[Lewis:]
Thursday June 20th. 1805.
This morning we had but little to do; waiting the return of
Capt. Clark; I am apprehensive from his stay that the portage
is longer than we had calculated on. I sent out 4 hunters this
morning on the opposite side of the river to kill buffaloe; the
country being more broken on that side and cut with ravenes
they can get within shoot of the buffaloe with more ease and
certainty than on this side of the river. my object is if possible
while we have now but little to do, to lay in a large stock
of dryed meat at this end of the portage to subsist the party
while engaged in the transportation of our baggage &c, to the
end, that they may not be taken from this duty when once
commenced in order to surch for the necessary subsistence.
The Indian woman is qu[i]te free from pain and fever this
morning and appears to be in a fair way for recovery, she has
been walking about and fishing. In the evening 2 of the
hunters returned and informed me that they had killed eleven
buffaloe eight of which were in very fine order, I sent off all
hands immediately to bring in the meat they soon returned
with about half of the best meat leaving three men to remain
all night in order to secure the ballance. the buffaloe are in
immence numbers, they have been constantly coming down in
large herds to water opposite to us for some hours sometimes
two or three herds wartering at the same instant, and scarcely
disappear before others supply their places. they appear to
make great use of the mineral water, whether this be owing to
it's being more convenient to them than the river or that they
actually prefer it I am at a loss to determine for they do not
use it invaryably, but sometimes pass at no great distance from
it and water at the river. brackish water or that of a dark
colour impregnated with mineral salts such as I have frequen[t]ly
mentioned on the Missouri is found in small quantities
in some of the steep ravenes on the N. side of the river
opposite to us and the falls. Cap
t. Clark and party returned
late this evening when he gave me the following relation of his
rout and the occurrences which had taken place with them
since their departure.
[21]
Capt. Clark now furnished me with the field notes of the
survey which he had made of the Missouri and it's Cataracts
cascades &c. from the entrance of portage Creek to the South
Eastwardly bend of the Missouri above the White bear Islands,
which are as follows. [For this survey, see "Scientific Data,"
Vol. V.—ED.]
| June 20th. 1805. |
At our camp below the entrance of portage creek
observed Meridian Altd. of ☉'s L. L. with |
|
|
Octant by the back Observtn. |
53°. 10′ |
|
Latitude deduced from this observation |
47°. 7′. 10″ .3 |
