The Journals of Lewis and Clark, 1804-1806 Part 134

N. 80 E. 4 ms. through a handsome level wide bottom in which there is a considerable quanty of narrow leafed cottonwood timber. 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 continuing rainy and cold I concluded to remain all day. we feasted on the buffaloe. saw a number of deer wolves and Antelopes. killed two deer.

[Lewis, July 10, 1806]

July 10th 1806. Set out early and continued down the S W bank of the river N 75 E 24 m. to our encampment in a grove of cottonwood timber. the latter part of this course for 7 miles there is no timber in the river bottom, the other parts of the river possesses bottoms of the wide leafed cottonwood. much the greater part of the bottom is untimbered.

the bottoms are wide and level the high praries or plains are also beautiful level and smooth. great quant.i.ties of p.r.i.c.kly pear of two kinds on the plains. the ground is renderd so miry by the rain which fell yesterday that it is excessively fatiegueing to the horses to travel. we came 10 miles and halted for dinner the wind blowing down the river in the fore part of the day was unfavourable to the hunters they saw several gangs of Elk but they having the wind of them ran off.

in the evening the wind set from the West and we fell in with a few elk of which R. Fields and myself killed 3 one of which swam the river and fell on the opposite so we therefore lost it's skin I sent the packhorses on with Sergt. Ga.s.s directing them to halt and encamp at the first timber which proved to be about 7 ms. I retained frazier to a.s.sist in skining the Elk. we wer about this time joined by drewer. a large brown bear swam the river near where we were and drewyer shot and killed it. by the time we butchered thes 2 elk and bar it was nearly dark we loaded our horses with the best of the meat and pursud the party and found them encamped as they had been directed in the first timber. we did not reach them until 9 P.M. they informed us that they had seen a very large bear in the plains which had pursued Sergt. Ga.s.s and Thomson some distance but their horses enabled them to keep out of it's reach. they were affraid to fire on the bear least their horses should throw them as they were unaccustomed to the gun. we killed five deer 3 Elk and a bear today saw vast herds of buffaloe in the evening below us on the river. we hered them bellowing about us all night. vast a.s.semblages of wolves. saw a large herd of Elk making down the river.

pa.s.sed a considerable rapid in medicine river after dark. the river about a hundred yards wide is deep and in many parts rappid and today has been much crouded with islands. from our encampment down we know the river and there is no rapids and scarcely any courant. goosberries are very abundant of the common red kind and are begining to ripen. no currants on this river. both species of the p.r.i.c.kly pears just in blume.

[Lewis, July 11, 1806]

July 11th 1806.

the morning was fair and the plains looked beatifull the gra.s.s much improved by the late rain. the air was pleasant and a vast a.s.semblage of little birds which croud to the groves on the river sung most enchantingly. we set out early. I sent the hunters down Medicine river to hunt Elk and proceeded with the party across the plain to the white bear Islands which I found to be 8 ms. distant my course S. 75 E.- through a level beautiful) and extensive high plain covered with immence birds of buffaloe.--it is now the season at which the buffaloe begin to coppelate and the bulls keep a tremendious roaring we could hear them for many miles and there are such numbers of them that there is one continual roar. our horses had not been acquainted with the buffaloe they appeared much allarmed at their appearance and bellowing.

when I arrived in sight of the whitebear Islands the missouri bottoms on both sides of the river were crouded with buffaloe I sincerely belief that there were not less than 10 thousand buffaloe within a circle of 2 miles arround that place. I met with the hunters at a little grove of timber opposite to the island where they had killed a cowl and were waiting our arrival. they had met with no elk. I directed the hunters to kill some buffaloe as well for the benifit of their skins to enable us to pa.s.s the river as for their meat for the men I meant to leave at this place. we unloaded our horses and encamped opposite to the Islands. had the cow skined and some willows sticks collected to make canoes of the hides by 12 OCk. they killed eleven buffaloe most of them in fine order. the bulls are now generally much fatter than the cows and are fine beef. I sent out all hands with the horses to a.s.sist in buthering and bringing in the meat by 3 in the evening we had brought in a large quant.i.ty of fine beef and as many hides as we wanted for canoes shelters and geer. I then set all hands to prepare two canoes the one we made after the mandan fa.s.sion with a single skin in the form of a bason and the other we constructed of two skins on a plan of our own. we were unable to compleat our canoes this evening. the wind blew very hard. we continued our operations untill dark and then retired to rest. I intend giving my horses a couple of days rest at this place and deposit all my baggage which is not necessary to my voyage up medicine river.

