[Lewis—apparently the first draft:]
August 4th 1805
Set out very early this morning and steered S. E. by E.
about 4 miles when we passed a bould runing creek about
12 yards wide the water could and remarkably clear, we then
changed our course to S. E. passing obliquely across a valley
which boar nearly E leaving the valley which we had pursued
for the 2 precedeing days. at the distance of 3 miles we
passed a handsome little river which passes through this
valley; it is about 30 yards wide affords a considerable quantity
of water and I beleive it may be navigated some miles.
I then changed my rout to S. W. passed a high plain which
lyes between the vallies and returned to the S. valley, in passing
which I fell in with a river about 45 yards wide which I
waideg [waded] and then continued my rout down to it's junction
with the river just mentioned, and from thence to the
entrance of the creek which falls in about 2 miles below; still
continuing my rout down this stream about three miles further
and about 2 M. below our encampment of the last evening
this river forms a junction with a river 50 yards wide which
comes from the N. W. and falling into the S. valley runs parrallel
with the middle fork about 12 miles. this is a bould
rappid & clear stream it's bed so broken and obstructed by
gravel bars and Islands that it appeared to me impossible to
navigate it with safety. the middle fork is gentle and possesses
about 2/3
ds. as much water as this rappid stream, it's
cours so far as I can observe it is about S. W. and it appears
to be navigable; its water is much warmer than that of the
rappid fork and somewhat turbid, from which I concluded
that it had it's source at a greater distance in the mountains
and passed through an opener country than the other. under
this impression I wrote a note to Capt. Clark recommending
his taking the middle fork provided he should arrive at this
place before my return which I expect will be the day after
tomorrow. the note I left on a pole at the forks of the river
and having refreshed ourselves and eat heartily of some venison
we killed this morning I continued my rout up the Star
d.
side of the N. W. fork, determining to pursue it until 12 OC.
the next day and then pass over to the middle fork and return
to their junction or untill I met Capt. Clark. we encamped
this evening near the point where the river leaves the valley
and enters the mountains, having traveled about 20. Miles.
