Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
Drewyer and J. Fields set out early this morning in conformity to my instructions last evening. they returned at ½ after 12 OCk. and informed me that they had proceeded down the river to the place from which I had returned on the [blank] of June last [1] and that it was 6 miles distant. they passed the entrance of buffaloe Creek at 2 ms. the course of the river from hence downwards as far as they were is N. 80 E. they killed 8 deer and two Antelopes on their way; most of the deer were large fat mule bucks. having completed my observation of the sun's meridian Altitude we set out, ascended the river hills having passed the river and proceeded through the open plains up the N. side of the river 20 miles and encamped. [2] at 15 miles we passed 〈the〉 [illegible] a large creek [3] on N. side a little above it's entrance; there is but little running water in this creek at present, it's bed is about 30 yds. wide and appears to come from the broken Mountains [4] so called from their raggid and irregular shape there are three of them extending from east to West almost unconnected, the center mountain terminates in a conic spire and is that which I have called the tower mountain they are destitute of timber. from the entrance of this creek they bore N. 10° W. the river bottoms are usually about ½ a mile wide and possess a considerable quantity of timber entirely cottonwood; the underbrush is honeysuckle [5] rose bushes [6] the narrow leafed willow and the bush which bears the acid red berry called by the french engages grease de buff. [NB: buffaloe grease] [7] just as we halted to encamp R. Fields killed a mule doe. the plains are beautifull and level but the soil is but thin. [8] in many parts of the plains there are great quantities of prickly pears. saw some herds of buffaloe today but not in such quantities as yesterday, also antelopes, wolves, gees, pigeons, doves, hawks, ravens crows larks sparrows &c. the Curlooe has disappeared.
On the South side of Maria's river 〈8〉 2 [9] ms. above the entrance of Buffaloe Creek
| Observed Meridian Altd. of ☉'s L. L. | } | 59° 35' |
| with Octant by the back observatn. |
Latitude deduced from this observation. [blank]
| S. 80 W. | 20 | Ms. up Maria's river to the place of our encampment on it's N. side. passed a large creek on South Side [10] with some timber in it's vally at 8 ms. also another large creek [ EC: Sweetgrass Creek ] [11] on N. side at 15 ms. this last is 30 yds. wide but little water at present. the bluffs of the river and creeks are steep and principally formed of earth, though there are some- times thin stratas of freestone intermixed near the top of the bluffs.— [12] |
| Ms. | 20 |
| N. 72° E | 2 | miles to a bend on the Lard Sid lower part of a low Clift of rocks. large timbered bottom opposit and a large Creek Comes out of the hills opposit which I call. The [blank] river haveing made a bend to the Stard Side to the hills. above the Creek. 3 ms [tear] [p]assed Some high land [tear] [w]hich the river passed [tear] miles on the Lard Sid and [tear] on the Stard Side. river [tear] genl. bends to the Stard. Side [tear] |
| [East | 9] | [tear] Islands of various Sizes. passd. an old Indian fort at 2 miles in a Small Island near the Lard Shore (19) |
| North | 1 ½ | miles to a Lard Bend high Clift on the Stard. Side opsd. an Island— 1 ½ |
| N 60° E | 1 | mile to the point of a high Clift on the Stard. Bend river makes a round bend to the Lard. Side 3 m |
| N. 50° E | 1 ½ | ms. to a point of a high bluff on the Stard. Side passing a bend to Lard. an Island. High Bluffs on the Stard. Side— 3 m |
