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The wind blew hard this morning from the West. we were enabled to employ our toe line the greater part of the day and therefore proceeded on tolerably well. there are now but few sandbars, the river is narrow and current gentle. the timber consists of a few cottonwood trees along the verge of the river; the willow has in a great measure disappeared. in the latter part of the day the hills widened, the bottoms became larger, and contained more timber. we passed a creek [EC: Wisers] on the Stard. side about three oclock, which afforded no water; [1] came too and encamped on the Lard. side opposite to the lower point of a small Island, two miles short of the extremity of the last course of this day. [2] Capt Clark in the course of his walk this evening killed four deer, two of which were the black tailed or mule deer; the skins are now good, they have not yet produced their young.— we saw a number of buffaloe, Elk, deer and Antelopes.— the saline substance frequently mentioned continues to appear as usual.—
| Courses and distances 18th of May. [3] | Miles | |
| S. 66° W. | to a point of wood on the Stard. side, opposite to a high irregular hill on Lard. side |
¾ |
| N. 80 W. | along the Stard. side oposite a bluff | ½ |
| N. 45 W. | to a clump of trees of a Lard. point, opposite a high rugged bluff |
1 ½ |
| S. 80 W. | to a point of timber on the Lard. side | 1 ½ |
| S. 60 W. | to a point of timber on the Stard side oposite a bluff | ½ |
| S. 85° W. | to a point on Lard. side | 2 |
| S. 60 W. | along the Lard. shore | ½ |
| South | to a point of woodland on the Stard side oposite a bluff | 1 ¼ |
| S. 45 W. | along the Stard. point, to the extremity of a sandbar, opo- site a bluff. |
½ |
| N. 20 W. | to a point of woodland on the Lard. side the river making a deep bend to the N. |
2 |
| N. 55 W. | to a large tree in the center of a Stard bend | 1 |
| S. 70 W. | to the point of a sandbar on the Lard. side, passing the entrance of a Creek [EC: Wisers] on Stard. at ½ a mile |
1 ¼ |
| S. 20 W. | to a point of woodland on the Stard side | 1 ½ |
| S. 35 W. | along the Stard. side opposite a bluff | ½ |
| N. 85 W. | to a point of woodland Lard. side the river making a deep bend to N. under a bluff |
2 ¼ |
| S. 60 W. | along the Lard. point | ½ |
| S. 5 W. | to a timbered point on Stard side passing a small Island, ¾ of a mile in length, commencing at 1 mile opposite to the lower point of this island on the Lard. side we encamped |
3 |
| Miles | 21 |
A windey morning wind from the West we proceeded on verry well with the assistance of the Toe Coard, river narrow but fiew Sand bars, & current jentle, but a few Cotton Trees Contained in the bottoms willow is not common on the bears [bars] as usial Some little on the Sides of the river is yet to be Seen, the after part of the day was Cloudy & at about 12 oClock it began to rain and continued moderately for about 1½ hours, not Sufficient to wet a man thro' his clothes; this is the first rain Since we Set out this Spring The hills widen and the bottoms Contain more timber than for Several days past, we passed a Wisers Creek on the Std. Side about 3 oClock and Camped on the Lard Side opposit the lower point of a handsom little Island near the middle of the river. I walked on Shore and killed four Deer, 2 common & 2 mule deer, one of which had 3 fauns, 2 others had 2 each, those deer are fat, & their Skins tolerable good, which are now in demand with us for clothes Such as Legins & Mockersons, I Saw great numbers of Buffalows & Elk; Some of the party Shoot & Catch beaver every day & night
| miles | Course & Distance 18th of May | |
| S. 66° W. | ¾ | to a point of wood on the Stard. Side opposit a high un- eavin hill L. S. |
| N. 80° W. | ½ | allong the Stard. Side opposit a bluff |
| N. 45° W. | 1 ½ | to a fiew trees on a point on the Lard. Side opposit a rug- ged bluff |
| S. 80° W. | 1 ½ | to a point of timber on the Lard. Side |
| S. 60° W. | ½ | to a point of timber on the Stard Side oppised to a Bluff on the L. S. |
| S. 85° W. | 2 | to a point on the Lard Side |
| S. 60° W | ½ | allong the Lard Shore |
| South | 1 ¼ | to a point of wood land on the Std. Side opposit a Bluff |
| S. 45° W. | ½ | allong the Stard point to the extremity of a Sand bar, oppo- sit a low bluff |
