University of Virginia Library

Chapter XIV

FROM BEAVER'S HEAD TO THE GREAT DIVIDE

XIV. Lewis's Journal, August 11–16, 1805
Clark's Journal, August 11–16

[Lewis:]

Sunday August 11th. 1805.—

WE set out very early this morning; but the track
which we had pursued last evening soon disappeared.
I therefore resolved to proceed to the narrow pass
on the creek about 10 miles West in hopes that I should again
find the Indian road at the place, accordingly I passed the
river which was about 12 yards wide and bar[r]ed in several
places entirely across by beaver dams. and proceeded through
the level plain directly to the pass. I now sent Drewyer to
keep near the creek to my right and Shields to my left, with
orders to surch for the road which if they found they were to
notify me by placing a hat in the muzzle of their gun. I kept
McNeal with me; after having marched in this order for
about five miles I discovered an Indian on horse back about
two miles disant coming down the plain towards us. with my
glass I discovered from his dress that he was of a different
nation from any that we had yet seen, and was satisfyed of his
being a Sosone; his arms were a bow and quiver of arrows, and
was mounted on an eligant horse without a saddle, and a small
string which was attached to the under jaw of the horse which
answered as a bridle. I was overjoyed at the sight of this
stranger and had no doubt of obtaining a friendly introduction
to his nation provided I could get near enough to him to convince
him of our being whiteman. I therefore proceeded
towards him at my usual pace. when I had arrived within
about a mile he mad[e] a halt which I did also and unloosing
my blanket from my pack, I mad[e] him the signal of friendship

known to the Indians of the Rocky mountains and those
of the Missouri, which is by holding the mantle or robe in
your hands at two corners and then th[r]owing [it] up in the
air higher than the head bringing it to the earth as if in the act
of spreading it, thus repeating three times. this signal of the
robe has arrisen from a custom among all those nations of
spreading a robe or skin for the gests to set on when they
are visited. this signal had not the desired effect, he still kept
his position and seemed to view Drewyer an[d] Shields who
were now comiming in sight on either hand with an air of suspicion,
I wo[u]ld willingly have made them halt but they
were too far distant to hear me and I feared to make any
signal to them least it should increase the suspicion in the mind
of the Indian of our having some unfriendly design upon him.
I therefore haistened to take out of my sack some b[e]ads a
looking glas and a few trinkets which I had brought with me
for this purpose and leaving my gun and pouch with Mc. Neal
advanced unarmed towards him. he remained in the same
stedfast poisture untill I arrived in about 200 paces of him
when he turn[ed] his ho[r]se about and began to move off
slowly from me; I now called to him in as loud a voice as I
could command repeating the word tab-ba-bone, which in their
language signifyes white-man. but l[o]oking over his sholder
he still kept his eye on Drewyer and Sheilds who wer still
advancing neither of them haveing segacity enough to recollect
the impropriety of advancing when they saw me thus in parley
with the Indian. I now made a signal to these men to halt,
Drewyer obeyed but Shields who afterwards told me that he
did not obse[r]ve the signal still kept on the Indian halted
again and turned his hor[s]e about as if to wait for me, and
I beleive he would have remained untill I came up whith him
had it not been for Shields who still pressed forward. whe[n]
I arrived within about 150 paces I again repepeated the word
tab-ba-bone and held up the trinkits in my hands and striped
up my shirt sleve to give him an opportunity of seeing the
colour of my skin and advanced leasure[ly] towards him but
he did not remain untill I got nearer than about 100 paces
when he suddonly turned his ho[r]se about, gave him the whip
leaped the creek and disappeared in the willow brush in an
instant and with him vanished all my hopes of obtaining horses
for the preasent. I now felt quite as much mortification and
disappointment as I had pleasure and expectation at the first
sight of this indian. I fe[l]t soarly chargrined at the conduct
of the men particularly Sheilds to whom I principally attributed
this failure in obtaining an introduction to the natives. I now
called the men to me and could not forbare abraiding them a
little for their want of attention and imprudence on this occasion.
they had neglected to bring my spye-glass which in
haist I had droped in the plain with the blanket where I made
the signal before mentioned. I sent Drewyer and Shields back
to surche it, they soon found it and rejoined me. we now set
out on the track of the horse hoping by that means to be lead
to an indian camp, the trail of inhabitants of which should they
abscond we should probably be enabled to pursue to the body
of the nation to which they would most probably fly for safety.
this rout led us across a large Island framed by nearly an equal
division of the creek in this bottom; after passing to the open
ground on the N. side of the creek we observed that the track
made out toward the high hills about 3 M. distant in that
direction. I thought it probable that their camp might probably
be among those hills & that they would reconnoiter us
from the tops of them, and that if we advanced haistily towards
them that they would become allarmed and probably run off;
I therefore halted in an elivated situation near the creek had a
fire kindled of willow brush cooked and took breakfast. during
this leasure I prepared a small assortment of trinkits consisting
of some mockkerson awls a few strans of several kinds
of b[e]ads some paint a looking glass &c which I attached to
the end of a pole and planted it near our fire in order that
should the Indians return in surch of us the[y] might from
this token discover that we were friendly and white persons.
before we had finis[h]ed our meal a heavy shower of rain came
on with some hail w[h]ich continued abo[u]t 20 minutes and
wet us to the skin, after this shower we pursued the track of
the horse but as the rain had raised the grass which he had
trodden down it was with difficulty that we could follow it.
we pursued it however about 4 miles it turning up the valley
to the left under the foot of the hills. we pas[sed] several
places where the Indians appeared to have been diging roots
today and saw the fresh tracks of 8 or ten horses but they had
been wandering about in such a confused manner that we not
only lost the track of the ho[r]se which we had been pursuing
but could make nothing of them. in the head of this valley
we passed a large bog covered with tall grass and moss in which
were a great number of springs of cold pure water, we now
turned a little to the left along the foot of the high hills and
arrived at a small branch on which we encamped for the night,
having traveled in different directions about 20 Miles and
about 10 from the camp of last evening on a direct line. after
meeting with the Indian today I fixed a small flag of the U.S.
to a pole which I made Mc. Neal carry. and planted in the
ground where we halted or encamped.

