[Lewis:]
Friday June 28th. 1805.
Set Drewyer to shaving the Elk skins, Fields to make the
cross stays for the boat, Frazier and Whitehouse continue
their operation with the skins, Shields and gass finish the
horizontal bars of the sections; after which I sent them in
surch of willow bark, a sufficient supply of which they now
obtained to line the boat. expecting the party this evening
I prepared a supper for them but they did not arrive. not
having quite Elk skins enough I employed three buffaloe
hides to cover one section. not being able to shave these
skins I had them singed pretty closely with a blazeing
torch; I think they will answer tolerable well. The White
bear have become so troublesome to us that I do not think it
prudent to send one man alone on an errand of any kind,
particularly where he has to pass through the brush. we have
seen two of them on the large Island opposite to us today but
are so much engaged that we could not spare the time to hunt
them but will make a frolick of it when the party return and
drive them from these islands. they come close arround our
camp every night but have never yet ventured to attack us and
our dog gives us timely notice of their visits, he keeps constantly
padroling all night. I have made the men sleep with
their arms by them as usual for fear of accedents. the river
is now about nine inches higher than it was on my arrival.
lower Camp. early this morning Capt. C. dispatched the remaining
canoe with some baggage to the top of the plain above
Portage creek three miles in advance; some others he employed
in carrying the articles to the cash and depositing them and
others to mend the carriages which wer somewhat out of repair.
this being accomplished he loaded the two carriages with the
remaining baggage and set out with all the party and proceeded
on with much difficulty to the canoe in the plain. portage
creek had arisen considerably and the water was of a deep
crimson colour and illy tasted. on his arrival at the canoe he
found there was more baggage than he could possibly take at
one load on the two sets of trucks and therefore left some
barrels of pork & flour and a few heavy boxes of amunition
which could not well be injured, and proceeded with the canoe
& one set of trucks loaded with baggage to willow run where
he encamped for the night, and killed two buffaloe to subsist
the party. soon after his arrival at willow run he experienced
a hard shower of rain which was succeeded by a violent wind
from the S.W. off the snowy mountains accompanyed with
rain; the party being cold and wet, he administered the consolation
of a dram to each.
