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Capt. Clark set out with his party early this morning and passed over to the opposite side. after which I dispatched Sergt. Ordway with 4 Canoes and 8 men [1] to take up a load of baggage as far as Capt. Clark's camp and return for the remainder of our plunder. with six others [2] I now set to work on my boat, which had been previously drawn out of the water before the men departed, and in two hours had her fraim in readiness to be deposited. had a cash dug and deposited the Fraim of the boat, some papers and a few other trivial articles of but little importance. the wind blew very hard the greater part of the day. I also had the truck wheels buried in the pit which had been made to hold the tar. having nothing further to do I amused myself in fishing and caught a few small fish; they were of the species of white chub mentioned below the falls, tho' they are small and few in number. I had thought on my first arrival here that there were no fish in this part of the river. Capt. Clark proceeded up the river 8 miles by land (distance by water 23¼) [3] and found 2 trees of Cottonwood and cut them down; one proved to be hollow and split in falling at the upper part and was somewhat windshaken at bottom; the other proved to be much windshaken. he surched the bottom for better but could not find any he therefore determined to make canoes of those which he had fallen; and to contract their length in such manner as to clear the craks and the worst of the windsken parts making up the deficiency by allowing them to be as wide as the trees would permit. they were much at a loss for wood to make axhandles. the Chokecherry is the best we can procure for this purpose and of that wood they made and broke thir 13 handles in the course of this part of a day. had the eyes of our axes been round they would have answered this country much better. the musquetoes were very troublesome to them as well as ourselves today. Sergt. Ordway proceeded up the river about 5 miles when the wind became so violent that he was obliged to ly by untill late in the evening when he again set out with the canoes and arrived within 3 miles of Capt. Clark's Camp where he halted for the night. about five miles above whitebear camp there are two Islands [NB: Qu] in the river covered with Cottonwood box alder and some sweet willow also the undergrowth like that of the islands at this place.—
Observed Equal Altitudes of the ☉ with Sextant;
| h m s | h m s | |||||
| A M. | 8 16 9 | P. M. | 6 2 20 | } | Altitude given at the times of observation 54° 49' 45" |
|
| " 17 45 | " 3 55 | |||||
| " 19 17 | " 5 30 |
| h m s | |
| Chronometer too slow on Mean Time | [blank] |
Observed Meridian Altd. of ☉'s L L with Octant by the back observation 55° 27' "
Latitude deduced from this observation N. 47° 3' 10"
Observed time and distance of ☽'s western limb from α Antares; ★ West; with Sextant.
| Time | Distance | ||
| h m s | |||
| P. M. | 10 47 21 | 34° 12' 45 | |
| " 50 8 | " 14 | ||
| " 52 38 | " 14 30 | ||
| " 54 49 | " 15 30" |
| Time | Distance | ||
| h m s | |||
| P. M. | 10 57 73 | 34° 16' 15" | |
| " 59 31 | " 17 | ||
| " 2 11 | " 18 30 | ||
| " 4 24 | " 19 15 |
Observed time and distance of ☽'s Western limb from Pegassi; ★ East, with Sextant.
| Time | Distance | ||
| h m s | |||
| P. M. | 11 47 35 | 73 11' 15" | |
| " 51 39 | " 15 | ||
| " 54 8 | " 13 45 |
from the distance of this star I am doubtfull that it is not Pegassi therefore observed another.
| Time | Distance | ||
| s | |||
| Astro. | 12 11 46 | 71° 3' 45" | |
| " 14 25 | " 5 30 |
This I think is most probably Pegassi; but the star appeared very small.