| East | 3 | miles to Some large trees in the Lard. bend passing Several Islands river very much divided and crooked Camped and killed 7 Elk and 4 Deer and a Antelope and wounded 4 ½ miles— |
I rose early and dressed Gibsons wound. he Slept but very little last night and complains of great pain in his Knee and hip as well as his thy. there being no timber on this part of the Rochjhone sufficintly large for a Canoe and time is pracious as it is our wish to get to the U States this Season, conclude to take Gibson in a little if he is not able to ride on down the river untill I can find a tree Sufficently large for my purpose. I had the Strongest and jentlesst Horse Saddled and placed Skins & blankets in Such a manner that when he was put on the horse he felt himself in as easy a position as when lying. this was a fortunate circunstance as he Could go much more at his ease than in a litter. passed Rose bud river [14] on Sd Side [NB: So called by Indians; i. e. Itch-ke-pe (Rose) ar-ja (rivr) about 40 yds. saw many rs. bds., a beautiful] I proceeded on about 9 miles, and halted to let the horses graze and let Gibson rest. his leg become So numed from remaining in one position, as to render extreemly painful to him. I derected Shields to keep through the thick timber and examine for a tree sufficently large & Sound to make a Canoe, and also hunt for Some Wild Ginger [15] for a Poltice for Gibsons wound. he joined me at dinner with 2 fat Bucks but found neither tree or Ginger. he informed me that 2 white bear Chased him on horsback, each of which he Shot from his horse &c. Currents are ripe and abundant, i, e, the Yellow, black & purple spcies. we passed over two high points of Land from which I had a View of the rocky Mounts. to the W. & S. S. E. all Covered with Snow. I also Saw a low mountain in an Easterly direction. [16] the high lands is partially Covered with pine and form purpendcular Clifts on either side. after dinner I proceeded on the high lands become lower on either Side and those of the Stard Side form Bluffs of a darkish yellow earth; [17] the bottom widens to Several Ms. on the Stard Side. the timber which cotton wood principally Scattered on the borders of the river is larger than above. I have Seen Some trees which would make very Small Canoes. Gibsons thy became So painfull that he could not Set on the horse after rideing about 2 hours and a half I directed Sergt Pryor and one man to continue with him under the Shade of a tree for an hour and then proceed on to the place I Should encamp which would be in the first good [NB: timber for canoes] for the below. (It may be proper to observe that the emence Sworms of Grass hoppers [18] have distroyed every Sprig of Grass for maney miles on this Side of the river, and appear to be progressing upwards.[)] about 4 Miles below the place I left Sergt. Pryor with Gibson found some large timber near which the grass was tolerably good I Encamped under a thick grove of those trees [19] which was not Sufficiently large for my purpose, tho' two of them would mak small Canoes. I took Shields and proceeded on through a large timbered bottom imediately below in Serch of better trees for Canoes, found Several about the Same Size with those at my Camp. at dark I returned to Camp Sergt. Pryor had arived with gibson. after my arival at this place the hunters killed Seven Elk, four Deer, and I wounded a Buffalow very badly near the Camp imediately after I arived. in the forepart of the day the hunters killed two deer an Antelope & Shot two Bear. Shabono informed me that he Saw an Indian on the high lands on the opposit Side of the river, in the time I was absent in the woods. I saw a Smoke in the Same direction with that which I had Seen on the 7th inst. [20] it appeared to be in the Mountains.
