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.
| N. 35° W. | 4½ | mes. to the lower pt. of a Island, haveing passed the Isld. on which we [camped?) & a large Sand bar from the upr. pt |
| N. 70° W. | 2 | mes. to the head of the Island on the L. S. of it |
| N. 45 W. | 3 | mes. to a pt. on the L. S. below an Island (1) |
| N. 50 W. | 2 | mes. to the upper pt. of an Isd. on the S. S. passed one on the L. S. ops: to which L. S. opsd. at ¼ of me. is a Vil- lage of littl dogs |
| West | 4 ½ | mes.to a pt. on the S.S. passed an Island on the S S. just above the last. Several Sand bars. |
| 16 |
we came too at the mouth of a Creek on the L. S. [1] at Dark in a heavy Shower of rain, it Continued to rain the greater part of the night, with a hard wind from the N W Cold—
Septr. 11th Tuesday 1804 Set out early a Cloudy morning the river verry wide from one hill to the other, with many Sand bars passed the Isd. on which we lay at a mile passed three Isds. [2] one on the L. S. (¼ of a mile from it on the L. S. a village of little Dogs. I Killed four, this village is 800 yards wide & 970 yds. long on a jentle Slope of a hill in a plain, those animals are noumerous) the other two Islands are on the S. S. the river is verry Shallow & wide, the [boat?] got a ground Several times— The man G Shannon, who left us with the horses above the Mahar Village, and beleving us to be a head pushed on as long as he Could, joined us he Shot away what fiew Bullets he had with him, and in a plentifull Countrey like to have Starvd. he was 〈9〉 12 days without provision, Subsisting on Grapes at the Same [time?] the Buffalow, would Come within 30 yards of his Camp, one of his horses gave out & he left him before his last belluts were Consumed— I saw 3 large Spoted foxes [3] to day a black tailed Deer, & Killed a Buck elk & 2 Deer, one othr Elk 2 Deer & a Porkipine [4] Killed to day at 12 oclock it became Cloudy and rained all the after noon, & night.
| N. 35° W. | 4 ½ | mes. to the lower pt. of an Island, passed the Isd. on which we Campd |
| N. 70° W. | 2 | mes. to the head of the Island on its L. S. |
| N. 45° W. | 3 | mes. to a pt. on the L S. below an Island (1) |
| N. 50° W. | 2 | mes. to the upper pt of an Island on the S. S. passed one on the L. S. opsd. to which at ¼ of a mile is a Village of the Barking Squirel L. S |
| West | 4 ½ | mes. to a pt. on the S. S. passed an Isd. on the S. S. just above the one mentioned in the last Course. 11th. |
| 16 |
Sept. 11th Tuesday 1804
a cloudy morning, Set out verry early, the river wide & Shallow the bottom narrow, & the river Crouded with Sand bars, passed the Island on which we lay at one mile—, pased three Islands one on the L. S. and 2 on the S. S. opposit the Island on the L. S. I Saw a village of Barking Squriel 970 yds. long, and 800 yds. wide Situated on a gentle Slope of a hill, those anamals are noumerous, I killed 4 with a view to have their Skins Stufed.
