Monday June 24th. 1805.
Supposing that Drewyer and R. Fields might possibly be
still higher up medicine river, I dispatched J. Fields up the
river with orders to proceede about four miles and then return
whether he found them or not and join Shannon at this camp.
I set out early and walked down the South West side of the
river and sent Shannon down the opposite side to bring the
canoe over to me and put me across the Missouri; having
landed on the Lard. side of the Missouri I sent Shannon back
with the canoe to meet J. Fields and bring the dryed meat at
that place to the camp at the white bear Islands which [he]
accomplished and arrived with Fields this morning the party
also arrived this evening with two canoes from the lower camp.
they were wet and fatiegued, gave them a dram. R. Fields
came with them and gave me an account of his & Drewyer's
hunt, and informed me that Drewyer was still at their camp
with the meat they had dryed. the iron frame of my boat is
36 feet long 4 1/2 F. in the beam and 26 Inches in the hole.
This morning early Capt. Clark had the remaining canoe
drawn out of the water; and divided the remainder of our baggage
into three parcels, one of which he sent today by the
party with two canoes. The Indian woman is now perfectly
recovered. Capt. C. came a few miles this morning to see the
party under way and returned. on my arrival at the upper
camp this morning, I found that Serg
t. Gass and Shields had
made but slow progress in collecting timber for the boat; they
complained of great difficulty in geting streight or even tolerably
streight sticks of 4 1/2 feet long. we were obliged to make
use of the willow and box alder, the cottonwood being too soft
and brittle. I kept one of them collecting timber while the
other shaved and fitted them. I have found some pine logs
among the drift wood near this place, from which, I hope to
obtain as much pitch as will answer to pay the seams of the
boat. I directed Fraizer to remain in order to sew the hides
together, and form the covering for the boat.
