altd. of ☉s. L. L. with Octant by the
back observation 57°. 52'. Latitude deduced from this observation
[blank space in MS.]

Point of Observation No. 26.

At our encampment of this evening on the Lard. side of the Missouri.
Observed time and distance of D's. Western limb from Spica mR., * East,
with Sextant.

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111

Point of Observation No. 27. June 3rd.

On the point formed by the junction of Maria's River and the
Missouri, Observed equal altds. of ☉ with Sextant.

Observed time and distance of ☉'s. and D's. nearest limbs
with Sextant ☉. West.