This morning Capt Clark dispatched several hunters a head;
the morning being rainy and wet did not set out untill after an
early breakfast. he passed a large Island which he called the
3000 mile Island from the circumstance of it's being that distance
from the entrance of the Missouri by water.[1] a considerable
proportion of the bottom on Lard side is a bog covered
with tall grass and many parts would afford fine turf; the
bottom is about 5 Ms. wide and the plains which succeed it on
either side extend about the same distance to the base of the
mountains. they passed a number of small Islands and bayous
on both sides which cut and intersect the bottoms in various
directions. found the river shallow and rapid, insomuch that
the men wer compelled to be in the water a considerable proportion
of the day in drageing the canoes over the shoals and
riffles. they saw a number of geese ducks beaver & otter, also
some deer and antelopes. the men killed a beaver with a seting
pole and tommahawked several Otter. the hunters killed
3 deer and an Antelope. Capt. C. observed some bunches of
privy [privet] near the river. there are but few trees in this
botom and those small narrow leafed Cottonwood. the principal

growth is willow with the narrow leaf and Currant bushes.
they encamped this evening on the upper point of a large Island
near the Stard shore.

Courses and distances traveled by Capt Clark August 11th 1805.

       

S. 20°. W.	1.	to the lower point of 3000 M. Island. distance by water being 3. M. passing three small Islds 6 bends on Stard and 6 bayous on either side.
S. 25°. W.	1 1/2	to the head of the Island, distance by water 3 1/2 M. passing 7 bends on Lard opposite to the Island & two bayous on the same side. the Stard Channel passes near the Stard bluff.
South	2 1/2	to the upper point of a large Island, distance by water 7 1/2. the main channel on the Lard side passing 3
Miles	5	small Islands, and several small bayous and 15 bends on the Stard side.

[Clark:]

August 11th. Sunday 1805.

a Shower of rain this morning at Sun rise, Cloudy all the
morning wind from the S.W. passed a large Island which I
call the 3000 mile Island as it is Situated that distance from
the mouth of the Missouri by water, a number of Small
Bayoes running in different directions thro the Bottom, which
is about 5 miles wide, then rises to an ellivated plain on each
Side which extends as far. passed Several Small Islands and
a number of Bayoes on each Side and Encamped on the upper
point of a large Island, our hunters killed three Deer, one
antilope, and Tomahawked Several Orter to day killed one
Beaver with a Setting pole. I observed Some bunches of
Privey on the banks

[Lewis:]

Monday August 12th. 1805.

This morning I sent Drewyer out as soon as it was light,
to try and discover what rout the Indians had taken. he followed
the track of the horse we had pursued yesterday to the
mountain wher it had ascended, and returned to me in about
an hour and a half. I now determined to pursue the base of

the mountains which form this cove to the S.W. in the expectation
of finding some Indian road which lead over the Mountains,
accordingly I sent Drewyer to my right and Shields to
my left with orders to look out for a road or the fresh tracks
of horses either of which we should first meet with I had
determined to pursue. at the distance of about 4 miles we
passed 4 small rivulets near each other on which we saw som
resent bowers or small conic lodges formed with willow brush.
near them the indians had geathered a number of roots from
the manner in which they had toarn up the ground; but I
could not discover the root which they seemed to be in surch
of. I [saw] several large hawks that were nearly black. near
this place we fell in with a large and plain Indian road which
came into the cove from the N.E. and led along the foot of
the mountains to the S.W. o[b]liquely approaching the main
stream which we had left yesterday. this road we now pursued
to the S.W. at 5 miles it passed a stout stream which is
a principal fork of the ma[i]n stream and falls into it just above
the narrow pass between the two clifts before mentioned and
which we now saw below us. here we halted and breakfasted
on the last of our venison, having yet a small peice of pork in
reserve. after eating we continued our rout through the low
bottom of the main stream along the foot of the mountains
on our right the valley for 5 Mls. further in a S.W. direction
was from 2 to 3 miles wide the main stream now after discarding
two stream[s] on the left in this valley turns abruptly to
the West through a narrow bottom betwe[e]n the mountains. the
road was still plain, I therefore did not dispair of shortly finding
a passage over the mountains and of taisting the waters of
the great Columbia this evening. we saw an animal which we
took to be of the fox kind as large or reather larger than the
small wolf of the plains. it's colours were a curious mixture
of black, redis[h] brown and yellow. Drewyer shot at him
about 130 yards and knocked him dow[n] bet [but] he recovered
and got out of our reach. it is certainly a different animal
from any that we have yet seen.[2] we also saw several of the
heath cock with a long pointed tail and an uniform dark brown
colour but could not kill one of them. they are much larger
than the common dunghill fowls, and in their [h]abits and
manner of flying resemble the growse or prarie hen. at the
distance of 4 miles further the road took us to the most dis
tant fountain of the waters of the Mighty Missouri in surch
of which we have spent so many toilsome days and wristless
nights. thus far I had accomplished one of those great objects
on which my mind has been unalterably fixed for many years,
judge then of the pleasure I felt in all[a]ying my thirst with
this pure and ice-cold water which issues from the base of a
low mountain or hill of a gentle ascent for 1/2 a mile. the
mountains are high on either hand leave this gap at the head
of this rivulet through which the road passes. here I halted
a few minutes and rested myself. two miles below Mc. Neal had
exultingly stood with a foot on each side of this little rivulet
and thanked his god that he had lived to bestride the mighty
& heretofore deemed endless Missouri. after refreshing ourselves
we proceeded on to the top of the dividing ridge[3] from
which I discovered immence ranges of high mountains still to
the West of us with their tops partially covered with snow. I
now decended the mountain[4] about 3/4 of a mile which I found
much steeper than on the opposite side, to a handsome bold
runing Creek of cold Clear water. here I first tasted the water
of the great Columbia river.[5] after a short halt of a few minutes
we continued our march along the Indian road which lead
us over steep hills and deep hollows to a spring on the side of
a mountain where we found a sufficient quantity of dry willow
brush for fuel, here we encamped for the night having traveled
about 20 Miles. as we had killed nothing during the day we
now boiled and eat the remainder of our pork, having yet a
little flour and parched meal. at the creek on this side of the
mountain I observed a species of deep perple currant lower in
its growth, the stem more branched and leaf doubly as large
as that of the Missouri. the leaf is covered on it's under disk
with a hairy pubersence. the fruit is of the ordinary size and
shape of the currant and is supported in the usual manner, but
is ascid & very inferior in point of flavor.[6]

this morning Capt. Clark set out early. found the river
shoally, rapid, shallow, and extreemly difficult. the men in
the water almost all day. they are geting weak soar and much
fortiegued; they complained of the fortiegue to which the
navigation subjected them and wished to go by land Capt. C.
engouraged them and passifyed them. one of the canoes was
very near overseting in a rapid today. they proceeded but
slowly. at noon they had a thunderstorm which continued
about half an hour. their hunters killed 3 deer and a fawn.
they encamped in a smooth plain near a few cottonwood trees
on the Lard side.

Courses and distances traveled by Capt. Clark. August 12th 1805.