a fair windey day wind hard the most of the day from the S. W.— rained modderately all last night (by Showers) we dispatched Serjt. Ordway with 4 Canoes loaded & 8 men by water to assend as high as I Should have found timber for Canoes & formed a Camp;—. I Set out with Sergt. Pryor four Choppers two Involids [4] & one man to hunt, Crossed to the Std. Side and proceeded on up the river 8 miles by land (distance by water 23 ¼ ms.) and found two Trees which I thought would make Canoes, had them fallen, one of them proved to be hollow & Split at one End & verry much win Shaken at the other, the other much win Shaken, we Serched the bottoms for better trees and made a trial of Several which proved to be more indifferent. I deturmined to make Canoes out of the two first trees we had fallen, to Contract thir length so as to clear the hollow & winshakes, & ad to the width as much as the tree would allow. The Musquitors emencely noumerous & troublesom, Killed two deer & a goat. The Canoes did not arrive as I expected, owing to the hard wind which blew a head in maney places. we ar much at a loss for wood to make ax hilthes, [5] 13 hath been made & broken in this piece of a day by the four Choppers, no other wood but Cotton Box elder Choke Cherry and red arrow wood. we Substitute the Cherry in place of Hickory for ax hilthes ram rods, &c. &c.
July 10th Wednesday 1805. a clear morning. we took the Iron boat out of the River and loaded 4 canoes one of which was the men baggage & tools who were going to make canoes. we Set out eairly, with the canoes. Capt. Clark and about 10 men Set out to go by land after we Set them over the river. it is only about 5 miles by land to the bottom where they git the timber for the canoes and it is about 20 miles round by water. [6] we proceeded on with the canoes 5 or 6 miles then the wind arose So high that we were obledged to lay by untill towards evening. we passed 2 Islands covered with cotton and box elder [7] also choak cherrys & yallow currents which are now ripe. halted near a village of bearking Squerrells. one of the hunters killed one of them on the N. S. late in the afternoon the wind abated a little So we proceeded on within about 3 miles of the upper Camp and halted for the night in a grove of cottonwood high banks of Sand along this Shore on N. S. we killed a large rattle Snake near our Camp.—
Wednesday 10th. A fine cool morning. Captain Lewis and Captain Clarke thought it would be best to make two canoes more, if we could get timber large enough. So Captain Clarke and 10 men set out in search of it. [8] Some of the hunters having seen large timber about 20 miles up the river, the canoes were sent on loaded, and a party went by land; the distance that way being only 6 or 7 miles. If timber is found the canoes are to unload and return for the remainder of the baggage. Captain Lewis, myself and nine men staid to take the boat asunder and bury her; and deposited her safely under ground. Captain Lewis had an observation at 12 which gave 47° 3 10 N. Latitude. In the afternoon I went out to see if there were any buffaloe near, but found none: they appear to have all left the river. On the bank of a run where there are high rocks, I found a great quantity of sweet gooseberries, all ripe.
July 10th Wednesday 1805. a clear morning. we took the Iron boat out of the water, and loaded 4 canoes one with baggage & tools for the men at the upper Camp. we Set off eairly with the canoes for the upper Camp Capt. Clark Set out at the Same time with abt. 10 men to go up by land to make the 2 canoes. we proceeded on with the 4 canoes about 8 miles and the wind rose So high that we we[re] obledged to lay by untill toward evening. the wind then abated and we went on untill dark. then camped for the night on N. S. within about 3 miles of the upper Camp. we killed a large rattle Snake. we passed to day 2 or 3 Islands covered with cotton timber and choke cherrys. abundance of cherry yallow currents and box elder timber along the Shores. passed a village of bearking Squerrells & killed one of them on N. S. the musquetoes & nats are troublesome at our Camp this evening. high banks of Sand along the N. Shore.
Wednesday July 10th A Clear pleasant morning; some of our party were employed, in getting our Iron boat out of the water— We loaded 4 of our Canoes, one of which had the baggage and tools for the Men, at the upper camp, who intend making the Canoes, We set out early with all the Canoes for the upper Camp.—
Captain Clark set out by land with ten Men to make the Canoes, at the same time, We proceeded on with the 4 Canoes about 8 Miles, when the wind rose to so great a heighth, that obliged us to lay by untill the evening.— the wind then abating, we proceeded on, with them untill dark; and then encamped on the North side of the Mesouri, within about 3 Miles of the upper Camp, We passed on this day 3 Islands, cover'd with Cotton timber, choke cherries & abundance of common wild cherry trees, Yellow Currants, & box Elder growing along the Shores, and passed by where there was a quantity of Priari dogs, whose habitations was as I have before described. One of which animals we killed.— The Musketoes & Rats [9] were very troublesome at our Camp in the Evening, the Sand banks along the North shore are very high—
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