University of Virginia Library

Friday May 24th. 1805.[4]

The water standing in the vessels freized during the night
1/8 of an inch thick, ice also appears along the verge of the
river. the folage of some of the cottonwood trees have been
entirely distroyed by the frost and are again puting forth other
buds. the high country in which we are at present and have
been passing for some days I take to be a continuation of what
the Indians as well as the French Engages call the Black hills.
This tract of country so called consists of a collection of high
broken and irregular hills and short chain of mountains sometimes
120 miles in width and again becomeing much narrower,
but always much higher than the country on either side; they
commence about the head of the Kanzas river and to the West
of that river near the Arkansas, from whence they take their
course a little to the W. of N. W. approaching the rockey
Mountains obliquely, passing the river platte above the forks
and intercepting the Yellowstone river near the bigbend and
passing the Missouri at this place and probably continuing to
swell the country as far North as the Saskashawan river. tho'
they are lower here than they are discribed to the Sth. and may
therefore probably terminate before they reach the Suskashawan.
the black hills in their course no[r]thwardly appear to
approach more nearly to the Rocky Mountains.

We set out at an early hour this morning and proceed on
principally by the chord untill about 9 A.M. when a fine
breeze sprung up from the S. E. and enabled us th[r]ough the
ballance of the day to employ our sails to advantage; we proceed
at a pretty good pace notwithstanding the courant of the
river was very strong. we passed two large and four small
Islands; also several streams on either side; the first of these
is a large Creek or small river which disenboged on the Stard.
side about 1 1/2 miles above our encampment of last evening, it
is 30 yards wide and contains some water. the bed is gravley
and intermixed with some stone, it takes its rise in the mountains
which are situated in a Northwardly direction from its

entrance, distant about 30 Miles. the air is so pure in this
open country that mountains and other elivated objects appear
much nearer than they really are; these mountains do not
appear to be further than 15 M. we sent a man up this creek
to explore the country he returned late in the evening and
informed that he had proceeded ten miles directly towards
these mountains and that he did not think himself by any
mean[s] half way these mountains are rockey and covered
with some scattering pine. This stream we call North Mountain
creek; the next stream in order is a creek which falls in
on Lard. 2 1/2 miles higher; this is 15 yds. wide no water; a large
village of the burrowing or barking squirrels on the Stard. side
opposite it's entrance, hence the name Little dog Ck. that being
the name by which the French Engages call this anamal. at
three miles and at 10 Ms. from hence still ascending 2 Small
creek[s] fall in on the Stard. side, no water. 51/2 miles higher a
small river falls in on Lard. side this we called South Mountain
creek as from it's direction it appeared to take it's rise in
a range of Mountains lying in a S. Westerly direction from it's
entrance distant 50 or 60 M.; this creek is 40 yards wide and
discharges a handsome stream of water. it's bed is rockey
with gravel and sand, the banks high and country broken it's
bottom narrow and no timber. The country high and broken,
a considerable portion of black rock and brown sandy rock
appear in the faces of the hills; the tops of the hills covered
with scattering pine spruce and dwarf cedar; the soil poor and
sterile, sandy near the tops of the hills, the whole producing
but little grass; the narrow bottoms of the Missouri producing
little else but Hysop or southern wood and the pulpy leafed
thorn. Capt. Clark walked on shore this evening and killed a
buffaloe cow, we left 2 Canoes and six men to dress the Cow
and bring on the meat, they did not overtake us this evening.
game is becoming more scarce, particularly beaver, of which
we have seen but few for several days the beaver appears to
keep pace with the timber as it declines in quantity they also
become more scarce.

Courses and distance May 24th. 1805.

                                   

S. 60° W.	1 1/2	Mls. To the entrance of N. Mountain Creek in a bend Sd. side.
S. 20° W.	1	To a point of wood Stard. point opposite to a bluff
S. 75° W.	1/4.	Along the Stard. point opposite to a bluff
N. 65° W.	1 1/4.	Along the Stard. side opposite an Island near the Lard side under a bluff in a bend, a creek falls in above. this bluff opposite to a Village of burrowing Squirrels.
N. 45° W.	1/4.	To a point on the Lard. side, passing bad water.
N. 70° W.	2 3/4.	To a grove of trees at the entrance of a Creek in a bend on Stard. passing a stard. point at 1 1/2 miles.
S. 48° W.	1.	To a point of woodland Lard. side.
S. 50° W.	1 1/2.	To a point of woodland Stard. side, opposite to a low bluff and high piney hill.
West	2 1/2.	To the lower point of the timber in a bend on Lard. passing a Stard. point at 1 1/2 Mls. opposite the Lower point of a small Island.
N. 60° W.	2 1/4.	To the lower point of the timber in a Stard. bend, passing the Island at 1/4 of a Mile, a creek falls in on the Stard.—small and no water.
S. 50° W.	1 1/4	To a bluff in a Lard. bend passing a small Island
S. 80° W.	1 1/4	To a point of wood Stard. passed a bluff Lard.
West	3	To the point of a high bluff in a bend on Lard. just below which S. Mtn. Creek falls in on Lard.
N. 70° W.	1/2	To a Stard. point of wood.
N. 50° W.	1	To a point of woodland Stard. Side.
West	2	To some high timber on the Stard. side oppst. a bluff.
N. 70° W	2.	To a point of woodland Lard. the trees here have no leaves here we encamped for the night.
Miles	24 1/4

Point of Observation N. 23. Friday May 24th. 1805.

On the Stard. point mentioned in the sixth course of this day, observed
time and distance of ☉'s and D's nearest limbs ☉ East. with
Sextant.

                           

	Time	Distance
	h m s	o ′ ″
A.M.—	10 39 47	54 38—	by myself
	" 41 35	" 37 30
	" 49 23	" 35—
	" 53 55	" 34 45	by Capt. Clark
	" 55 23	" 32 15
	" 56 56.	" 31—
A.M.	10 59 35	54 30. 45
	11. 3. 55	". 28. 15	by Capt. Clark
	". 5. 4.	". 28.—
	". 8. 17	". 27. 15.
	" 10. 17.	". 26. 30.	By Myself
	" 11. 30	". 25. 45.