     

S. 8°. W.	2.	to the upper point of a large Island, distance by water 5 1/2 M. passing many Bayous, 3 Islands and 9 bends on the Stard side. the main channel on Stard side.
S. 10°. W.	2.	to a Stard bend. distant by water 6 1/2 passing 4 small
Miles	4.	and 2 large Islands, several bayous and a number of short bends. and a run of water on the Stard side.

[Clark:]

August 12th. Monday 1805.

We Set out early (Wind N.E.) proceeded on passed Several
large Islands and three Small ones, the river much more
Sholey than below which obliges us to haul the Canoes over
those Sholes which Suckceed each other at Short intervales
emencely laborious men much fatigued and weakened by

being continualy in the water drawing the Canoes over the
Sholes, encamped on the Lard Side men complain verry
much of the emence labour they are obliged to undergo &
wish much to leave the river. I passify them. the weather
Cool, and nothing to eate but venison, the hunters killed
three Deer to day.

[Lewis:]

Tuesday August 13th. 1805.

We set out very early on the Indian road which still led us
through an open broken country in a westerly direction. a
deep valley appeared to our left at the base of a high range of
mountains which extended from S.E. to N.W. having their
sides better clad with pine timber than we had been accustomed
to see the mountains and their tops were also partially
covered with snow. at the distance of five miles the road after
leading us down a long decending valley for 2 Ma brought us
to a large creek about 10 yds. wide; this we passed and on rising
the hill beyond it had a view of a handsome little valley
to our left of about a mile in width through which from the
appearance of the timber I conjectured that a river passed. I
saw near the creek some bushes of the white maple, the shumate
[sumac] of the small species with the winged rib,[7] and a
species of honeysuckle much in it's growth and leaf like the
small honeysuckle of the Missouri only reather larger and
bears a globular berry as large as a garden pea and as white as
wax. this berry is formed of a thin smooth pellicle which envellopes
a soft white musilagenous substance in which there
are several small brown seed irregularly scattered or intermixed
without any sell or perceptable membranous covering. we
had proceeded about four miles through a wavy plain parallel
to the valley or river bottom when at the distance of about a
mile we saw two women, a man and some dogs on an eminence
immediately before us. they appeared to v[i]ew us with attention
and two of them after a few minutes set down as if to wait
our arrival we continued our usual pace towards them. when

we had arrived within half a mile of them I directed the party
to halt and leaving my pack and rifle I took the flag which I
unfurled and a[d]vanced singly towards them the women
soon disappeared behind the hill, the man continued untill I
arrived within a hundred yards of him and then likewise
absconded. tho' I frequently repeated the word tab-ba-bone
sufficiently loud for him to have heard it. I now haistened to
the top of the hill where they had stood but could see nothing
of them. the dogs were less shye than their masters they
came about me pretty close I therefore thought of tying a
handkerchief about one of their necks with some beads and
other trinkets and then let them loose to surch their fugitive
owners thinking by this means to convince them of our pacific
disposition towards them but the dogs would not suffer me
to take hold of them; they also soon disappeared. I now
made a signal fror the men to come on, they joined me and we
pursued the back track of these Indians which lead us along
the same road which we had been traveling. the road was
dusty and appeared to have been much traveled lately both by
men and horses. these praries are very poor the soils is of a
light yellow clay, intemixed with small smooth gravel, and
produces little else but prickly pears, and bearded grass about
3 inches high. the prickley pear are of three species that with
a broad leaf common to the missouri; that of a globular form
also common to the upper pa[r]t of the Missouri and more
especially after it enters the Rocky Mountains, also a 3rd peculiar
to this country. it consists of small circular thick leaves
with a much greater number of thorns. these thorns are
stronger and appear to be barbed. the leaves grow from the
margins of each other as in the broad leafed pear of the missouri,
but are so slightly attached that when the thorn touches
your mockerson it adhears and brings with it the leaf covered
in every direction with many others. this is much the most
troublesome plant of the three. we had not continued our
rout more than a mile when we were so fortunate as to meet
with three female savages. the short and steep ravines which
we passed concealed us from each other untill we arrived within
30 paces. a young woman immediately took to flight, an
Elderly woman and a girl of about 12 years old remained. I
instantly laid by my gun and advanced towards them. they
appeared much allarmed but saw that we were to near for them
to escape by flight they therefore seated themselves on the
ground, holding down their heads as if reconciled to die which
the[y] expected no doubt would be their fate;[8] I took the
elderly woman by the hand and raised her up repeated the
word tab-ba-bone and strip[ped] up my shirt sleve to s[h]ew
her my skin; to prove to her the truth of the ascertion that I
was a white man for my face and ha[n]ds which have been
constantly exposed to the sun were quite as dark as their own.
they appeared instantly reconciled, and the men coming up I
gave these women some beads a few mockerson awls some
pewter looking-glasses and a little paint. I directed Drewyer
to request the old woman to recall the young woman who had
run off to some distance by this time fearing she might allarm
the camp before we approached and might so exasperate the
natives that they would perhaps attack us without enquiring
who we were. the old woman did as she was requested and
the fugitive soon returned almost out of breath. I bestoed an
equ[i]volent portion of trinket on her with the others. I now
painted their tawny cheeks with some vermillion which with
this nation is emblematic of peace. after they had become
composed I enformed them by signs that I wished them to
conduct us to their camp that we wer anxious to become
acquainted with the chiefs and warriors of their nation. they
readily obeyed and we set out, still pursuing the road down
the river. we had marched about 2 miles when we met a
party of about 60 warriors mounted on excellent horses who
came in nearly full speed, when they arrived I advanced
towards them with the flag leaving my gun with the party
about 50 paces behi[n]d me. the chief and two others who
were a little in advance of the main body spoke to the women,
and they informed them who we were and exultingly shewed
the presents which had been given them these men then
advanced and embraced me very affectionately in their way
which is by puting their left arm over you[r] wright sholder
clasping your back, while they apply their left cheek to yours
and frequently vociforate the word âh-hí–e, âh-hí-e that is, I am
much pleased, I am much rejoiced. bothe parties now advanced
and we wer all carresed and besmeared with their grease
and paint till I was heartily tired of the national hug. I now
had the pipe lit and gave them smoke; they seated themselves
in a circle around us and pulled of[f] their mockersons before
they would receive or smoke the pipe. this is a custom among
them as I afterwards learned indicative of a sacred obligation
of sincerity in their profession of friendship given by the act
of receiving and smoking the pipe of a stranger. or which is
as much as to say that they wish they may always go bearfoot
if they are not sincere; a pretty heavy penalty if they are to
march through the plains of their country. after smoking a
few pipes with them I distributed some trifles among them,
with which they seemed much pleased particularly with the
blue beads and vermillion. I now informed the chief that the
object of our visit was a friendly one, that after we should
reach his camp I would undertake to explain to him fully
those objects, who we wer, from whence we had come and
w[h]ither we were going; that in the mean time I did not
care how soon we were in motion, as the sun was very warm
and no water at hand. they now put on their mockersons,
and the principal chief Ca-me-âh-wait made a short speach to
the warriors. I gave him the flag which I informed him was
an emblem of peace among whitemen and now that it had
been received by him it was to be respected as the bond of
union between us. I desired him to march on, which [he]
did and we followed him; the dragoons moved on in squadron
in our rear. after we had marched about a mile in this order
he halted them and gave a second harang; after which six or
eight of the young men road forward to their encampment and
no further regularity was observed in the order of march. I
afterwards understood that the Indians we had first seen this
morning had returned and allarmed the camp; these men had
come out armed cap a pe for action expecting to meet with
their enimies the Minnetares of Fort de Prarie whome they
Call Pâh'-kees. they were armed with b[o]ws arrow and
Shields except three whom I observed with small pieces such
as the N.W. Company furnish the natives with which they
had obtained from the Rocky Mountain Indians on the Yellow
stone river with whom they are at peace. on our arrival at
their encampmen[t] on the river in a handsome level and
fertile bottom at the distance of 4 Ms. from where we had
first met them they introduced us to a londge made of willow
brush and an old leather lodge which had been prepared for
our reception by the young men which the chief had dispatched
for that purpose. Here we were seated on green
boughs and the skins of Antelopes. one of the warriors then
pulled up the grass in the center of the lodge forming a smal[l]
circle of about 2 feet in diameter the chief next produced his
pipe and native tobacco and began a long cerimony of the pipe
when we were requested to take of[f] our mockersons, the
Chief having previously taken off his as well as all the warriors
present. this we complyed with; the Chief then lit his pipe
at the fire kindled in this little magic circle, and standing on
the oposite side of the circle uttered a speach of several minutes
in length at the conclusion of which he pointed the stem
to the four cardinal points of the heavens first begining at the
East and ending with the North. he now presented the pipe
to me as if desirous that I should smoke, but when I reached
my hand to receive it, he drew it back and repeated the same
c[e]remony three times, after which he pointed the stem first
to the heavens then to the center of the magic circle smoked
himself with three whifs and held the pipe untill I took as
many as I thought proper; he then held it to each of the
white persons and then gave it to be consumed by his warriors.[9]
this pipe was made of a dense simitransparent green
stone very highly polished about 2 1/2 inches long and of an
oval figure, the bowl being in the same direction with the stem.
a small piece of birned clay is placed in the bottom of the bowl
to separate the tobacco from the end of the stem and is of an
irregularly rounded figure not fitting the tube purfectly close
in order that the smoke may pass. this is the form of the
pipe. their tobacco is of the same kind of that used by the

