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.
Set out at 6 A. M.
| N 25 W. | 3 ½ | m. to the top of a hill from whence we saw the Shishequaw mountain [1] about 8 M. distant, immediately before us. passed 〈torrant〉 Dearborne's river [2] at 3 m. this stream comes form the S. W. out of the mountains which are about 5 Ms. to our left. the bed of the river is about 100 yds. wide tho' the water occupys only about 30 yds. it appears to spread over it's bot- toms at certain seasons of the year and runs a mear torrant tearing up the trees by the roots which stand in it's bottom 〈hense the name we have given it.〉 [3] the Shishiquaw moun- tain is a high insulated conic mountain standing several miles in advance of the Eastern range of the rocky mountains. Country broken and mountanous to our wright. |
| North— | 14 ½ | ms. 〈leaving the〉 through an open plain to Shishequaw Creek
[4]
20 yds. wide bottoms and considerable qantity of timber it leaves the mountain to the S E and enters the 〈mountains〉 [EC?: plains]. we struck it about 10 miles below the moun- tain which boar S. 32 W. from us. the road continued along the foot of the mountain to the West of north which not being anything like our course and the country becoming tolerably level at the commencement of this course we steered through the plains leaving the road with a view to strike Medicine river and hunt down it to it's mouth in order to procure the neces- sary skins to make geer, and meat for the three men whom we mean to leave at the falls as none of them are hunters. we halted and dined on Shishequaw Creek R. Fields killed a fine buck and a goat; Josh. Fields saw two buffaloe below us some distance which are the first that have been seen. we saw a great number of deer goats and wolves as we passed through the plains this morning but no Elk or buffaloe. saw some barking squirrils much rejoiced at finding ourselves in the plains of the Missouri which abound with game.— |
| N. 50 E | 2 | m. to the discharge of Shishequaw Creek into the Medicine River [5] through an extensive beautifull and level bottom. |
| N. 85° E. | 8 | m. to our encampment of this evening on a large island. [6] the bottoms continue level low and extensive plains level and not very elivated parcularly on the N. E. side of the river. the land of neither the plains nor bottoms is fertile. it is of a light colour intermixed with a considerable proportion of gravel [7] the grass generally about 9 inghes high. the hunt- ers were unsuccessful this evening. I killed a very large and the whitest woolf I have seen— [8] |
| 28 |
Our horses being Scattered we were detained unill 8 A. M before we Set out. we proceeded on down Willards Creek on the S. W. Side about 11 miles near which the Creek passes through the mountain [9] we then Steared S. 20° E. to the West branch of Jeffersons river in Snake Indian cove about 7 miles and halded two hours to let the horses graize. [10] after dinner we proceeded on down the forke which is here but Small 9 Miles to our encampment of 17 Augt. [11] at which place we Sunk our Canoes & buried Some articles, as before mentioned the most of the Party with me being Chewers of Tobacco become So impatient to be chewing it that they Scercely gave themselves time to take their Saddles off their horses before they were off to the deposit. I found every article Safe, except a little damp. [12] I gave to each man who used tobacco about two feet off a part of a role took one third of the ballance myself and put up ⅔ in a box to Send down with the most of the articles which had been left at this place, by the Canoes this evening. I examined them and found then all Safe except one of the largest which had a large hole in one Side & Split in bow. The Country through which we passed to day was diversified high dry and uneaven Stoney open plains and low bottoms very boggy [13] with high mountains on the tops and North sides of which there was Snow, great quantities of the species of hysoop [14] & shrubs common to the Missouri plains are Scattered in those Vallys and hill Sides. The road which we have traveled from travellers rest Creek to this place an excellent road. [15] and with only a few trees being cut out of the way would be an excellent waggon road one Mountain of about 4 miles over excepted which would require a little digging The distance is 164 Miles—. Sheilds killed an antelope [NB: this place is the head of Jeffer river where we left our canoes] [16]
| Miles | |||
| S. 40° E. | down the Creek keeping on the S W Side of the Creek | } | 11— |
| passing Several Small branches from the mountains to | |||
| our right | |||
| S 20° E | passing through a gap at 3 miles and thro' an open | } | 7— |
| plain on either Side of the Gap to the West branch of | |||
| Jeffersons river | |||
| East | down the Said branch of Jeffiersons river to a high | } | 4— |
| point of land and struck the road from thc Canoes to | |||
| the Snake indian vally on Lewisis river on which we | |||
| passed last Summer [17] | |||
| N 45° E | down the fork to the forks of Sd river at which place | } | 5— |
| we made a Deposit & left our canoes & Encamped | |||
| Miles | 27— |
Tuesday 8th July 1806. a clear cold morning & hard frost. we Set out eairly with our horses and proceed. on over this large extensive plains. crossed Several large creeks Saw elk & deers and goats or antelopes. our course abt. South Struck the trail of the party at about 12 miles we come to a boiling hot Spring [18] at the edge of this plains which is large and handsom we halted a fiew minutes at this Spring found a peace of vinison in it well boiled which we expect the party left for us. we eat it. I drank Some of the water found it well tasted but So hot [19] that I cannot hold my hand in a Second of time. it fairly boils out of the ground in Sundry places &C. we proceeded on crossd a creek [20] near Sd. Springs and kept our course abt. South up a creek on which Saw many beaver dams &C. about noon we dined at the head of the creek near the dividing ridge. [21] then crossd the ridge about one mile and came on a creek running South, which we expect is a branch of jeffersons river followed down it 10 or 12 mls. and crossed an other ridge and came in the valley & on the east fork of jeffersons river. followed down on the trail of the party a Short distance and Camped [22] at dark on the branch of the creek. hobbled the unruley horses and lay down to Sleep fatigued rideing upwards of 40 miles this day. and nothing to eat this evening but the head of a goat or antelope which the party had droped on the road.—
Tuesday 8th. The morning was pleasant with some white frost. We started early and proceeded on nearly north; saw several deer, cabre and wolves in the plains, and after going three miles and a half passed Torrent creek, [23] a large creek that runs into Medicine river. Shortly after we passed this creek we went off the path or trail, travelled straight across the plains, and in about fifteen miles struck Medicine river, [24] close above the forks where we halted for dinner; and one of our hunters killed a deer and a cabre. In the afternoon we proceeded down Medicine river nine miles; and, having come, in the whole to day twenty eight miles encamped [25] for the night; and found the musketoes very troublesome.
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.