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A fine morning, set out at an early hour; the drift wood begins to come down in consequence of the river's rising; the water is somewhat clearer than usual, a circumstance I did not expect on it's rise. at 11 A. M. the wind became so hard that we were compelled to ly by for several hours, one of the small canoes by the bad management of the steersman filled with water and had very nearly sunk; we unloaded her and dryed the baggage; at one we proceed on the wind having in some measure abated. the country we passed today on the North side of the river is one of the most beautifull plains we have yet seen, it rises gradually from the river bottom to the hight of 50 or 60 feet, then becoming level as a bowling green. extends back as far as the eye can reach; on the S. side the river hills are more broken and much higher tho' some little destance back the country becomes level and fertile. no appearance of birnt hills coal or pumicestone, that of salts still continue. [1] vegitation appears to have advanced very little since the 28th Ulto.— we continue to see a great number of bald Eagles, I presume they must feed on the carcases of dead anamals, for I see no fishing hawks [2] to supply them with their favorite food. the water of the river is so terbid that no bird wich feeds exclusively on fish can subsist on it; from it's mouth to this place I have neither seen the blue crested fisher [3] nor a fishing hawk. this day we killed 3 Buffaloe 1 Elk & 8 beaver; two of the Buffaloe killed by Capt Clark near our encampment [4] of this evening wer in good order dressed them and saved the meat, the Elk I killed this morning, thought it fat, but on examineation found it so lean that we took the tongue marrowbones and Skin only.
| Courses and distances May 7th 1805. [5] | miles | |
| South | to the point of a sandbar on Stard. side. | 1 ½ |
| North | to a point of woodland on the Lard. side opposite a low bluff on Stard. side |
2 |
| S. 75° W. | to some high timber in the center of a Std. bend | 2 |
| S. 10° W. | to the upper point of a sandbar Stard side | 2 ¼ |
| S. 40° W. | to the upper point of the high timber in the center of a Lard. bend |
1 ¾ |
| N. 45° W. | to the point of a sandbar Lard. side | 2 ½ |
| S. 15° W. | to the upper part of the high timber near the center of a Lard. bend, passed the upper part of a large sandbar on Stard. and encamped on Lard near the extremity of this course |
3 |
| Mls. | 15 |
May 7th 1805
Point of Observation No. 11.
On the Lard. shore near the extremity of the 2ed course of this day observed Equal altitudes with Sextant.
| h | m | s | h | m | s | |||||
| A. M. | 8 | 57 | 48.5 | P. M. | 4 | 23 | 2.5 | } | Altitd by Sext. 70° 28' 15" |
|
| " | 58 | 27 | " | 24 | 40 | |||||
| 9 | 6 | " | 25 | 21 |
Point of Observation No. 12.
On the Lard. shore at the extremity of the 5th course of this day Observed Meridian altd. of ☉'s L. L. with Octant by the back observation 67° 16'
Latitude deduced from this observation N. 47° 34' 11.6"
This observation was very satisfactory and may be depended on as accurate.—
May 7th 1805.
Point of Observation No. 13.
At our encampment of this evening observed time and distance of ☽'s Western limb from Spica ♍ with Sextant.—
| Time | Distance | ||
| h m s | |||
| P. M. | 10 33 47.5 | 36° 59' 52.5" |
☞ I could not observe Pollux in consequence of the clouds.—
A fine morning river rose 1½ Inches last night, the drift wood beginning to run the water Something Clearer than usial, the wind became verry hard, and at 11 oClock one Canoe by bad Stearing filled with water, which detained us about 3 hours, had a Meridian altitude, the Latd. from which is 47° 36° 11" 6/10 The Countrey on the North Side of the Missouri is one of the handsomest plains we have yet Seen on the river the plain rises from the river bottom gradually. The Hills on the South Side is high & uneavin. no appearance of Coal or burnt hills, that of Salts Still appear; vegitation appears to be Slow, I walked on the bank to day and Shot 2 beaver, in the evening Killed two Buffalow in tolerable order which we Saved and Camped on the Lard Side. 8 beaver, 3 buffalow & an Elk killed to day
| miles | Course & Distance the 7th of May | |
| South | 1 ½ | to the point of a Sand bar from the Starboard Side |
| North | 2 | to a point of wood land on the L S. opposit a low bluff on the Std. Side |
| S. 75° W. | 2 | to Some high timber in the Center of the bend to the Stard. Side |
| S. 10° W. | 2 ¼ | to the upper point of a Sand bar Std. Sd. |
| S. 40° W. | 1 ¾ | to the upper point of a high timber in a bend to the Lard Side |
| N. 45° W. | 2 ½ | to the point of a Sand bar Lard Side |
| S. 15° W. | 3 | to the upper part of a high timber in a bend to the Lard. Side, passed the upper part of a large Sand bar |
| miles | 15 |
Tuesday 7th May 1805. clear pleasant and warm. we Set off eairly. the wind rose from the East. we Sailed verry fast untill about 12 o.C. one of the canoes filled with water, but we got it Safe to Shore, and halted for the wind to abate at a bottom on s. s. Some men went out to hunt. two beaver was caught last night by Some of the party, & shot five more at this place. about 4 oClock we proceeded on as the wind had abated Some. Saw large gangs of buffaloe on each side of the River. handsom plains on the N. S. Capt. Clark and one hunter walked on Shore on S. S. towards evening they killed 2 buffaloe in a bottom of timber on S. S. where we Camped for the night and dressed the 2 buffaloe. Came 15½ miles this day,
Tuesday 7th. We again set out early and went on very well till 12 when it began to blow hard, and being all under sail one of our canoes turned over. Fortunately the accident happened near the shore; and after halting three hours we were able to go on again. Having this day made sixteen miles we encamped on the South side.
Tuesday 7th May 1805. clear and pleasant. we Set off eairly. the wind rose from the East. we Sailed on untill about 12 oC. the wind rose So high that one of the cannoes filled with water we got it Safe to Shore, and halted for the wind to abate on the S. Side Some men went out to hunt. two beaver was caught by Some of the men last night and Shot five [6] more at this place. about 4 oC. we Set off and proceeded on verry well. passed handsom plains and bottoms on N. S. rough hills & ridges & bottoms on the S. S. Saw large gangs of buffaloe on each Side of the River. Came 15½ miles to day, & Camped on the S. S. Capt. Clark and one hunter killed two buffaloe, which we found to be good meat to Eat.
Tuesday May 7th This day the weather Clear & pleasant, we set off early, Shortly after the wind blew from the East, we set our Sails, and continued on, Sailing till about 12 oClock A. M. at which time the wind rose so high, that one of our Canoes filled with water, we got the Canoe to the shore, and stopped on the South shore for the wind to abate, some of the party caught 2 Beaver during last night, a party of our Men went out to hunt. They shot five more Beaver at this place. About 4 oClock P. M. we set out again and proceeded on, and passed by some handsome plains; & bottoms lying on the North side, and Rough hills, ridges & bottoms on the South side of the River, We saw large Gangs of Buffalo as we passed on both sides of the River. In the Evening we stopped and encamped on the South side of the River— Captain Clark who had went out hunting from the place we stopped at this day; returned to us here, with one of the hunters, they had killed 2 Buffalo, which was brought to our Camp, they were in good order and their flesh good eating.—
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