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.
This morning early Capt Clark and myself with all the party except Sergt. Ordway Sharbono, Goodrich, york and the Indian woman, set out to pass the portage with the canoe and baggage to the Whitebear Islands, where we intend that this portage shall end. Capt. Clarke piloted us through the plains. about noon we reached a little stream about 8 miles on the portage where we halted and dined; [1] we were obliged here to renew both axeltrees and the tongues and howns [2] of one set of wheels which took us no more than 2 hours. these parts of our carriage had been made of cottonwood and one axetree of an old mast, all of which proved deficient and had broken down several times before we reached this place we have now renewed them with the sweet willow and hope that they will answer better. after dark we had reached within half a mile of our intended camp when the tongues gave way and we were obliged to leave the canoe, each man took as much of the baggage as he could carry on his back and proceeded to the river where we formed our encampment much fortiegued. the prickly pears were extreemly troublesome to us sticking our feet through our mockersons. Saw a great number of buffaloe in the plains, also immence quantities of little birds and the large brown curloo; [3] the latter is now seting; it lays it's eggs, which are of a p[a]le blue with black specks, on the ground without any preperation of a nest. there is a kind of larke here that much resembles the bird called the oldfield lark with a yellow brest and a black spot on the croop; [4] tho' this differs from ours in the form of the tail which is pointed being formed of feathers of unequal length; the beak is somewhat longer and more curved and the note differs considerably; however in size, action, and colours there is no perceptable difference; or at least none that strikes my eye. after reaching our camp [5] we kindled our fires and examined the meat which Capt. Clark had left, but found only a small proportion of it, the wolves had taken the greater part. we eat our suppers and soon retired to rest.
a fine morning, Capt Lewis my Self and all the party except a Sergeant Ordway Guterich and the Interpreter and his wife Sar car gah we â (who are left at Camp to take Care of the baggage left) across the portage with one Canoe on truck wheels and loaded with a part of our Baggage I piloted thro the plains to the Camp I [made] at which place I intended the portage to end which is 3 miles above the Medesin River we had great dificuelty in getting on as the axeltree broke Several times, and the Cuppling tongus of the wheels which was of Cotton & willow, the only wood except Boxelder & [blank] that grow in this quarter, we got within half a mile of our intended Camp much fatigued at dark, our tongus broke & we took a load to the river on the mens back, where we found a number of wolves which had distroyed a great part of our meat which I had left at that place when I was up day before yesterday we Soon went to Sleep & Slept Sound wind from the [blank] we deturmine to employ every man Cooks & all on the portage after to day
June 22nd Saturday 1805. a clear pleasant morning. the wind as usal the party all raised eairly the 2 Captains with all but 3 of the party [6] set out with more baggage to take the canoe and loading we took on the plains yesterday up to the upper end of the portage to where we can take water again with the canoes. Capt. Lewis and 3 more of the party who went took their baggage all in order to Stay at the upper Camp to prepare whatever may be necessary for the Iron boat, &C. large gangs of buffalow all around the lower Camp to day. one gang Swam the river near the camp Capt. Clarks Servant York killed one of them. a light Sprinkling of rain. The Country in general is verry high land, no timber back a little Scatering along the Shore on the points &C. high bluffs & clifts along the Shores. Some pine in the drift wood along the Shores. we are a little South of the Mandans but have had cold weather as yet. it must of course be a healthy country. we all enjoy good health as yet. our Interpreter wounded a cabberee or antelope this evening.
Saturday 22nd. All hands, except two and the interpreter and his wife, set out through the prairie, with one canoe on a waggon loaded heavy with baggage. We went on slowly as our axletrees were weak; and about 12 o'clock one of them broke; when we had to halt and put in a new one. This accident happened at a draught [7] where there was some willow, and we put in an axletree of that; which I believe is the best this country affords for the purpose. It was late in the evening before we got to the intended place of embarkation on the river.
Saturday 22nd June 1805. a fair pleasant morning. the wind as usal. the party all raised up eairly. Capt. Lewis and Clark with all the party except 3 Set out with a waggon & baggage to take the canoe & loading which was halled on the hill yesterday up to the upper end of the partage, where we Shall form a Camp. Capt. Lewis & 3 or 4 men carried 〈all〉 their baggage in order to Stay up their, in order to git the Iron boat in readiness &c. the buffalow around the lower Camp verry thick Some gangs Swam the River Capt. Clarks Servant york killed one which was verry fat. Capt. Clark informed us that he Saw 40 or 50 Swimming the River abv the falls and Some went down over them which he could not See them rise any more. a nomber got to Shore half drowned. in this way great numbers of those animels are lost and accounts for So many as we Saw lying on the Shores below the falls ever Since we came from the Mandans & Gross vauntares but a vast deal pleantier near them [8] the country in general is verry high. no timber back from the river and but verry little on the river, but bluffs & high clifts the most of the Shores. we are a little South of the Mandans, but have had no verry hot weather as yet.
Saturday June 22nd A fair pleasant morning and the wind continued as usual at So West The party all got up early. Captains Lewis & Clark with all our party (excepting three) set out with one of our Carriages (or Waggon) & baggage, to take the Craft, and loading which was hawled on the hill Yesterday; up to the upper end of the portage; where they intend to form a Camp, Captain Lewis, and 4 Men carried their own baggage, in Order to stay up there, 〈in order〉 to get the Iron boat in readiness &ca— The buffalo was round the lower Camp in very great abundance. Some Gangs of them swam the River.— Captain Clarks Negroe Man shot one of them which was very fat.—
Captain Clark informed us that he saw between 50 & 60 Buffalo swimming the River, above the falls 〈of the river〉 and that some of them, were drove down, by the rapidity current over the falls, and that he did not see them rise again, and that those that reached the Shore, appeared to be half drownded, which accounts for the many Dead Buffalo that we had seen floating along the Shores below the falls, ever since we left the Mandan and Gross Vaunter Villages; but found them floating much pleantier near these falls.— The country generally here lies very high, and is chiefly Priaries & rich land; having no timber laying back from the Rivers, and but very little Timber on it, bluffs and high Clifts are all along the Shores on both sides of the River— We are at this place a little South of the Mandan Villages, but as yet have experienced no very warm weather.—
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.