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 we experienced a heavy shower of rain for about an hour after which it became fair. not having seen the large fountain of which Capt. Clark spoke I determined to visit it today as I could better spare this day from my attention to the boat than probably any other when the work would be further advanced; accordingly after seting the hands at their several employments I took Drewyer and seet out for the fountain and passed through a level beautiful plain for about Six miles when I reached the brake of the river hills here we were overtaken by a violent gust of wind and rain from the S. W. attended with thunder and Litning. I expected a hail storm probably from this cloud and therefore took refuge in a little gully wher there were some broad stones with which I purposed protecting my head if we should have a repetition of the seene of the 27th but fortunately we had but little hail and that not large; I sat very composedly for about an hour without sheter and took a copious drenching of rain; after the shower was over I continued my rout to the fountain which I found much as Capt. C; had discribed & think it may well be retained on the list of prodegies of this neighbourhood towards which, nature seems to have dealt with a liberal hand, for I have scarcely experienced a day since my first arrival in this quarter without experiencing some novel occurrence among the party or witnessing the appearance of some uncommon object. I think this fountain the largest I ever beheld, and the hadsome cascade which it affords over some steep and irregular rocks in it's passage to the river adds not a little to it's beauty. it is about 25 yds. from the river, situated in a pretty little level plain, and has a suddon decent of about 6 feet in one part of it's course. the water of this fountain is extreemly tranparent and cold; nor is it impregnated with lime or any other extranious matter which I can discover, but is very pure and pleasent. it's waters marke their passage as Capt. Clark observes for a considerable distance down the Missouri notwithstanding it's rapidity and force. the water of the fountain boil up with such force near it's center that it's surface in that part seems even higher than the surrounding earth which is a firm handsom terf of fine green grass. after amusing myself about 20 minutes in examining the fountain I found myself so chilled with my wet cloaths that I determined to return and accordingly set out; on our way to camp we found a buffaloe dead which we had shot as we came out and took a parsel of the meat to camp it was in very good order; the hump and tongue of a fat buffaloe I esteem great delicasies. on my arrival at camp I was astonished not to find the party yet arrived, but then concluded that probably the state of the praries had detained them, as in the wet state in which they are at present the mud sticks to the wheels is such manner that they are obliged to halt frequently and clense them.
Shortly after the rain which fell early this morning he found it imposseble from the state of the plains for the party to reach the upper extremity of the portage with their present load, and therefore sent back almost all of the party to bring the baggage which had been left behind yesterday. he determined himself to pass by the way of the river to camp in order to supply the deficiency of some notes and remarks which he had made as he first ascended the river but which he had unfortunately lost. accordingly he left one man at Willow run to guard the baggage and took with him his black man York, Sharbono and his indian woman also accompanyed Capt. C. on his arrival at the falls he perceived a very black cloud rising in the West which threatened immediate rain; he looked about for a shelter but could find none without being in great danger of being blown into the river should the wind prove as violent as it sometimes is on those occasions in these plains; at length about a ¼ of a mile above the falls he discovered a deep rivene where there were some shelving rocks under which he took shelter near the river with Sharbono and the Indian woman; laying their guns compass &c. under a shelving rock on the upper side of the rivene where they were perfectly secure from the rain. the first shower was moderate accompanyed by a violent rain the effects of which they did but little feel; soon after a most violent torrent of rain decended accompanyed with hail; the rain appeared to decend in a body and instantly collected in the rivene and came down in a roling torrent with irrisistable force driving rocks mud and everything before it which opposed it's passage, Capt. C. fortunately discovered it a moment before it reached them and seizing his gun and shot pouch with his left hand with the right he assisted himself up the steep bluff shoving occasionaly the Indian woman before him who had her child in her arms; Sharbono had the woman by the hand indeavouring to pull her