Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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August 2nd 1804 wind from the S E G: Drewery returned with the horses & one Doe Elk the countrey thro which he passed is like what we See from the Bluff above Camp three men out Hunting one Beaver caught this morning.
at Sunset 6 chiefs and their warries [warriors] of the Ottos, [1] and Missoures, with a french man by the name of Far fonge, [2] we 〈Spoke〉 Shook hands and gave them Some Tobacco & Provisions, they Sent us Water Millions [3] Three verry large & fat Bucks Killed to day the wind Continue hard from the S. E.— the 4 qtr. of one Buck weigh'd 147 wt 1½ Inch fat on the ribs
A verry pleasant Breeze from the S. E. The Two men Drewyer & Colter returned with the horses loaded with Elk, those horses they found about 12 miles in a Southerly Derection from Camp.
The Countrey thro which they passed is Similar to what we See from Camp. one Beaver & a foot of Beaver caught in trap Cought this morning—
at Sunset Mr. Fairfong [NB: Ottoe interpreter resident with them] and a pt. of Otteau & Missourie Nation Came to Camp, among those Indians 6 were Chiefs, the principal Chiefs Capt. Lewis & myself met those Indians & informed them we were glad to See them, and would Speak to them tomorrow, Sent them Som rosted meat Pork flour & meal, in return they Sent us Water millions. [every?] man on his Guard & ready for any thing
Three fat Bucks Killed this evening the 4 qtrs. of one weighed 147 lbs.
This day one of our Hunters brought me a white Heron [EC: Herodias egretta]. this bird as an inhabitant of ponds and Marasses, and feeds upon tadpoles, frogs, small fish &c— they are common to the Mississipi and the lower part of the ohio River, (ie) as high as the falls of that river.—
this bird weighed two lbs.— it's plumage is perfectly white and very thin—
| F | I. | |
| from extremity of beak to the extremity of toe | 4 | 7 ¼ |
| from tipp to tip of wing on the back | 4 | 11 |
it's beak is yellow pointed, flated crosswise and 5 Inches in length from the upper region of the bill to the eye is one inch in length, covered with a smoth yellow skin the plumage of the head projecting towards the upper bill and coming to a point a[t] an Inch beyond the eyes on the center of the upper bill. The mouth opens to distance of the eyes— The eye is full and projecting reather, it is 〈7/10 of an Inch〉 7/10 of half an inch. four joints in the wing—
| Inches | |||
| 1st joint from body in length | 6 | ||
| 2ed Do. | 8 ¼ | ||
| 3rd Do. | 3 ½ | ||
| 4th Do. | 1 | ||
| 1st Joint Number of feathers | 7 | Length of | 3 |
| 2nd | 18 | 〈from〉 | 6 〈to〉 |
| 3 | 6 | from | 10 to 12 |
| 4th | 5 | 12 |
it's legs are black— the neck and beak occupy ½ it's length. it has four toes on a foot— the 〈left〉 outer toe on the right foot is from the joining of the leg to extremity of toe nale 4 Inch & ¼ has four joints exclusive of the nail joint— the next is 4¾ inches has three joints exclusive of the nale joint. the next is 3¾ and has two joints, the heel toe has one joint only and is 3 Inches in length. the nails are long sharp and black— the eye is of a deep seagreen colour, with a circle of of pale yellow around the sight forming a border to the outer part of the eye of about half 〈it's〉 the width of the whole eye. the tale has 12 feathers of six inches in length.— the wings when folded are the same length with the tale.—
has 2 remarkable tufts of long feathers on each side joining the body at the upper joint of the wing. these cover the feathers of the 1st joint of the wings when they are over extended
Thursday 2nd Cool & pleasant this morning. 2 beaver caught in the traps last night. one of them gnawed of his leg he being large & got away. G. Drewyer returned found the Horses & killed a fine Elk & brought it all in; Labuche went out and killed & brought in one Deer. Collins killed a verry fat Buck weighed 134 pounds Willard & he brot in only the quarters R. Fields killed a faun. the afternoon Cloudy. The wind Southerly. appearence of rain, Peter Cruset killed one fine Buck & brought it in about 14 of the Zottous Indians [5] arived here at Dusk. 2 Guns fired from our Bow peace, we Gave them Some provisions. they appear to be friendly &C—
Thursday auguste 2dth Ouer men 〈hav〉 hough we had Sent after ouer Horses Returnd With them and Killed one Elke. 〈the Indian〉 ouer men Killed 3 Deer to day the Indianes Came whare we had expected thay fired meney Guns when thay Came in Site of us and we ansered them withe the Cannon thay Came in about 2 hundred yardes of us Capt Lewis and Clark met them at Shakeing Handes we fired another Cannon— thare was 〈Six〉 6 Chiefs and 7 men and one French man [6] with them who has Lived with them for som yeares and has a familey with them—
Thursday 2nd. Some hunters went out this morning; and two [7] of them returned with the horses and an elk they had killed. The others brought in two large bucks and a fawn. The Indians we expected came at dark; but our Frenchman [8] was not with them. We supposed he had been lost. This place we named Council-Bluff, and by observation we found to be in latitude 41d 17m north.
Thursday 2nd G. Druier & Colter Returnd found the horses Killd. an Elk—. Brought It to Camp 12 of the Zottoe Indians Arivd. at Our Camp Calld. the Council Bluffs, or the Brarareham prarie; at the Hour of P. M 7 Oclock No buissness was don. the commanding officer Orderd them plenty of Provisions. 〈No buisness was Excuited the〉 Halted.
Thursday August 2nd We remain'd still at the Camp of Brareowes. the men that we had sent out to hunt the horses returned, having found them, & brought an Elk which they had killed with them. at 7 oClock A. M. the Zoto Indians arrived at our Camp, which the Captains had alter'd the name of, to that of Council Bluffs, or the Brareoham Priari.— no business with the Indians commenced this day, the number of Zoto Indians that arrived were 12, the remainder of the Warriors, Chiefs, and hunters of that nation having not returned from hunting Buffaloes in the Priaries.— The commanding officers order'd them plenty of Provisions. They are a handsome stout well made set of Indians & have good open Countenances, and are of a light brown colour, and have long black hair, which they do wear without cutting; and they all use paint in order to compleat their dress.—
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.