[ILLUSTRATION]

Minnetares Mandans and Ricares of the Missouri. the Shoshonees
do not cultivate this plant, but obtain it from the
Rocky mountain Indians and some of the bands of their own
nation who live further south. I now explained to them the
objects of our journey &c. all the women and children of the
camp were shortly collected about the lodge to indulge themselves
with looking at us, we being the first white persons they
had ever seen. after the cerimony of the pipe was over I distributed
the remainder of the small articles I had brought with
me among the women and children. by this time it was late
in the evening and we had not taisted any food since the evening
before. the Chief informed us that they had nothing but
berries to eat and gave us some cakes of serviceberries and
Choke cherries which had been dryed in the sun; of these I
made a hearty meal, and then walked to the river, which I
found about 40 yards wide very rapid clear and about 3 feet
deep. the banks low and abrupt as those of the upper part
of the Missouri, and the bed formed of loose stones and
gravel. Cameahwait informed me that this stream discharged
itself into another doubly as large at the distance of half a days
march which came from the S.W. but he added on further
enquiry that there was but little more timber below the junction
of those rivers than I saw here, and that the river was
confined between inacessable mountains, was very rapid and
rocky insomuch that it was impossible for us to pass either by
land or water down this river to the great lake where the white
men lived as he had been informed. this was unwelcome
information but I still hoped that this account had been exagerated
with a view to detain us among them. as to timber
I could discover not any that would answer the purpose of
constructing canoes or in short more than was bearly necessary
for fuel consisting of the narrow leafed Cottonwood and willow,
also the red willow Choke Cherry service berry and a few currant
bushes such as were common on the Missouri. these
people had been attacked by the Minetares of Fort de prarie
this spring and about 20 of them killed and taken prisoners.
on this occasion they lost a great part of their horses and all
their lodges except that which they had erected for our accomodation;
they were now living in lodges of a conic figure made
of willow brush. I still observe a great number of horses
feeding in every direction around their camp and therefore entertain
but little doubt but we shall be enable[d] to furnish
ourselves with an adiquate number to transport our stores even
if we are compelled to travel by land over these mountains.
on my return to my lodge an indian called me in to his bower
and gave me a small morsel of the flesh of an antelope boiled,
and a peice of a fresh salmon roasted; both which I eat with a
very good relish. this was the first salmon I had seen and
perfectly convinced me that we were on the waters of the
Pacific Ocean. the course of this river is a little to the North
of west as far as I can discover it; and is bounded on each side
by a range of high Mountains. tho' those on the E. side are
lowest and more distant from the river.

This evening the Indians entertained us with their dancing
nearly all night. at 12 O'Cp I grew sleepy and retired to
rest leaving the men to amuse themselves with the Indians.
I observe no essential difference between the music and manner
of dancing among this nation and those of the Missouri.
I was several times awoke in the course of the night by their
yells but was too much fortiegued to be deprived of a tolerable
sound night's repose.

This morning Capt Clark set out early having previously
dispatched some hunters ahead. it was cool and cloudy all
the forepart of the day, at 8 A.M. they had a slight rain.
they passed a number of shoals over which they were obliged

to drag the canoes; the men in the water 3/4ths. of the day,
the[y] passed a bold runing stream 7 yds. wide on the Lard. side
just below a high point of Limestone rocks. this stream we
call Mc. Neal's Creek after Hugh Mc. Neal one of our party.
this creek heads in the Mountains to the East and forms a
handsome valley for some miles between the mountains.1 from
the top of this limestone Clift above the creek The beaver's
head boar N 24 E.12.M the course of Wisdom river or
that which the opening of it's valley makes through the mountains
is N.25.W. to the gap through which Jefferson's river
enters the mountains above is S 18° W 10.M. they killed
one deer only today. saw a number of Otter some beaver
Antelopes ducks gees and Crains. they caught a number of
fine trout as they have every day since I left them. they
encamped on Lr[10] . in a smooth level prarie near a few cottonwood
trees, but were obliged to make use of the dry willow
brush for fuel.

