June 23, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

June 23, 1804

 

23rd June Satturday    Some wind this morning from the N W.    Set out at 7 oC    Proceeded on N. 70 d. W 2 Ms. to an Isd. Close on the S. S. [1]    I went on Shore & walked up thro: a rich bottom for about Six miles, Killed a Deer & much fatigued    N. 75 E. to a point in a bend L. S. 1½ [2]    the river fell 8 Inches last night.

 

23rd June Satturday    Some wind this morning from the N. W.    we Set out at 7 oClock, and proceeded on to the head of a Island on the S. S.    the wind blew hard and down the river which prevented the Pty moveing [NB: proceding] from this Island the whole day, Cap. Lewis had the arms examined &c.    at the lower end of this Island I got out of the boat to walk on Shore, & expected the party on Shore would overtake me at the head of the Island, they did not & I proceeded on round a round and extensive bend in the river, [3] I Killed a Deer & made a fire expecting the boat would Come up in the evening.    the wind continueing to blow prevented their moveing, as the distance by land was too great for me to return by night I concluded to Camp, Peeled Some bark to lay on, and geathered wood to make fires to Keep off the musquitor & Knats. Heard the party on Shore fire, at Dark Drewyer came to me with the horses, one fat bear & a Deer, river fell 8 Inches last night

Course & Distance June 23rd
N. 70° W 2 ms. to an Isd. on S. S. (I went out)
N. 75° E 1 ½ ms. psd. the head of the Isd. to pt. L. S.
  3 ½  
 
Equal altitudes with Sexton    Es. 8' 45"—
  h   m   S
A. M. 8   9 42
  " 10 59
  " 12 26
 

On the upper point of a large island about four miles above the Fire prarie.

Observed Meridian altd. of ☉'s L. L. with the octant by the back obstn.    36° —' —"

 

23d June Saturday    Some wind this morning from the N. W.    we Set out at 7 O.C.    the wind Raised. Capt. Clark went out hunting, by 11 OC. we were obledged to Camp [6] it being too windy for to See the Sand bars &.C. The Hunters killed 2 Deer & got them to camp    they went out again. Capt. Clark Remained on Shore all day & all night.    we lay Camped on the upper point of an Island, our arms Inspected &.C—    we lay all night on this Island. Jurked our meat &.C—

 

Saturday June 23rd    a Small Brese from the N. W    〈Set out    day Clouday〉    Set out at 5 oclock    day Couday    Came 3 miles    Landed on acount of the wind from the N. W.    armes and amunition 〈examend〉 enspcted    all in Good order    Capt Clark went hunting    Did not Return Last night 〈ouer Hunters Killed 2 Deer    encamped on an Isld. Sunday June 24th    Set out    day Clear    wind from〉 [WC: we continued on this Island all Day & night] but Returnd erley in the morning    Killed one Deer    ouer Hunter Killed one Bear 4 Deer.    they encamped on an Isd on the N Side 〈[WC: we crossed a Sand bar where the water was So Short that we were obliged to Haul over the boat, Incamped on the L. Side below an Island]〉

 

Saturday 23rd.    We set out at five in the morning; at 12, the wind blew so strong down the river that we were unable to proceed, and we encamped on an island and inspected the arms and ammunition.— Captain Clarke went out with one of the men [7] and did not return this evening.

 

Saterdy 23rd    Got on Our way at the fire prarie at day light    passd the River Calld painter Creek [8]    the wind Arose and blew a head of us renderd our days Work mighty hard for the hands of Each Craft    Saild. Only 3 miles    Incampd at the head of a Island namd. painter Island    the hunters Came In with two deer & One fish the[y] shot    Captn. Clark Could not Get aboard the wind blew So Strong    G. Drewyr went Out and Kill 2 deers and one Bare befor Night which made four deer and One bare Kill in all that day

Saturday June 23rd    We embarked from the Fire Priari at day light, and passed a Creek called painters Creek, the wind arose and blew ahead of us, which render'd our towing the boat extreme difficult & fataigueing; we proceeded on only three Miles, and encamped at the head of an Island called Painters Island, the hunters came in to us, having two deer and one fish they had shot.    It blew so hard that Captain Clark who was on shore could not come off to us.—    George Drewyer, one of the hunters went out again, and killed two deer and one Bear; which he brought to us.

1. Later Fishing River Island, assuming that Fishing River (Fire Prarie River) shifted its mouth upstream later. It may be, however, that the island they camped on later joined the mainland. (See above, June 22, 1804.) Biddle indicates that the island was directly opposite the high ground on which Clark established Fort Osage in 1808. This was near the later town of Sibley, Jackson County, Missouri, some miles upstream from Fishing River Island. Coues (HLC), 1:30 and nn. 63, 64. (back)
2. The course appears to be in Lewis's hand. (back)
3. Clark is not altogether clear about which side of the river he was on, but probably he was on the starboard side, in present Ray County, Missouri. He apparently walked around what was later called Jackass Bend. Evidently he camped near the upper end of the bend. MRC map 13; MRM map 39. (back)
4. Clark's observation at the end of Codex A. (back)
5. Lewis's observation from Codex O. (back)
6. The main party camped on an island in the vicinity of Sibley, Jackson County, Missouri. (back)
7. Apparently Drouillard; see Clark's entry for the day. (back)
8. "Painter" here means "panther," the mountain lion, but Clark refers to passing Tiger River, today's Crooked River, Ray County, Missouri, and the "Isle of Panthers" (Whitehouse's "painter Island") on June 19. (back)