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Lewis & Clark Expedition

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May 30, 1804
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May 30, 1804

[Clark] [1]

 

May 30th, Wednesday, Set out at 7 oClock after a heavy rain, rained all last night, a little after Dark last night Several guns were herd below, I expect the French men fireing for Whitehous who was lost in the woods.

Course    
West 2 M. to a pt. Lbd Side    opsd. an Isld. a Cave on the St Side Called
Monbrains Tavern, a Creek above,
S. 80° W 2 ms. to pt. Lb. Side    passed an Isd. on the St. Side, a Sand bar
& Creek Called rest Creek on the Lbd Side—    Rain hard,
S 78° W 3 mes to pt. on Lbd Side    psd a willow Isd. in mid: R. a willow
Island
S. 66° W, 4 ms. to a pt. Lbd. Side, opposit the mouth of a Small River
called Miry River of about 〈40〉 80 yds wide a Willow Isd. in the
River, a large Isd. above
S 48° W 6 Ms. to a pt. on Lbd. [2] Side, passed a Isd. in the mid: Came to
in the mouth of a Creek at Lbd Side [blank] yds wide Called
[blank] [3]    one on St. Side of 60 yds wide called little Miry at
2 ms.    Passed a Creek of 15 yd. wide on the Lbd Side at 14
Miles Called Grindstone Creek & incamped in the Mouth,
Low land on both Sides of the river & Creek

[Clark]

May 30th Wednesday 1804
 

Rained all last night    Set out at 6 oClock after a heavy Shower, and proceeded on, passed a large Island a Creek opposit on the St. Side Just abov a Cave Called Monbrun Tavern [NB: Montbrun's] & River, [4] passed a Creek on the Lbd. Side Call Rush Creek [5] at 4 Miles    Several Showers of rain the Current Verry Swift river riseing fast    Passed Big 〈Miry〉 [NB: Muddy] River [6] at 11 Miles on the Starboard Side, at the lower point of a Island, [7] this River is about 50 yards Wide, Camped at the mouth of a Creek on Lbd Sd of abt 25 yds. Wide Called Grinestone Creek, [8] opposit the head of a Isd. and the mouth of Little 〈Miry〉 [NB: Muddy] River [9] on the St Side, a heavy wind accompanied with rain & hail    we Made 14 miles to day, the river Continue to rise, the County on each Side appear full of Water.

Course & Distance of May 30th
West 2 ms. to a pt. L. Sd. opsd. a Cave & pt. Isd.
S 80° W. 2 ms. to a pt. on L. Sd.    psd. Isd. & rush Creek
S 78° W. 3 ms. to a pt. on L. Sd.    psd. a wil: Isd.
S 66° W. 4 Ms. to a pt. on Lbd. Sd. opsd. Mery R: & Isd.
S 48° W. 6 ms. to a pt. on St. Sd. opsd. Som Sm. Isd.    Psd.
a creek 2 ms.    Swift
  17 say 17 mile

[Ordway]

 

Wednesday May the 30th 1804.    we Set out at 7 oClock A. M. after a hard rain, rained all last night.    a little after dark last night Several Guns were fired below    we expect the Frenchmen were firing for whitehouse who was lost in the woods on N. Side oppisite an Island above Clifts Called Monbrans Tavern [10]    at 12 oClock a hard Shower of rain & hail    passed a Creek called rush Creek [11] on the N. Side of the River    Came 4 miles    passed Mud creek [12] on River on N. Side of the River, the Soil is good the timber is Cotton-wood Secamore hickery & white walnut &.C. Some Grape vines Rushes &.C— [13]    came about 14 miles    encamped at Grind Stone Creek or Panther Cr. [14]

[Floyd]

 

Wednesday may 〈30th 1804 wedneday    Set out after a verry har rain Last night    Rained all the with thunder and hail〉    wedsday 30th 1804    Set out 7 ock after a very hard Rain and thunder    it Rained During the Gratiest part of the day with hail    passed one Creek on the South Side Called Rush Creek    the Land is Low    Bottom but Rich Soil    3 miles to River on the N Side Colled Littel muddy River    the Land is Some what Like the Loer, it comes in opset an Isld 2 miles to River on the South Side Colled painter River [15]    it Comes in opset to Isd. in the midel of the missoura    encamped South side at the mouth—

[Gass]

 

Wednesday 30th.    After experiencing a very disagreeable night, on account of the rain, we continued our voyage at seven o'clock A. M. and passed a cove where there were high cliffs on the north side opposite an island, called Mombran's Tavern. At twelve we had a heavy shower of rain, accompanied with hail; passed a creek called Rush creek, [16] on the north side; and four miles further Mud creek on the same side. Here the soil is good, with cotton wood, sycamore, oak, hickory, and white walnut; with some grape vines, and an abundance of rushes. [17] We halted and encamped at Grindstone creek [18] on the south side of the river.