Courses and distances travelled by Capt. Clark. August 13th. 1805.

     

South	1.	to a point of rocks about 70 feet high on Stard. distance by water 4 M. passing the head of the Island. at 2½ M opposite to which we encamped last evening. also the entrance of a bold Creek 7 Yds. wide on Lard. behind an Isld. this we called Mc. Neal's Creek, after Hugh McNeal of our party.
S. 30. W.	4.	to a Clift of high rocks on the Stard. side distance by water 12. M. passing several islds and bayous on either
Miles.	5	side the river very crooked and bends short.

[Clark:]

August 13th. Tuesday 1805—

a very Cool morning the Thermometer Stood at 52, a,
0′ all the fore part of the day. Cloudy at 8 oClock a mist
of rain we proceeded on passed enumerable Sholes obliged
to haul the boat 3/4 of the Day over the Shole water. passed
the mouth of a bold running Stream 7 yards wide on the Lar
Side below a high Point of Limestone rocks on the Star

Side. this Creek heads in the mountains to the easte and
forms a Vallie between two mounatins. I call this stream
Mc. Neal Creek From the top of this rock the

Point of the Beaver head hill bears N. 24° E 12 Ms.

The Course of the Wisdom river is N. 25° W.
The gap at the place the river passes thro' a mountain in
advance is S 18° W. 10 Ms.

proceeded on and Encamped on the Lard. side no wood
except dry willows and them Small, one Deer killed to day.
The river obliges the men to undergo great fatigue and labour
in hauling the Canoes over the Sholes in the Cold water
naked.

[Lewis:]

Wednesday August 14th.

In order to give Capt. Clark time to reach the forks of Jefferson's
river I concluded to spend this day at the Shoshone[11]
Camp and obtain what information I could with rispect to the
country. as we had nothing but a little flour and parched
meal to eat except the berries with which the Indians furnished
us I directed Drewyer and Shields to hunt a few hours and
try to kill something, the Indians furnished them with horses
and most of their young men also turned out to hunt. the
game which they principally hunt is the Antelope which they
pursue on horseback and shoot with their arrows. this animal
is so extreemly fleet and dureable that a single horse has no
possible chance to overtake them or run them down. the
Indians are therefore obliged to have recorce to strategem
when they discover a herd of the Antelope they seperate and
scatter themselves to the distance of five or six miles in different

directions arround them generally scelecting some commanding
eminence for a stand; some one or two now pursue
the herd at full speed over the hills vallies gullies and the
sides of precipices that are tremendious to view. thus after
runing them from five to six or seven miles the fresh horses
that were in waiting head them and drive them back persuing
them as far or perhaps further quite to the other extreem of
the hunters who now in turn pursue on their fresh horses thus
worrying the poor animal down and finally killing them with
their arrows. forty or fifty hunters will be engaged for half
a day in this manner and perhaps not kill more than two or
three Antelopes. they have but few Elk or black tailed deer,
and the common red deer they cannot take as they secrete
themselves in the brush when pursued, and they have only
the bow and arrow w[h]ich is a very slender dependence for
killing any game except such as they can run down with their
horses. I was very much entertained with a view of this indian
chase; it was after a herd of about 10 Antelope and about 20
hunters. it lasted about 2 hours and considerable part of the
chase in view from my tent. about 1. A.M. the hunters returned
had not killed a single Antelope, and their horses
foaming with sweat. my hunters returned soon after and had
been equally unsuccessfull. I now directed Mc.Neal to make
me a little paist with the flour and added some berries to it
which I found very pallatable.

The means I had of communicating with these people was
by way of Drewyer who understood perfectly the common language
of jesticulation or signs which seems to be universally
understood by all the Nations we have yet seen.[12] it is true

that this language is imperfect and liable to error but is much
less so than would be expected. the strong parts of the ideas
are seldom mistaken.[13]

I now told Cameahwait that I wished him to speak to his
people and engage them to go with me tomorrow to the forks
of Jeffersons river where our baggage was by this time arrived
with another Chief and a large party of whitemen who would
wait my return at that place. that I wish them to take with
them about 30 spare horses to transport our baggage to this
place where we would then remain sometime among them and
trade with them for horses, and finally concert our future plans
for geting on to the ocean and of the traid which would be
extended to them after our return to our homes. he complyed
with my request and made a lengthey harrangue to his village.
he returned in about an hour and a half and informed me that
they would be ready to accompany me in the morning. I
promised to reward them for their trouble. Drewyer who had
had a good view of their horses estimated them at 400. most
of them are fine horses. indeed many of them would make
a figure on the South side of James River or the land of
fine horses. I saw several with spanish brands on them, and
some mules which they informed me that they had also obtained
from the Spaniards. I also saw a bridle bit of spanish
manufactary, and sundry other articles which I have no doubt
were obtained from the same source.[14] notwithstanding the
extreem poverty of those poor people they are very merry
they danced again this evening until midnight. each warrior
keep[s] one or more horses tyed by a cord to a stake near his

lodge both day and night and are always prepared for action at
a moments warning. they fight on horseback altogether. I
observe that the large flies are extreemly troublesome to the
horses as well as ourselves.

The morning being cold and the men stif and soar from the
exertions of yesterday Capt. Clark did not set out this morning
untill 7. A.M. the river was so crooked and rapid that they
made but little way. at one mile he passed a bold runing
stream on Stard which heads in a mountain to the North, on
which there is snow. this we called track Creek. it is 4 yards
wide and 3 feet deep at 7 Ms. passed a stout stream which
heads in some springs under the foot of the mountains on
Lard. the river near the mountain they found one continued
rapid, w[h]ich was extreemly laborious and difficult to ascend.
this evening Charbono struck his indian Woman for which
Capt. C. gave him a severe repremand. Joseph and Reubin
Fields killed 4 deer and an Antelope, Capt. C. killed a buck.
several of the men have lamed themselves by various accedents
in working the canoes through this difficult part of the river,
and Capt. C. was obliged personally to assist them in this labour.
they encamped this evening on Lard. side near the rattlesnake
Clift.

Courses and distances traveled by Capt. Clark. August 14th 1805.

   

S. 14° W.	7.	to the gap of the mountain at the rattlesnake Clifts where the river enters the mountains. the same being 16 miles by the meanders of the river. the river cold shoally and one continued rapid throughout. passed a number of small Islands and bayous on either side. passed a bold running stream on Stard at 1 M. called track Creek. also another at 6 M. higher up, or Lard. side. and encamped on Lard. 2 Miles by water
Miles	7.	short of the extremity of this course distance by land scarcely 1/2 a Mile.