[Lewis, July 12, 1806]

July 12th 1806. we arrose early and resumed our operations in compleating our canoes which we completed by 10 A.M. about this time two of the men whom I had dispatched this morning in quest of the horses returned with seven of them only. the remaining ten of our best horses were absent and not to be found. I fear that they are stolen. I dispatch two men on horseback in surch of them. the wind blew so violently that I did not think it prudent to attempt pa.s.sing the river.--at Noon Werner returned having found three others of the horses near Fort Mountain. Sergt. Ga.s.s did not return untill 3 P.M. not having found the horses. he had been about 8 ms. up medecine river. I now dispatched Joseph Fields and Drewyer in quest of them. the former returned at dark unsuccessfull and the latter continued absent all night. at 5 P.M. the wind abated and we transported our baggage and meat to the opposite sh.o.r.e in our canoes which we found answered even beyond our expectations. we swam our horses over also and encamped at sunset. quetoes extreemly troublesome. I think the river is somewhat higher than when we were here last summer. the present season has been much more moist than the preceeding one. the gra.s.s and weeds are much more luxouriant than they were when I left this place on the 13th of July 1805 saw the brown thrush, pigeons, doves &c.

the yellow Currants begining to ripen.

[Lewis, July 13, 1806]

13th July.

removed above to my old station opposite the upper point of the white bear island. formed our camp and set Thompson &c at work to complete the geer for the horses. had the cash opened found my bearskins entirly destroyed by the water, the river having risen so high that the water had penitrated. all my specimens of plants also lost. the Chart of the Missouri fortunately escaped. opened my trunks and boxes and exposed the articles to dry. found my papers damp and several articles damp.

the stoper had come out of a phial of laudinum and the contents had run into the drawer and distroyed a gret part of my medicine in such manner that it was past recovery. waited very impatiently for the return of Drewyer he did not arrive. Musquetoes excessively troublesome insomuch that without the protection of my musquetoe bier I should have found it impossible to wright a moment. the buffaloe are leaving us fast and pa.s.sing on to the S. East. killed a buffaloe picker a beatifull bird.

[Lewis, July 14, 1806]

14th July Had the carriage wheels dug up found them in good order. the iron frame of the boat had not suffered materially. had the meat cut thiner and exposed to dry in the sun. and some roots of cows of which I have yet a small stock pounded into meal for my journey. I find the fat buffaloe meat a great improvement to the mush of these roots. the old cash being too damp to venture to deposit my trunks &c in I sent them over to the Large island and had them put on a high scaffold among some thick brush and covered with skins. I take this precaution lest some indians may visit the men I leave here before the arrival of the main party and rob them. the hunters killed a couple of wolves, the buffaloe have almost entirely disappeared. saw the bee martin. the wolves are in great numbers howling arround us and loling about in the plains in view at the distance of two or three hundred yards. I counted 27 about the carcase of a buffaloe which lies in the water at the upper point of the large island. these are generally of the large kind. Drewyer did not return this evening.-

[Lewis, July 15, 1806]

15 July 1806.

Sent McNeal down this morning to the lower part of the portage to see whether the large perogue and cash were safe.--Drewyer returned without the horses and reported that he had tracked them to beyond our camp of the

[Lewis, July 15, 1806]

Tuesday July 15th 1806.

Dispatched McNeal early this morning to the lower part of portage in order to learn whether the Cash and white perogue remained untouched or in what state they were. the men employed in drying the meat, dressing deerskins and preparing for the reception of the canoes. at 1 P.M.