[Whitehouse]

 

Wednesday 30th May 1804.    a fair morning.    we Set out eairly and proceeded on    about noon began to rain.    we passed a creek on the S. Side called rush creek. [19]    procd. on    passed fine bottoms of timbered land on each Side.    passd. a River on N. Side called little muddy River, and panther River [20] on S. Side    a large Island opposite the mouth.

Wednesday May 30th    We set off early this morning, the weather being fair; we proceeded on 'till noon when it began to rain, we passed by a Creek laying on the South side of the River, called Rush Creek, and saw a fine bottom of Timber'd land, lying on both sides of the River, we passed a River called little Muddy River, lying on the North side, and a River called Panther River on the South side, having a large Island lying opposite its mouth and encamped here this evening.

1. Biddle's heading at the top of this sheet (document 16), reads "May 30 to June 1st." The columns of numbers next to this entry appear to be partial additions of the day's distance. Other numbers are at the bottom of the page under another entry but also seem to be distances for May 30. (back)
2. This abbreviation appears to be "Lbd.," but in the courses and distances of the Codex A entry, below, it is "St." There was a point on the starboard, in Callaway County, Missouri, at approximately the right spot, visible through most of the century. Nicollet (MMR), 355; MRC map 6. (back)
3. Apparently the same as Grindstone Creek, below; see n. 8. (back)
4. Little Tavern Creek meets the Missouri in Callaway County, about two miles below the present town of Portland; just above it is Big Tavern Creek. The island may be later Portland Island. See fig. 10, a sketch map on document 17. MRC map 5. (back)
5. Rest Creek in the Field Notes entry, probably later Greasy Creek, meeting the Missouri River at the town of Chamois, Osage County, Missouri. The mouth may have been farther down the Missouri in 1804. It appears without a name in fig. 10. Ibid.; MRM map 14. (back)
6. "Big Miry R" on fig. 10, probably Auxvasse River, in present Callaway County. MRC map 6. Biddle probably crossed out Miry when he substituted Muddy. (back)
7. Perhaps later St. Aubert Island. Ibid. (back)
8. This creek, at whose mouth they camped, is probably later Deer Creek, in Osage County. See fig. 10. Ibid. (back)
9. "Little Miry R" on fig. 10; evidently later Muddy Creek, in Callaway County. Ibid. Biddle probably crossed out Miry when he substituted Muddy. (back)
11. Actually on the south side, also called Rest Creek by Clark in his Field Notes; it is Greasy Creek, at the town of Chamois, Osage County, Missouri. (back)
12. Evidently Muddy Creek, Callaway County. (back)
13. Ordway and Patrick Gass call attention to the vegetation this day. The trees are cotton wood, Populus deltoides Marsh., sycamore, Platanus occidentalis L., some unknown hickory, Carya sp., and white walnut, butternut, Juglans cinerea L. The grape is probably river-bank grape, Vitis riparia Michx., and the rush is unknown, Equisetum sp. (back)
15. Evidently Ordway's Panther Creek, which is probably Deer Creek, Osage County, Missouri. (back)
17. John Ordway also mentions some of the vegetation this day. The trees are cottonwood, Populus deltoides Marsh., sycamore, Platanus occidentalis L., an unknown oak, Quercus sp., an unknown hickory, Carya sp., and white walnut, butternut, Juglans cinerea L. The grape is probably river-bank grape, Vitis riparia Michx., and the rush is unknown, Equisetum sp. (back)
18. "Panther River" to Whitehouse; Ordway gives both names. Now probably Deer Creek, Osage County. (back)
19. Called Rest Creek by Clark in his Field Notes; now Greasy Creek, at the town of Chamois, Osage County, Missouri. (back)
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