[Clark:]

August 14th. Wednesday 1805.

a Cold morning wind from the S.W. The Thermomete
Stood at 51° a o, at Sunrise the morning being cold and
men Stiff. I deturmind to delay & take brackfast at the

place we Encamped. we Set out at 7 oClock and proceeded
on river verry Crooked and rapid as below Some fiew trees
on the borders near the mountain, passed a bold running
Stream at 1 mile on the Stard. Side which heads in a mountain
to the North on which there is Snow passed a bold running
Stream on the Lard. Side which heads in a Spring undr a mountain,
the river near the mountain is one continued rapid,
which requres great labour to push & haul the Canoes up.
We Encamped on the Lard Side near the place the river passes
thro' the mountain. I checked our interpreter for Striking his
woman at their Dinner.

The hunters Jo. & R. Fields killed 4 Deer & a antilope,
I killed a fat Buck in the evening, Several men have hurt
themselves pushing up the Canoes. I am oblige to [use] a
pole occasionally.

[Lewis:]

Thursday August 15th. 1805.

This morning I arrose very early and as hungary as a wolf.
I had eat nothing yesterday except one scant meal of the flour
and berries except the dryed cakes of berries which did not
appear to satisfy my appetite as they appeared to do those of
my Indian friends. I found on enquiry of M.cNeal that we
had only about two pounds of flour remaining. this I directed
him to divide into two equal parts and to cook the one half
this morning in a kind of pudding with the burries as he had
done yesterday and reserve the ballance for the evening. on
this new fashoned pudding four of us breakfasted, giving a
pretty good allowance also to the Chief who declared it the
best thing he had taisted for a long time. he took a little of
the flour in his hand, taisted and examined [it] very scrutinously
and asked me if we made it of roots. I explained to
him the manner in which it grew. I hurried the departure of
the Indians. the Chief addressed them several times before
they would move they seemed very reluctant to accompany
me. I at length asked the reason and he told me that some
foolish persons among them had suggested the idea that we
were in league with the Pahkees and had come on in order to

decoy them into an ambuscade where their enimies were waiting
to receive them. but that for his part he did not believe
it. I readily perceived that our situation was not enterely free
from danger as the transicion from suspicion to the confermation
of the fact would not be very difficult in the minds of these
ignorant people who have been accustomed from their infancy
to view every stranger as an enimy. I told Cameahwait that I
was sorry to find that they had put so little confidence in us,
that I knew they were not acquainted with whitemen and therefore
could forgive them. that among whitemen it was considered
disgracefull to lye or entrap an enimy by falsehood.
I told him if they continued to think thus meanly of us that
they might rely on it that no whitemen would ever come to
trade with them or bring them arms and amunition and that
if the bulk of his nation still entertained this opinion I still
hoped that there were some among them that were not affraid
to die, that were men and would go with me and convince
themselves of the truth of what I had asscerted. that there
was a party of whitemen waiting my return either at the forks
of Jefferson's river or a little below coming on to that place in
canoes loaded with provisions and merchandize. he told me
for his own part he was determined to go, that he was not
affraid to die. I soon found that I had touched him on the
right string; to doubt the bravery of a savage is at once to put
him on his metal. he now mounted his horse and haranged
his village a third time; the perport of which as he afterwards
told me was to inform them that he would go with us and convince
himself of the truth or falsity of what we had told him
if he was sertain he should be killed, that he hoped there were
some of them who heard him were not affraid to die with him
and if there was to let him see them mount their horses and
prepare to set out. shortly after this harange he was joined
by six or eight only and with these I smoked a pipe and directed
the men to put on their packs being determined to set out with
them while I had them in the humour at half after 12 we set
out, several of the old women were crying and imploring the
great sperit to protect their warriors as if they were going to inevitable
distruction. we had not proceeded far before our party
was augmented by ten or twelve more, and before we reached
the Creek which we had passed in the morning of the 13th it
appeared to me that we had all the men of the village and a
number of women with us. this may serve in some measure
to ilustrate the capricious disposition of those people, who never
act but from the impulse of the moment. they were now very
cheerfull and gay, and two hours ago they looked as sirly as
so many imps of satturn. when we arrived at the spring on
the side of the mountain where we had encamped on the 12th the
Chief insi[s]ted on halting to let the horses graize with which
I complyed and gave the Indians smoke. they are excessively
fond of the pipe; but have it not much in their power to indulge
themselves with even their native tobacco as they do not
cultivate it themselves. after remaining about an hour we
again set out, and by engaging to make compensation to four
of them for their trouble obtained the previlege of riding with
an indian myself and a similar situation for each of my party.
I soon found it more tiresome riding without [s]tirrups than
walking and of course chose the latter making the Indian carry
my pack. about sunset we reached the upper part of the level
valley of the Cove which [we] now called Shoshone Cove.
the grass being birned on the North side of the river we passed
over to the south and encamped near some willow brush about
4 miles above the narrow pass between the hills noticed as I
came up this cove. the river was here about six yards wide,
and frequently damed up by the beaver. I had sent Drewyer
forward this evening before we halted to kill some meat but he
was unsuccessfull and did not rejoin us untill after dark I now
cooked and [divided] among six of us [to] eat the remaining
pound of flour stired in a little boiling water. Capt. Clark delayed
again this morning untill after breakfast, when he set out
and passed between low and rugged mountains which had a few
pine trees distributed over them. the clifts are formed of limestone
and a hard black rock intermixed. no trees on the river,
the bottoms narrow river crooked shallow shoally and rapid.
the water is as coald as that of the best springs in our country.
the men as usual suffered excessively with fatiegue and the
coldness of the water to which they were exposed for hours
together. at the distance of 6 miles by water they passed the
entrance of a bold creek on Stard. side 10 yds. wide and 3 f. 3 I.
deep which we called Willard's Creek[15] after Alexander Willard
one of our party. at 4 miles by water from their encampment
of las[t] evening passed a bold branch which tumbled down a
steep precipice of rocks from the mountains on the Lard. Capt.
Clark was very near being bitten twice today by rattlesnakes,
the Indian woman also narrowly escaped. they caught a
number of fine trout. Capt. Clark killed a buck which was
the only game killed today. the venison has an uncommon
bitter taist which is unpleasant I presume it proceeds from
some article of their food, perhaps the willow, on the leaves
of which they feed very much. they encamped this evening
on the Lard. side[16] near a few cottonwood trees, about which
there were the remains of several old Indian brush lodges.

Courses and distances traveled by Capt. Clark August 15th 1805.