|
ms. by water |
||||
| N. 72° E | 2 | ms. on the Course to a bend on the Larbd. Side | } | 3 |
| at the lower point of a low Clift of rocks of ¼ of | ||||
| a mile in extent. a large Creek entering the | ||||
| bottom on the Stard Side nearly opposit which I | ||||
| call rose bud River [21] the river having made a | ||||
| bend to the Stard Side to the high land above | ||||
| the Creek an extensive timbered bottom on the | ||||
| Stard. Side | ||||
| East | 9 | ms. on the course to a high point in a Stard | } | 19 |
| Bend passed an old indian fort [22] on an island at | ||||
| 2 miles, the river passing under Some high lands | ||||
| on the Lard Side from 3 to 5 miles, and under | ||||
| high land from 6 miles on the Stard. Side. the | ||||
| river haveing made two genl. bends to the Stard | ||||
| Side passed Several of various Sizes and | ||||
| forms river about 200 yds wide | ||||
| North | 1 ½ | ms. to a Lard Bend passing an island. high | } | 1 ½ |
| Clifts on the Starboard Side | ||||
| N. 60° E | 1 | me. on a direct course to a point of a high Clift | } | 3 |
| in the Stard. Bend, river making a round bend | ||||
| bend to the Lard Side & then to the clift above | ||||
| point 1 ml.— | ||||
| N. 50° E | 1 ½ | ms. on a direct course to a point of the high clift | } | 3 |
| on the Stard. Side passing a Lard Bend in which | ||||
| there is an island high Clifts Continue on the | ||||
| Stard. Side | ||||
| East | 3 | ms. on the course to a clump of a large Cotton | } | 5 ½ |
| wood trees in a Lard Bend passing several Is- | ||||
| lands river much divided and Crooked. high | ||||
| Yellow Bluff on the Stard. Side under which | ||||
| part of the river passes. The bottoms wide and | ||||
| extensive on the Lard. Side. Encamped— | ||||
| miles | 18 | by land by water miles— | 35 |
Saturday 19th July 1806. a clear & pleasant morning. two hunters went on Shore to go across a bend after the buffaloe & we proceeded on with the canoes round sd bend. about 11 A. M. the hunters killed 4 buffaloe and a buck deer. we halted and took the best of the meat or fat and proced. on about 3 P. M. we arived at the white bear Camp at the head of the portage. [23] Sergt. Gass and five more of the party were Camped here. [24] they informed us that they had a fine road over. they followed up the Tus-e-paw or buffaloe river [25] a Smooth road, then crossed a low dividing ridge [26] came on Smooth plains. the blanket mountains [27] to the left. they had a large road. a band of Indians had went before them. Saw one of their Sculp poles &C. they Struck the Meddison river [28] above its forks and followed on down it about 3 days travel to this place. considerable of cotten timber on its bottoms. the plain Smooth Soil indifferent except Some of the river bottoms are rich & good land. they arived here on the 11th Inst. they had killed a number of fat buffaloe and fat buck deers. Capt. Lewis and party lost 7 fine horses at this place. they expect they were Stole by the war parties they hunted for them untill the 16th Inst. then gave them out for lost, and then he Set out for to go up morriahs river Drewyer Jo. & R. Fields only with him as he left 4 horses to hall the canoes past the portage. he had not horses enofe to take any more men with him. they had opened the cash or hole at this place & found Several Small articles Spoiled and opened the one below the portage and found everry thing Safe except Some of the mens robes. they have geers fixed for the horses. Mcneal was attacked by a white bear. his horse threw him So near the bear that he had not time to Shoote but drew his gun and Struck the bear across the head and broke off the brich of his gun and Stonded the bear So that he had time to climb a Sapling. the bear kept him on the tree about 3 hours. then the bear left him he caught his horse and returnd. to Camp. we took our baggage out of the canoes and halled them out to dry &C. the Musquetoes verry troublesome indeed much worse than they were last year.—
Saturday 19th. The weather continues pleasant and most of the men are employed in dressing skins, as we have got all ready for crossing the portage as soon as the canoes arrive. The musquitoes were very troublesome to day. At 3 o'clock in the afternoon, a sergeant and nine men [29] arrived at our camp, with the canoes and some baggage. They informed me that they had a good passage over the mountains to the Missouri; [30] and on their way, saw a boiling-hot spring, [31] which in twenty-five minutes would boil meat put into it, quite well and fit for eating.— This spring is on the head waters of Wisdom river. [32] They had got to the canoe-deposit on the 8th instant [33] and found every thing safe: the whole party then came down to the forks at the mouth of Jefferson river; [34] where Capt. Clarke with ten men and the interpreter left them, [35] and went up Gallatin's river in order to cross over to the Jaune, or Yellow-stone river. [36] They had plenty of provisions all the way. In the evening we hauled the canoes out to dry.
| 191 189 80 73 41 48 622 66 48 735 86 829 |
48 58 55 43 35 dedut 239 = 48 = 191 69 58 62 80 73 41 48 66 45 86 8 636 191 837 |
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.