[Lewis:]
Monday July 1st. 1805.
This morning I set Frazier and Whitehouse to sewing the
leather on the sides of the sections of the boat; Shields and J.
Fields to collect and split light wood and prepare a pit to make
tar. Gas[s] I set at work to make the way strips out of some
willow limbs which tho' indifferent were the best which could
be obtained. Drewyer and myself completed the opperation
of rendering the tallow; we obtained about 100 lbs. by evening
the skins were all attached to their sections and I returned
them again to the water. all matters were now in readiness to
commence the opperation of puting the parts of the boat together
in the morning. the way strips are not yet ready but
will be done in time as I have obtained the necessary timber.
the difficulty in obtaining the necessary materials has retarded
my operations in forming this boat extreemly tedious and
troublesome; and as it was a novel peice of machinism to all
who were employed my constant attention was necessary to
every part of the work; this together with the duties of cheif
cook has kept me pretty well employed. at 3 P.M. Capt.
Clark arrived with the party all very much fortiegued. he
brought with him all the baggage except what he had deposited
yesterday at the six mile stake, for which the party
were too much fortiegued to return this evening. we gave
them a dram and suffered them to rest from their labours this
evening. I directed Bratton to assist in making the tar tomorrow,
and scelected several others to assist in puting the
boat together. the day has been warm and the Musquetoes
troublesome of course the bear were about our camp all last
night, we have therefore determined to beat up their quarters
tomorrow, and kill them or drive them from their haunts about
this place.
[6]