       

S. 25° W.	4.	to the entrance of Willard's Creek on Stard. 10 Yds wide bold current. so called from Alexander Willard one of our party. the distance by water 6 Miles. passed a point of rocks at 2 M. on Stard. a bold run on Lard. at 4. Miles; a second point of rocks on Lard. at 5 and an Island.
S. 22° E.	1.	to a small bottom on the Lard. side, passing a high clift on Stard. opposite to a steep sloping hill. the same being 3. M. by water
S. 20° W.	2	M. to a small branch on Lard. side near which is a small bottom covered with clover and a few cottonwood trees where they encamped on Lard. side for the
Miles	7	evening.

During my absence Capt. Clark had made the following
observations.

Point of Observation No. 41.

August 11th 1805. on the upper point of an island at the encampment
of this evening, observed time and distance of D's Western limb from
Antares. * West. with Sextant.

               

	Time	Distance		Time	Distance
	h m s	o ′ ″		h m s	o ′ ″
P.M.	9. 38. 1.	91. 57. -.	P.M.	9. 54. 31.	91. 49. 45.
	". 41. 20.	". 56. 45.		". 56. 11.	". 48. 30.
	". 44. 39.	". 55. 15.		". 58. 14.	".48—.
	". 47. 8.	". 54. 30.		10. –. 23.	". 47. 45.
	".50. 38.	". 54. 15.		". 1. 39.	". 47. 45.
	". 51. 52.	". 53. 45.		". 2. 32.	". 47.—.

 

Longitude deduced from this observation } West from Greenwich

[blank space in MS.]

Point of Observation No. 42.

August 15th. 1805. On the Lard. side of the Missouri at the rattlesnake
Clifts. Observed

     

Meridian Altitude of ☉'s L. L. } with Octant by the back observation	65° 47′-″
Latitude deduced from this observation	44° -′ 48″1.
this place ought to stand at about	44° 50′. or thereabouts.

[Clark:]

August 15th. Thursday 1805

a Cool windey morning wind from the SW we proceeded
on thro' a ruged low mountain Water rapid as usial passed
a bold running Stream which falls from the mountain on the
Lard. Side at 4 miles also a bold running Stream 10 yards
wide on the Stard Side 9 feet 3 In. Deep at 6 miles, willards
Creek the bottoms narrow, the Clifs of a Dark brown Stone
Some limestone intermixed. an Indian road passes on the
Lard Side latterly used. Took a Meridian altitude at the
Com.mt of the Mountain with Octant 65° 47′ O″ The Latd
44°-0′-48″ 1/10 proceeded on with great labour & fatigue to
the Mouth of a Small run on the Lard. Side passed Several
Spring runs, the men Complain much of their fatigue and

being repetiedly in the water which weakens them much perticularly
as they are obliged to live on pore Deer meet which
has a Singular bitter taste. I have no accounts of Capt Lewis
Sence he Set out

In walking on Shore I Saw Several rattle Snakes and
narrowly escaped at two different times, as also the Squar when
walking with her husband on Shore. I killed a Buck nothing
else killed to day. This mount.n I call rattle Snake mountain.
not one tree on either Side to day[17]

[Lewis:]

Friday August 16th. 1805.

I sent Drewyer and Shields before this morning in order to
kill some meat as neither the Indians nor ourselves had any
thing to eat. I informed the C[h]eif of my view in this
measure, and requested that he would keep his young men
with us lest by their hooping and noise they should allarm the
game and we should get nothing to eat, but so strongly were
there suspicions exited by this measure that two parties of discovery
immediately set out one on e[a]ch side of the valley to
watch the hunters as I beleive to see whether they had not
been sent to give information of their approach to an enemy
that they still preswaided themselves were lying in wait for
them. I saw that any further effort to prevent their going
would only add strength to their suspicions and therefore said
no more. after the hunters had been gone about an hour we
set out. we had just passed through the narrows when we saw
one of the spies comeing up the level plain under whip, the
chief pawsed a little and seemed somewhat concerned, I felt a
good deel so myself and began to suspect that by some unfortunate
accedent that perhaps some of there enimies had
straggled hither at this unlucky moment; but we were all
agreeably disappointed on the arrival of the young man to
learn that he had come to inform us that one of the whitemen
had killed a deer. in an instant they all gave their horses the