up the hill but was so much frightened that he remained frequently motionless and but for Capt. C. both himself and his [wo]man and child must have perished. so suddon was the rise of the water that before Capt C could reach his gun and begin to ascend the bank it was up to his waist and wet his watch; and he could scarcely ascend faster than it arrose till it had obtained the debth of 15 feet with a current tremendious to behold. one moment longer & it would have swept them into the river just above the great cataract of 87 feet where they must have inevitably perished. Sarbono lost his gun shot pouch, horn, tomahawk, and my wiping rod; Capt. Clark his Umbrella and compas or circumferenter. they fortunately arrived on the plain safe, where they found the black man, York, in surch of them; york had seperated from them a little while before the storm, in pursuit of some buffaloe and had not seen them enter the rivene; when this gust came on he returned in surch of them & not being able to find them for some time was much allarmed. the bier [1] in which the woman carrys her child and all it's cloaths wer swept away as they lay at her feet she having time only to grasp her child; the infant was therefore very cold and the woman also who had just recovered from a severe indisposition was also wet and cold, Capt C. therefore relinquished his intended rout and returned to the camp at willow run in order also to obtain dry cloathes for himself and directed them to follow him. on Capt. Clark's arrival at camp he found that the party dispatched for the baggage had returned in great confusion and consternation leaving their loads in the plains; the men who were all nearly naked and [no] covering on the head were sorely mawled with the hail which was so large and driven with such force by the wind that it nocked many of them down and one particulary as many as three times most of them were bleeding freely and complained of being much bruised. willow run raised about 6 feet with this rain and the plains were so wet they could do nothing more this evening. Capt. C. gave the party a dram to console them in some measure for their general defeat.
a little rain verry early this morning after Clear, finding that the Prarie was So wet as to render it impossible to pass on to the end of the portage, deturmined to Send back to the top of the hill at the Creek for the remaining part of the baggage left at that place yesterday, leaveing one man to take care of the baggage at this place. I deturmined my Self to proceed on to the falls and take the river, according we all Set out, I took my Servent & one man Chabono our Interpreter & his Squar accompanied, Soon after I arrived at the falls, I perceived a Cloud which appeared black and threaten imediate rain, I looked out for a Shelter but Could See no place without being in great danger of being blown into the river if the wind Should prove as turbelant as it is at Some times about ¼ of a mile above the falls I obsd a Deep rivein in which was Shelveing rocks under which we took Shelter near the river and placed our guns the Compass &c. &c. under a Shelveing rock on the upper Side of the Creek, in a place which was verry Secure from rain, the first Shower was moderate accompanied with a violent wind, the effects of which we did not feel, Soon after a torrent of rain and hail fell more violent than ever I Saw before, the rain fell like one voley of water falling from the heavens and gave us time only to get out of the way of a torrent of water which was Poreing down the hill in the rivin with emence force tareing every thing before it takeing with it large rocks & mud, I took my gun & Shot pouch in my left hand, and with the right Scrambled up the hill pushing the Interpreters wife (who had her Child in her arms) before me, the Interpreter himself makeing attempts to pull up his wife by the hand much Scared and nearly without motion— we at length retched the top of the hill Safe where I found my Servent in Serch of us greatly agitated, for our wellfar—. before I got out of the bottom of the revein which was a flat dry rock when I entered it, the water was up to my waste & wet my watch, I Scrcely got out before it raised 10 feet deep with a torrent which turrouble to behold, and by the time I reached the top of the hill, at least 15 feet water, I directed the party to return to the Camp at the run as fast as possible to get to our lode where Clothes Could be got to Cover the Child whose Clothes were all lost, and the woman who was but just recovering from a Severe indispostion, and was wet and Cold, I was fearfull of a relaps I caused her as also the others of the party to take a little Spirits, which my Servent had in a Canteen, which revived verry much. on arrival at the Camp on the willow run—met the party who had returned in great Confusion to the run leaveing their loads in the Plain, the hail & wind being So large and violent in the plains, and them naked, they were much brused, and Some nearly killed one knocked down three times, and others without hats or any thing on their heads bloodey & Complained verry much; I refreshed them with a little grog— Soon after the run began to rise and rose 6 feet in a few minits—. I lost at the river in the torrent the large Compas, an eligant fusee, Tomahawk Humbrallo, Shot pouh, & horn wih powder & Ball, mockersons, & the woman lost her Childs Bear & Clothes bedding &c.— [X: Sah car gah we â ] The Compass is a Serious loss; as we have no other large one. The plains are So wet that we Can do nothing this evining particilarly as two deep reveins are between ourselves & Load
