University of Virginia Library

[Clark, first draft:]

Novr. 8th. Friday 1805.

a cloudy morning some rain and wind we changed our
clothes and set out at 9 oClock proceeded on close under the
Stard. Side

   

S. 63°. W. 2	miles to a point on the Stard. Side passing under high mountainious country. some low Islands opposit at about 3 miles 3 Inds in a canoe over took us
S. 60°. W. 6	miles to Cape swells[27] on the Stard Side, a Deep bend to the Stard. Side high country on both sides, passed an old village 2 Hs. at 1 mile on Std. 4 houses at 3 miles and halted to dine at an old village of several in a deep bay on the Stard. Side of 5 miles Deep. several arms still further into the land saw great numbers of Swan Geese and Ducks in this shallow bay,

Cloudy and disagreeable all the Day. Great maney flees at
this old village, R. Fields killed a goose & 2 canvis back
Ducks in this bay after Dinner we took the advantage of the
returning tide & proceeded on to the 2d point, at which place
we found the Swells too high to proceed we landed and drew
our canoes up so as to let the tide leave them. The three
Indians [left] after selling us 4 fish for which we gave seven
small fishing hooks, and a pice of red cloth. Some fine rain
at intervals all this day. the swells continued high all the
evening & we are compelled to form an Encampment on a
Point scercely room sufficent for us all to lie cleare of the tide
water. hills high & with a steep assent, river wide & at this
place too salt to be used for Drink. we are all wet and disagreeable,
as we have been continually for several days past,
we are at a loss & cannot find out if any settlement is near the
mouth of this river. The swells were so high and the canoes
roled in such a manner as to cause several to be verry sick.
Reuben fields, Wiser McNeal & the Squar wer of the number

November 8th. Friday 1805

A cloudy morning Some rain, we did not Set out untill 9
oClock, haveing changed our Clothing. proceeded on close
under the Stard. Side, the hills high with steep assent, Shore
boald and rockey Several low Islands in a Deep bend or Bay
to the Lard. Side, river about 5 or 7 miles wide, three Indians
in a Canoe overtook us, with salmon to Sell, passed 2 old
villages on the Stard. Side and at 3 miles entered a nitch of
about 6 miles, wide and 5 miles deep with Several Creeks
makeing into the Stard. Hill, this nitch we found verry Shallow
water and call it the Shallow nitch, (Bay)[28] we came too at the
I remains of an old village at the bottom of this nitch and dined,
here we Saw great numbers of fowl, Sent out 2 men and they
killed a Goose and two canves back Ducks here we found
great numbers of flees which we treated with the greatest caution

and distance; after Diner the Indians left us and we took the
advantage of a returning tide and proceeded on to the Second
point on the Std. here we found the Swells or Waves so high
that we thought it imprudent to proceed; we landed unloaded
and drew up our Canoes.[29] Some rain all day at intervales, we
are all wet and disagreeable, as we have been for Several days
past, and our present Situation a verry disagreeable one in as
much, as we have not leavel land Sufficient for an encampment
and for our baggage to lie cleare of the tide, the High hills
jutting in so close and steep that we cannot retreat back, and
the water of the river too Salt to be used, added to this the
waves are increasing to Such a hight that we cannot move from
this place, in this Situation we are compelled to form our
camp between the hite of the Ebb and flood tides, and rase
our baggage on logs. We are not certain as yet if the white
people who trade with those people or from whome they precure
their goods are Stationary at the mouth, or visit this
quarter at stated times for the purpose of trafick &c. I believe
the latter to be the most probable conjecture. The Seas roled
and tossed the Canoes in such a manner this evening that
Several of our party were Sea sick.