July 9, 1806
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

July 9, 1806

 

Set out early and had not proceeded far before it began to rain.    the air extreemly cold.    halted a few minutes in some old lodges untill it cased to rain in some measure.    we then proceeded and it rained without intermission    wet us to the skin.

N. 80° E. 4 ms. through a handsome level wide bottom [1] in which there is
a considerable quanty of narrow leafed cottonwood timber. [2]
the river is generally about 80 yds. wide rapid yet I think it
migt be navigated.    it's bed is loose gravel and pebbles.    the
banks low but seldom overflow.    water clear.
S 85 E 4 ms Still on the S W. side of the river through wide and level
bottoms some timber. Joseph feilds killed a very fat buffaloe
bull and we halted to dine.    we took the best of the meat as
much as we could possibly carry on our horses.    the day con-
tinuing rainy and cold I concluded to remain all day. [3]    we
feasted on the buffaloe.    saw a number of deer wolves and
Antelopes.    killed two deer.
 

rose early had the horses brought up.    after which I had the Canoes raised washed, brough down and drawn up on Shore to dry and repard. Set Several men to work digging for the Tobacco Capt. Lewis informed me he had buried in the place the lodge Stood when we lay here last Summer, they Serched diligently without finding anything.    at 10 A M Sergt. Ordway and party arrived with the horses we had lost.    he reported that he found those horses near the head of the Creek on which we encamped, [4] makeing off as fast as they could and much Scattered.    nothing material took place with his party in their absence. I had the Canoes repared men & lodes appotioned ready to embark tomorrow morning. I also formd. 〈my〉 the party to accomp me to the river Rejhone [5] from applicants and apportioned what little baggage I intended to carry as also the Spear horses.    this day was windy and Cold. The Squar brought me a Plant [6] the root of which the nativs eat.    this root most resembles a Carrot in form and Size and Something of its colour, being of a pailer yellow than that of our Carrot, the Stem and leaf is much like the Common Carrot, and the taste not unlike.    it is a native of moist land.— John Sheilds and Collins each killed a Deer this morning.    the wind dried our Canoes very much    they will be Sufficiently dry by tomorrow morning to Set out in them down the river.

 

Wednesday 9th July 1806.    a fair morning.    three of the men went on at light a head to hunt    I and the other man took on the horses.    about 4 miles overtook the hunters who had killd. a deer.    we halted and roasted a quarter of it and the Intrals which we eat and proceeded on down the river    about noon we arived at the canoe deposite [7]    joined the party who arived here last evening and opened our carsh    found everry thing in it Safe.    they had killed a deer and one antelope.    they raised the canoes to day    found some tin and nails had been taken of them by the Savages    we halled them out to Sun them    we repaired our canoes &C.    the party aranged to go with Capt. Clark to the River Roshjone and also to go down with the canoes. I go down with 9 more to take the canoes to the falls of the Missourie than to the forks of Marriah where I expect to join Capt. Lewis & his party. [8]

 

Wednesday 9th.    A cloudy morning. We set out early to go down the river; but had not proceeded far before it began to rain, and we halted at some old Indian lodges, where we took shelter. In an hours time the rain slackened, and we proceeded on; but had not gone far before it began to rain again, and the weather was very cold for the season. At noon we came up with our hunters, who had killed a large buffaloe; so we halted, and some of us went and dressed it, and brought in the best of the meat which was very good. We encamped [9] here and lay by during the afternoon as the rain continued during the whole of it.

1. Lewis proceeded down Sun River, passing from Lewis and Clark County, Montana, to Cascade County. (back)
2. Narrowleaf cottonwood. (back)
3. On the south side of Sun River, near the mouth of Simms Creek, in Cascade County, a little over one mile northwest of present Simms (see fig. 4). (back)
4. On Moose Creek, in Beaverhead County, Montana, where they camped on July 6, 1806. (back)
5. The Roche jaune, or Yellowstone, River. (back)
6. Although the description of a carrot-like leaf is not consistent, this may be ternate, or nineleaf, lomatium, Lomatium triternatum (Pursh) Coult. & Rose, a plant with an edible root which Lewis collected on May 6, 1806, on the Clearwater River in Idaho. L. dissectum (Nutt.) Math. & Const., fits the leaf description more closely, but is not especially typical of "moist land" and is not known to be palatable. Booth & Wright, 173–74; Cutright (LCPN), 289, 413. (back)
7. Ordway apparently followed Clark's route to Horse Prairie and Horse Prairie Creek and then proceeded to the forks of the Beaverhead River and the site of Camp Fortunate, where the party had first stopped on August 17, 1805, and where Clark's group was now encamped. (back)
8. The entire party would travel north to the Three Forks area, then Clark would lead a group across land to the Yellowstone (Roshjone) River and descend it to the Missouri River to link up with Lewis's party after they had been joined by Ordway and his men at the Marias River. See July 13, 1806, for the division of the company. (back)
9. On the south side of Sun River, near the mouth of Simms Creek, Cascade County, Montana, a little over one mile northwest of Simms. (back)