| N. 20° W. | 2 | to a point of wood land on the Lard Side the river make- ing a deep bend to the North |
| N. 55° W. | 1 | to a large tree in the Center of the bend on the Stard. Side |
| S. 70° W. | 1 ¼ | to the point of a Sand bar on the Lard Side passing the enterence of a Wisers Creek on S. S. at ½ m |
| S. 20° W | 1 ½ | to a point of wood land on the Stard. Side |
| S. 35° W. | ½ | allong the Stard. point opposit a bluff L. S. |
| N. 85 W | 2 ¼ | to a point of wood land 〈Stard〉 Lard [4] Side the river make- ing a deep bend to the N. under. a bluff |
| S. 60° W. | ½ | allong the Lard point. |
| S. 5° W. | 3 | to a timbered point on the Stard Side, pass a Small Island of a mile in length, comeng. at 1 mile. opposit to the lower point of this Island on the Lard Side we Camped |
| miles | 21 |
Saturday 18th May 1805. a clear warm morning. one of the party caught a beaver last night. another killed a rattle Snake [5] this morning at 7 oClock Set off and proceeded on passed verry high rough hills, which look mountainous and make in to the River on each Side. the bottoms verry narrow, but little timber only Spots of pitch pine on Sd hills. the bottoms are generally covered with rose [6] bushes & Rabbit berry bushes [two lines illegible] [7] to dine at a large bottom covered with timber on N. S. [8] which was filled with buffaloe Elk deer &.c. Capt. Clark killed a fat deer. one of the party killed 2 Elk. another killed a beaver about one oC. P. M. cleared up pleasant, about 2 we proceeded on passed pitch pine hills on each Side of the River about 3 oC. we passed a large Creek [9] on N. S. & a large timbered bottom on the S. S. the Missourie is gitting clear and gravelly bottom, & Shore we passed no falling in banks as we did below these pitch pine hilly country. a pleasant warm afternoon. Capt Clark killed three Deer. we came 19 miles to day and Camped in a Smooth bottom thinly covered with c. w. timber on the South Side.
Saturday 18th. A cloudy morning. We proceeded as usual. The country much the same as yesterday; until about 12 o'clock, when the bottoms became more extensive on both sides of the river. There is still a small quantity of pine timber on the hills. We had some showers of rain in the forenoon; hail in the afternoon; and a fine clear evening. We went nineteen miles and encamped on the South side opposite an island.
Saturday 18th May 1805. a clear warm morning. one of the party killed a rattle Snake. another caught a beaver. about 7 oC. we Set out and proceeded on. passed Some narrow bottoms of timber & covered with rose bushes. about 10 oC. clouded up and began to rain. we had Several Small Showers. about 12 oC Capt. Clark killed a fat deer. we halted to dine and dry our Selves at a large bottom covered with timber on N. S. this bottom is filled with buffaloe Elk Deer &c one of the party killed 2 Elk. another killed a beaver. about 2 we proceeded on the weather cleared up and we had a pleasant afternoon the River water is gitting clear and gravelly bottom &c. we came 19 miles and Camped at a Smooth high bottom on S. S. N. B. (Capt. Clark killed three deer)
Saturday May 18th We had a fine warm morning, One of our party killed a rattle Snake of a large size and another caught a beaver, About 7 o'Clock we set out, and passed some narrow bottoms of timber, 〈and〉 covered with Rosebushes.— At 10 oClock A. M. it clouded up and began to rain; and we had small Showers. at 12 o'Clock A. M. Captain Clark went on shore, and killed a fat deer, We then halted to dine and to dry our Cloathes, at a large bottom covered with timber lying on the North side of the River. This bottom is filled with buffalo, elk, deer & other game, Two of our party killed 2 Elk and One beaver, About 2 o'Clock P. M We proceeded on our way, and the weather cleared up, and we had a pleasant afternoon, Here the Water of the Mesouri River, that had been muddy ever since we first entered it, began to get clear, and the bottom that was mud, is gravelly— Captain Clark who had been out a hunting joind us in the Evening; having killed 3 deer, which we took on board the Crafts, We encamped that Evening on a high smooth bottom, lying on the South side of the River, having come 19 Miles this day
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.