here the man who left us [NB: George Shannon ] with the horses 22 [NB: 16] days ago [NB: He started 26 Augt.] and has been a head ever Since joined, us nearly Starved to Death, he had been 12 days without any thing to eate but Grapes & one Rabit, which he Killed by shooting a piece of hard Stick in place of a ball—. This man Supposeing the boat to be a head pushed on as long as he Could, when he became weak and fiable deturmined to lay by and waite for a tradeing boat, which is expected [5] Keeping one horse for the last resorse,— thus a man had like to have Starved to death in a land of Plenty for the want of Bulletes or Something to kill his meat we Camped on the L. S. above the mouth of a run a hard rain all the after noon, & most of the night, with hard wind from the N W. I walked on Shore the fore part of this day over Some broken Country which Continus about 3 miles back & then is leavel & rich all Plains, I saw Several foxes & Killed a Elk & 2 Deer. & Squirels the men [6] with me killed an Elk, 2 Deer & a Pelican [7]
Tuesday 11th Sept. 1804. we Set off eairly Sailed on to the head of the Isl. Capt. Clark myself and 2 more [8] walked on Shore S. S. I killed a verry large porkapine put it on board the pearogue. Capt. Clark killed a Buck Elk a deer & a deer faun. G. Gibson killed Buck Elk a deer & faun also.— Saved the Skins & the best of the meat &.C. the Boat Sailed on passed Several Islands & Small runs, at each side.— I walked a long the S Shore See a high red hill. I climbed up to the top which is verry Seep on 2 Sides & about 150 feet high. I Saw 16 Bull Buffalow in the vally to the W. Side, rained hard. I amed to keep my rifle dry. I went around the gang of Buffaloe, crept near them as they were feeding, with their heads towards me as I was a watching them to get one side ways one of them discovered me I kept Still had on a red Shirt he looked at me, & walked up near to me. I was obledged to Shoot, at his head. as I shot him in the head among the long hair he turned & run off. the gang ran a Short distance & went to feeding, rained So hard my gun got wet loading, & I returned over mountains & rough hills & Gullies &.C. &.C. George Shannon who had been absent with the horses 16 days joined the boat about one oclock. he informed us that the reason of his keeping on so long was that he see some tracks which must have been Indians. he to[ok] it to [be] us and kept on, his bullets he Shot all away & he was with out any thing to eat for about 12 days except a fiew Grapes, he had left one of the horses behind, as he Gave out, only one horse with him he had gave up the idea of finding our boat & was returning down the river in hopes to meet Some other Boat, he was near killing the horse to Satisfy hunger, &C. &.C— he Shot a rabit with Sticks which he cut & put in his gun after his Balls were gone. he had been 2 days walk abov this &.C. See a village of little Dogs in the four part of the day We passed Some Timber on the Islands and points. none at all back on the mountains.— rained hard till late in the evening we Camped [9] on S. S. near a line of dark Bluffs.
Tuesday 11th. We set sail before day light with a fair wind; passed an island covered with timber, and high hills and prairie on both sides of the river. At 1 o'clock it began to rain. We saw some person [10] coming down the river on horseback, when we came to land and found it was the man who had preceded us with the horses. He had left one of the horses that had failed. We now had only one horse left. This man had been absent 16 days, and his bullets being expended, he subsisted 12 days almost wholly on grapes. The hills here come close to the river on both sides. One of the men went by land with the horse, and we continued our voyage, until night, though it rained very hard; and encamped on the south side. Captain Clarke with two or three of the men [11] who had gone out to hunt, killed two elk, four deer and one porcupine.
Tuesday 11th Sept. 1804. Set out an eairly hour Clear morning & fare wind. proceeded on passed an Isld. covd with timber. high hills and prarie Saw a man coming down to the bank horseback near. we came to Shore and found it was Shannon that had been with the horses. he had been absent 16 days and 12 of them he had Eat nothing but Grapes. the reason was his balls ran Short. the hills commenced close on both Sides of the river. Capt. Clark, Sergt. Ordway & Sergt. Pryor went out to hunt this morning [came] to us heree. had killed 2 Elk 4 Deer and one porkapine one of the horses which Shannon had with him Gave out & he left him 7 days ago. we proceeded on rained verry hard passed black bluffs on the S. S. R. Fields went with the horse as we have only the one now the rain continued untill 7 oClock in the evening. Camped on the South Side.—
Tuesday September 11th We set out this morning at an early hour, with a fair wind & pleasant weather; and proceeded sailing on. we passed an Island, which was cover'd with Timber, and a Priari, having some high hills on it.— We passed on, and saw a Man coming down to the Bank of the River on horse back; We put the Boat to the shore, and found it was the Man, (Shannon) who had been missing, and was with the horses, he had been absent 16 days, 12 of which; he had nothing to subsist on but Grapes, the reason of which was, that his Balls had given out, The hills at this place ran close to the River, on both sides of it; Captain Clark & 2 Serjeants who had went out a hunting, early this morning; came to us here, They had with them 2 Elk, 4 deer and a porcupine which they had killed. One of the horses which Shannon had with him, had gave out, and he had left him 7 days before he joind us, We proceeded on & it began to rain [12] very hard, and passed some black bluffs, lying on the South side of the River.— The Rain continued untill 7 o'Clock in the evening. We sent one Man with the horse (the only one that we had left) to go along the shore and we encamped on the South side of the River.—
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.