University of Virginia Library

[Clark:]

14th. of May Tuesday 1805

A verry clear cold morning a white frost & some fog on the
river the Thermomt. stood at 32 above 0, wind from the

S.W. we proceeded on verry well untill about 6 oClock a
squawl of wind Struck our Sale broad side and turned the
perogue nearly over, and in this Situation the Perogue remained
untill the Sale was cut down in which time she nearly
filed with water. the articles which floated out was nearly all
caught by the Squar who was in the rear. This accident had
like to have cost us deerly; for in this perogue were embarked
our papers, Instruments, books, medicine, a great proportion
of our merchandize, and in short almost every article indispensibly
necessary to further the views, an insure the success
of the enterprize in which, we are now launched to the distance
of 2,200 miles. it happened unfortunately that Capt. Lewis
and myself were both on shore at the time of this occurrence,
a circumstance which seldom took place; and tho' we were on
the shore opposit to the perogue were too far distant to be
heard or do more than remain spectators of her fate; we discharged
our guns with the hope of attracting the attention of
the crew and ordered the sail to be taken in but such was their
consternation and confusion at the instant that they did not
hear us. when however they at length took in the sail and
the perogue wrighted; the boatman Cruzatte by repeated
threats so far brought Charbono the stersman to his recollection
that he did his duty while two hands bailed the perogue
and Cruzatte and two others rowed her on shore were she
arrived scarcely above the water. we owe the preservation of
the perogue to the resolution and fortitude of Cruzatte.[12]
the countrey like that of yesterday, passed a Small Island
and the enterence of 3 large Creeks, one on the Stard. & the
other 2 on the Lard Side, nether of them had any running
water at this time. Six good hunters of the party fired at a
Brown or Yellow Bear several times before they killed him, &
indeed he had like to have defeated the whole party, he pursued
them seperately as they fired on him, and was near catching
several of them one he pursued into the river, this bear
was large & fat would way about 500lbs; I killed a Buffalow,
& Capt Lewis a Calf & a wolf this evening

Course & Distance May 14th. 1805

                   

	mile
S. 55°. W.	1	on the Lard Side swift water
S. 35°. W	1/2	allong the Lard Side opsd. the lower point of an 1sd. in a bind to Std. Side.
S. 20°. W.	1/2	allong the Lard Side passed the hd of the 1sd. opsd. to which a large creek falls in on the Std Side. Gibson Creek
S. 12°. E.	3	to a point of timber on the Std. Side high hills on the Lard Side
S. 20°. W	2 1/2	to a point of timbered land on the Std Side, a bluff on Lard Side
S. 80°. W	3	to a point of timbered land on the Lard. Side, passd. a point of wood land on the Std Side at 1 mile
S. 85°. W	2 1/2	to a point of timbered land on Lard. sd Passd. Yellow Bear Defeat creek 40 yds wide
S. 62°. W	3 1/2	to a point of wood land on the Stard Side, at which place one perogue like to have been lost & we camped
	16 1/2