June 29th Satturday 1805. a little rain verry eairly this morning after clear & warm we find that the prarie is So wet as to render it impossable to pass on to the end of the portage, So. Capt Clark Sent all back except one man to take care of the baggage after the remainder which was left yesterday on the hill. Capt. Clark Set out to go to the falls at the Same time his Servant Intrepter and Squaw accompanied them. I went with the p[arty] for the remainder of the baggage. we got all and was returning. Saw a black cloud rise in the west which we looked for emediate rain we made all the haste possable but had not got half way before the Shower met us and our hind extletree broke in too we were obledged to leave the load Standing and ran in great confusion to Camp the hail being So large and the wind So high and violent in the plains, and we being naked we were much bruuzed by the large hail. Some nearly killed one knocked down three times, and others without hats or any thing about their heads bleading and complained verry much. Soon after we had got all Safe to the run cleared off. Capt. Clark & them that went with him returned Capt. Clark informed us that when he Saw the Shower comming he looked out for Some Shelter about ¼ of a mile above the falls he observed a deep reveen in which was Shelving rocks under which they took Shelter near the river and placed their and Compass &C &C. under a Shelving rock in a place verry secure from rain the first Shower was moderate to them then a torrent of rain fell and hail violent than they ever Saw before. the rain fell like one voley of water falling from the heavens and gave them time only to git out of the way of a torrent of water, which was poreing down the hill with amence force tareing everry thing before it, takeing with it large rocks and mud. Capt Clark took his gun and Shot pouch in his left hand and with his right he Scrambled up the hill pushing the Intrepters wife who had hir child in hir arms. the intrepter himself makeing attempts to pull up his wife by the hand much Scared and narely without motion, at length reached the top of the hill Safe, where Capt. Clark found his Servant york who was in Search of them greatly agitated, for their well fare Capt. Clark informed me when he went in to the revene it was a flat dry rock, but before he got out of it, it was up to his waist so he wet his watch, lost the large Compass, an elegant fusee, tommahawk, an Humbrello Shot pouch & horn with powder and ball mockinsons and the woman lost hir childs Cloaths & bear bedding &C. &.C.— The Compass is a Seerious loss, as we have no other large one. the plains are So wet that we could doe nothing this evening. we got revived with a dram of grog and got some warm Soup and took our rest.
Saturday 29th. We had a very hard gust of wind and rain in the morning; but a fine forenoon after it. Captain Lewis and a hunter [2] went down the river about 7 miles, to see a very large spring [3] which rises out of the bank of the Missouri on the south side. In the afternoon there was another heavy shower of rain, and after it a fine evening. Captain Lewis came to camp, but drenched with rain.
June 29th Saturday 1805. a little rain verry eairly this morning. after clear and pleasant. in the afternoon their 〈cam〉 arose a storm of hard wind and rain and amazeing large hail at our Camp we measured & weighed Some of them, and Capt. Lewis made a bowl of Ice punch of one of them they were 7 Inches in Surcumference and weighed 3 ounces. as luck would have it we were all that Stay at this Camp Safe in a Shelter but we feel concerned about the men on the road.—
Saturday June 29th This morning very early, we had some rain; which lasted but for a short time, when the weather cleared off, and it became pleasant.—
In the afternoon, there arose a storm of hard wind & Rain; accompanied with amazing large hail at the upper Camp, We caught several of the hail Stones which was measured & weighed by us (I being at the upper Camp), the hail measured 7 Inches in circumference; and weighed 3 Ounces.— Captain Lewis made a small bowl of punch out of one of them, the party that was at the upper Camp, were under a good shelter, but we are all concerned, for the welfare of the party who are on the Road with the baggage from the lower Camp.—
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.