whip and I was taken nearly a mile before I could learn what
were the tidings; as I was without [s]tirrups and an Indian
behind me the jostling was disagreeable I therefore reigned
up my horse and forbid the indian to whip him who had given
him the lash at every jum[p] for a mile fearing he should
loose a part of the feast. the fellow was so uneasy that he
left me the horse dismounted and ran on foot at full speed I
am confident a mile. when they arrived where the deer was
which was in view of me they dismounted and ran in tumbling
over each other like a parcel of famished dogs each seizing and
tearing away a part of the intestens which had been previously
thrown out by Drewyer who killed it; the seen was such
when I arrived that had I not have had a pretty keen appetite
myself I am confident I should not have taisted any part of
the venison shortly. each one had a peice of some discription
and all eating most ravenously. some were eating the kidnies
the melt and liver and the blood runing from the corners of
their mouths, others were in a similar situation with the
paunch and guts but the exuding substance in this case from
their lips was of a different discription. one of the last who
att[r]acted my attention particularly had been fortunate in his
allotment or reather active in the division, he had provided
himself with about nine feet of the small guts one end of which
he was chewing on while with his hands he was squezzing the
contents out at the other. I really did not untill now think
that human nature ever presented itself in a shape so nearly
allyed to the brute creation. I viewed these poor starved
divils with pity and compassion I directed Mc. Neal to skin
the deer and reserved a quarter, the ballance I gave the Chief
to be divided among his people; they devoured the whole of
it nearly without cooking. I now boar obliquely to the left in
order to interscept the creek where there was some brush to
make a fire, and arrived at this stream where Drewyer had
killed a second deer; here nearly the same seene was encared
[sc. enacted]. a fire being kindled we cooked and eat and
gave the ballance of the two deer to the Indians who eat the
whole of them even to the soft parts of the hoofs. Drewyer
joined us at breakfast with a third deer. of this I reserved a
quarter and gave the ballance to the Indians. they all appeared
now to have filled themselves and were in a good
humour. this morning early soon after the hunters set out a
considerable part of our escort became allarmed and returned
28 men and three women only continued with us. after eating
and suffering the horses to graize about 2 hours we renued our
march and towa[r]ds evening arrived at the lower part of the
cove Shields killed an Antelope on the way a part of which
we took and gave the remainder to the Indians. being now
informed of the place at which I expected to meat Cap.t C. and
the party they insisted on making a halt, which was complyed
with. we now dismounted and the Chief with much cerimony
put tippets about our necks such as they t[h]emselves woar
I redily perceived that this was to disguise us and owed it's
origine to the same cause already mentioned. to give them
further confidence I put my cocked hat with feather on the
chief and my over shirt being of the Indian form my hair
deshivled and skin well browned with the sun I wanted no
further addition to make me a complete Indian in appearance
the men followed my example and we were so[o]n completely
metamorphosed. I again repeated to them the possibility of
the party not having arrived at the place which I expected
they were, but assured them they could not be far below, lest
by not finding them at the forks their suspicions might arrise
to such hight as to induce them to return precipitately. we
now set out and rode briskly within sight of the forks making
one of the Indians carry the flag that our own party should
know who we were. when we arrived in sight at the distance
of about 2 miles I discovered to my mortification that the
party had not arrived, and the Indians slackened their pace.
I now scarcely new what to do and feared every moment when
they would halt altogether, I now determined to restore their
confidence cost what it might and therefore gave the Chief my
gun and told him that if his enimies were in those bushes
before him that he could defend himself with that gun, that
for my own part I was not affraid to die and if I deceived him
he might make what uce of the gun he thought proper or in
other words that he might shoot me. the men also gave their
guns to other indians which seemed to inspire them with more
confidence; they sent their spies before them at some distance
and when I drew near the place I thought of the notes which
I had left and directed Drewyer to go with an Indian man and
bring them to me which he did. the indian seeing him take
the notes from the stake on which they had been placed. I
now had recource to a stratagem in which I thought myself
justifyed by the occasion, but which I must confess set a little
awkward. it had it's desired effect. after reading the notes
which were the same I had left I told the Chief that when I
had left my brother Chief with the party below where the river
entered the mountain that we both agreed not to bring the
canoes higher up than the next forks of the river above us
wherever this might happen, that there he was to wait my
return, should he arrive first, and that in the event of his not
being able to travel as fast as usual from the difficulty of the
water, that he was to send up to the first forks above him and
leave a note informing me where he was, that this note was
left here today and that he informed me that he was just below
the mountains and was coming on slowly up, and added that I
should wait here for him, but if they did not beleive me that
I should send a man at any rate to the Chief and they might
also send one of their young men with him, that myself and
two others would remain with them at this place. this plan
was readily adopted and one of the young men offered his
services; I promised him a knife and some beads as a reward
for his confidence in us. most of them seemed satisfyed but
there were several that complained of the Chief's exposing
them to danger unnecessarily and said that we told different
stories, in short a few were much dissatisfyed. I wrote a note
to Capt. Clark by the light of some willow brush and directed
Drewyer to set out early being confident that there was not a
moment to spare. the chief and five or six others slept about
my fire and the others hid themselves in various parts of the
willow brush to avoid the enimy whom they were fearfull
would attack tham in the course of the night. I now entertained
various conjectures myself with rispect to the cause of
Capt. Clarks detention and was even fearfull that he had found
the river so difficult that he had halted below the Rattlesn ke
bluffs. I knew that if these people left me that they would
immediately disperse and secrete themselves in the mountains
where it would be impossible to find them or at least in vain
to pursue them and that they would spread the allarm to all
other bands within our reach & of course we should be disappointed
in obtaining horses, which would vastly retard and
increase the labour of our voyage and I feared might so discourage
the men as to defeat the expedition altogether. my
mind was in reallity quite as gloomy all this evening as the
most affrighted indian but I affected cheerfullness to keep the
Indians so who were about me. we finally laid down and
the Chief placed himself by the side of my musquetoe bier.
I slept but little as might be well expected, my mind dwelling
on the state of the expedition which I have ever held in equal
estimation with my own existence, and the fait of which appeared
at this moment to depend in a great measure upon the
caprice of a few savages who are ever as fickle as the wind. I
had mentioned to the chief several times that we had with us
a woman of his nation who had been taken prisoner by the
Minnetares, and that by means of her I hoped to explain
myself more fully than I could do signs. some of the party
had also told the Indians that we had a man with us who was
black and had short curling hair, this had excited their
curiossity very much. and they seemed quite as anxious to
see this monster as they wer[e] the merchandize which we had
to barter for their horses.

At 7. AM. Capt. C. set out after breakfast. he changed
the hands in some of the canoes; they proceeded with more
ease than yesterday, yet they found the river still rapid and
shallow insomuch that they were obliged to drag the large
canoes the greater part of the day. the water excessively cold.
in the evening they passed several bad rapids. considerable
quantities of the buffaloe clover grows along the narrow
bottoms through which they passed. there was no timber
except a few scatiring small pine on the hills. willow service
berry and currant bushes were the growth of the river bottoms.
they geatherd considerable quantities of service berries, and

caught some trout. one deer was killed by the hunters who
slept out last night. and did not join the party untill 10. A.M.
Capt. Clark sent the hunters this evening up to the forks of
the river which he discovered from an eminence; they mus[t]
have left this place but a little time before we arrived. this
evening they encamped on the Lard. side only a few miles
below us. and were obliged like ourselves to make use of small
willow brush for fuel. the men were much fatigued and
exhausted this evening.

Courses and distances traveled by Cap.t Clark August 16th. 1805.

         

S. 18°. W.	3.	to a Lard. bend under a low bluff, distance by water 7. M. the river bending to the Stard. under some high land, very crooked narrow shallow and small. passed several Islands 4 of which were opposite to each other. called this service berry Valley, from the great abundance of that fruit found here.
S. 12° W.	2.	to a high Clift on the Stard. side, distance by water 4. M. passed several Isl.ds and bayous on either Side.
S. 50° E.	1.	to the entrance of a bold running stream on Lard. side, distance by water 2 1/2 M. at this place there is a very considerable rapid and clifts near on both sides
S. 45° W.	1/2	mile to the lower point of an Island near the center of
Miles	6 1/2	the Valley and river.

[Clark:]

August 16th. Friday 1805

as this morning was Cold and the men fatigued Stiff and
Chilled, deturmined me to detain & take brackfast before I set
out, I changed the hands and Set out at 7 oClock proceeded
on Something better than yesterday for the fore part of
the Day passed Several rapids in the latter part of the day
near the hills river passed between 2 hills I saw a great
number of Service berries now ripe: the Yellow Current are
also Common I observe the long leaf Clover in great plenty
in the Vallie below this vallie. Some fiew tres on the river
no timber on the hills or mounts. except a fiew Small Pine &
Cedar. The Thmt.r Stood at 48°. a. o. at Sunrise wind SW.
The hunters Joined me at 1 oClock, I dispatched two men

to prosue an Indian roade over the hills for a fiew miles, at
the narrows I assended a mountain from the top of which I
could See that the river forked near me the left hand appeared
the largest & bore S.E. the right passed from the West
thro' an extencive Vallie, I could See but three Small trees in
any Direction from the top of this mountain. passed an
Isl.d and Encamped on the Lard. Side[18] the only wood was
Small willows