[Lewis:]
Wednesday August 7th. 1805
The morning being fair we spread our stores to dry at an
early hour. Dispatched Reubin Fields in surch of Shannon.
Our stores were now so much exhausted that we found we
could proceed with one canoe less, we therefore drew out one
of them into a thicket of brush and secured her in such manner
that the water could not take her off should the river rise to
the hight where she is. The creek which falls in above us we
called
turf creek from the cercu[m]stance of it's bottoms being
composed of excellent turf. my air gun was out of order and
her sights had been removed by some accedent I put her in
order and regulated her. she shot again as well as she ever
did. The clouds last night prevented my taking any lunar
observations this day I took Equal Altitudes of the ☉ with
Sextant.
|
h m s |
|
b m s |
|
| A.M. |
8. 20. 28. 5 |
P.M. |
4. 38. 3 |
Altitude by Sext. at the
time of observation. |
|
″. 21. 54. |
|
″. 39. 40 |
° ′ ″ |
|
″. 23. 30. |
|
″. 41. 8 |
62. 9. 45. |
Chronometer too [blank space in MS.] on Mean time [blank space
in MS.] h m s
| Observed Meridian Altd. of ☉'s. L.L. with |
° ′ ″ |
| Octant by the back observation |
63. 5.— |
|
° ′ |
| Latitude deduced from this observation |
N. 45. 2. 43 8 |
At one oclock all our baggage was dry we therefore packed
it up reloaded the canoes and the party proceeded with Capt.
Clark up Jefferson's river. I remained with Sergt. Gass to
complete the observation of equal altitudes and joined them in
the evening at their camp on the Lard. side just above the
entance of turf creek. we had a shower of rain w[h]ich continued
about 40 minutes attended with thunder and lightning.
this shower wet me perfectly before I reached the camp. the
clouds continued during the night in such manner that I was
unable to obtain any lunar observations. This evening Drewyer
brought in a deer which he had killed. we have not heard
any thing from Shannon yet, we expect that he had pursued
Wisdom river upwards for som[e] distance probably killed
some heavy animal and is waiting our arrival. the large biteing
fly or hare fly as they [are] sometimes called are very
troublesome to us. I observe two kinds of them a large black
species and a small brown species with a green head. the musquetoes
are not as troublesome as they were below, but are still
in considerable quantities. the eye knats have disappeared.
the green or blowing flies are still in swarms.
Courses and distances August 7th. 1805.
| S. 45°. E. |
to the entrance of turf Creek 12 yds. wide which discharges
itself on Lard. side passing several bends both on Stard. and
Lard. and several small bayous on either side. on the
course of the R. about 7 M. |
| Miles [1] |
|
☞ the courses from the entrance of Wisdom river to the
forks of Jefferson's river are taken directly to the objects mentioned
and the distance set down is that by land on a direct
line between the points;[11]
the estimated distances by water is
also added in the body of the remarks on each course.
