University of Virginia Library

[Lewis:]

Wednesday July 24th. 1805.

Set out at sunrise; the current very strong; passed a remarkable
bluff of a crimson coloured earth[28] on Stard. intermixed with
Stratas of black and brick red slate. the valley through which
the river passed today is much as that of yesterday nor is there
any difference in the appearance of the mountains, they still
continue high and seem to rise in some places like an amphetheater
one rang[e] above another as they receede from the
river untill the most distant and lofty have their tops clad with
snow. the adjacent mountains commonly rise so high as to
conceal the more distant and lofty mountains from our view.
I fear every day that we shall meet with some considerable falls
or obstruction in the river notwithstanding the information of
the Indian woman to the contrary who assures us that the river
continues much as we see it. I can scarcely form an idea of a
river runing to great extent through such a rough mountainous
country without having it's stream intersepted by some difficult
and dangerous rappids or falls. we daily pass a great number
of small rappids or riffles which decend one t[w]o or 3 feet in
150 yards but we are rarely incommoded with fixed or standing
rocks and altho' strong rappid water [they] are nevertheless
quite practicable & by no means dangerous. we saw many
beaver and some otter today; the former dam up the small
channels of the river between the islands and compell the river
in these parts to make other channels; which as soon as it has
effected that which was stoped by the beaver becomes dry and
is filled up with mud sand gravel and driftwood. the beaver is
then compelled to seek another spot for his habitation wher[e]
he again erects his dam. thus the river in many places among

the clusters of islands is constantly changing the direction of
such sluices as the beaver are capable of stoping or of 20 yds. in
width. this anamal in that way I beleive to be very instrumental
in adding to the number of islands with which we find
the river crouded. we killed one deer today and found a goat
or Antelope which had been left by Capt. Clark. we saw a large
bear but could not get a shoot at him. we also saw a great
number of Crains & Antelopes, some gees and a few redheaded
ducks. the small birds of the plains and curloos still
abundant. we observed a great number of snakes about the
water of a brown uniform colour, some black, and others
speckled on the abdomen and striped with black and brownish
yellow on the back and sides. the first of these is the largest
being about 4 feet long, the second is of that kind mentioned
yesterday, and the last is much like the garter snake of our
country and about it's size.[29] none of these species are poisonous
I examined their teeth and f[o]und them innocent. they
all appear to be fond of the water, to which they fly for shelter
immediately on being pursued. we saw much sign of Elk but
met with none of them. from the appearance of bones and
excrement of old date the buffaloe sometimes straggle into this
valley; but there is no fresh sighn of them and I begin [to]
think that our harvest of white puddings is at an end, at least
untill our return to the buffaloe country. our trio of pests
still invade and obstruct us on all occasions, these are the Musquetoes
eye knats and prickley pears, equal to any three curses
that ever poor Egypt laiboured under, except the Mahometant
yoke. the men complain of being much fortiegued. their
labour is excessively great. I occasionly encourage them by
assisting in the labour of navigating the canoes, and have
learned to push a tolerable good pole in their fraize [phrase].
This morning Capt. Clark set out early and pursued the Indian
road which took him up a creek some miles abo[u]t 10 A.M.
he discovered a horse about six miles distant on his left, he
changed his rout towards the horse, on approaching him he
found the horse in fine order but so wild he could not get
within less than several hundred paces of him. he still saw
much indian sign but none of recent date. from this horse he
directed his course obliquely to the river where on his arrival
he killed a deer and dined. in this wide valley where he met
with the horse he passed five handsome streams, one of which
only had timber another some willows and much stoped by
the beaver. after dinner he continued his rout along the river
upwards and encamped having traveled about 30 Mls.

Courses and distances of the 24th. July 1805.

                             

S. 40°. E.	1.	to a Lard. bend. passing between two large islands
S. 50°. W.	1/2	to the center of a Stard. bend opposite to an Island
S. 15°. E.	1 1/2	to a point of high timber in a Lard. bend. opposite to an island.
S. 40°. W.	1 1/4	to the center of a Stard. bend low bluffs touching the river at this point, a small run[30] just below.
South	3 1/2	to a bluff point in a Stard. bend passing a small island on Stard. and a bluff of crimson earth & slate.
S. 85°. E.	1/2	to a Lard. bend opposite to a large Island
S. 30°. E.	1.	to a bluff point in a Stard. bend passing an Isld.
East.	3/4.	to a point in a Lard. bend passing a small Isld.
S. 30°. E.	3.	to the lower point of a large island.
S. 85°. E.	1 1/2	to a tree in a lard. bend. passing an assemblage of isds.
South.	1/2	to a tree on the Stard. shore opposite to the upper point of an island.
S. 80°. E.	1.	to the center of a Lard. bend passing the upper point of an Island on Lard.
S. 10. W.	1 1/2	to the center of a Stard. bend passing an Isld. at 3/4 of a mile
East.	2.	to the center of a Lard. bend passing 2 small islands;
Miles	19 1/2	encamped on Stard. a little short of this course.[31]

Point of Observation No. 38.

On the Stard. side of the Missouri at the extremity of the 8th. course
of this day observed Equal Altitudes of the ☉ with Sextant.

       

	h m s		h m s
A.M.	9. 1. 37	P.M.	4. 6. 20	Altitude at the
	". 3. 10		". 7. 53.	time of Observation ° ′ ″
	". 4. 45		". 9. 30.	79. 8. 15.