Drewyer returned without the horses and reported that after a diligent surch of 2 days he had discovered where the horses had pa.s.sed Dearborn's river at which place there were 15 lodges that had been abandoned about the time our horses were taken; he pursued the tracks of a number of horses from these lodges to the road which we had traveled over the mountains which they struck about 3 ms. South of our encampment of the 7th inst. and had pursued this road Westwardly; I have no doubt but they are a party of the Tushapahs who have been on a buffaloe hunt. Drewyer informed that there camp was in a small bottom on the river of about 5 acres inclosed by the steep and rocky and lofty clifts of the river and that so closely had they kept themselves and horses within this little spot that there was not a track to be seen of them within a quarter of a mile of that place. every spire of gra.s.s was eaten up by their horses near their camp which had the appearance of their having remained here some time. his horse being much fatiegued with the ride he had given him and finding that the indians had at least 2 days the start of him thought it best to return. his safe return has releived me from great anxiety. I had already settled it in my mind that a whitebear had killed him and should have set out tomorrow in surch of him, and if I could not find him to continue my rout to Maria's river. I knew that if he met with a bear in the plains even he would attack him. and that if any accedent should happen to seperate him from his horse in that situation the chances in favour of his being killed would be as 9 to 10. I felt so perfectly satisfyed that he had returned in safety that I thought but little of the horses although they were seven of the best I had. this loss great as it is, is not intirely irreparable, or at least dose not defeat my design of exploring Maria's river. I have yet 10 horses remaining, two of the best and two of the worst of which I leave to a.s.sist the party in taking the canoes and baggage over the portage and take the remaining 6 with me; these are but indifferent horses most of them but I hope they may answer our purposes. I shall leave three of my intended party, (viz ) Ga.s.s, Frazier and Werner, and take the two Feildses and Drewyer. by having two spare horses we can releive those we ride. having made this arrangement I gave orders for an early departure in the morning, indeed I should have set out instantly but McNeal road one of the horses which I intend to take and has not yet returned. a little before dark McNeal returned with his musquet broken off at the breech, and informed me that on his arrival at willow run he had approached a white bear within ten feet without discover him the bear being in the thick brush, the horse took the allarm and turning short threw him immediately under the bear; this animal raised himself on his hinder feet for battle, and gave him time to recover from his fall which he did in an instant and with his clubbed musquet he struck the bear over the head and cut him with the guard of the guns and broke off the breech, the bear stunned with the stroke fell to the ground and began to scratch his head with his feet; this gave McNeal time to climb a willow tree which was near at hand and thus fortunately made his escape. the bear waited at the foot of the tree untill late in the evening before he left him, when McNeal ventured down and caught his horse which had by this time strayed off to the distance of 2 ms. and returned to camp. these bear are a most tremenduous animal; it seems that the hand of providence has been most wonderfully in our favor with rispect to them, or some of us would long since have fallen a sacrifice to their farosity. there seems to be a sertain fatality attatched to the neighbourhood of these falls, for there is always a chapter of accedents prepared for us during our residence at them. the musquetoes continue to infest us in such manner that we can scarcely exist; for my own part I am confined by them to my bier at least 3/4ths of my time. my dog even howls with the torture he experiences from them, they are almost insupportable, they are so numerous that we frequently get them in our thrats as we breath.

[Lewis, July 16, 1806]

Wednesday July 16th 1806.

I dispatched a man early this morning to drive up the horses as usual, he returned at 8 A.M. with one of them only. allarmed at this occurrence I dispatched one of my best hands on horseback in surch of them he returned at 10 A.M. with them and I immediately set out. sent Drewyer and R. Fields with the horses to the lower side of Medecine river, and proceeded myself with all our baggage and J. Fields down the missouri to the mouth of Medecine river in our canoe of buffaloe skins.

we were compelled to swim the horses above the whitebear island and again across medicine river as the Missouri is of great width below the mouth of that river. having arrived safely below Medicine river we immediatly sadled our horses and proceeded down the river to the handsom fall of 47 feet where I halted about 2 hours and took a haisty sketch of these falls; in the mean time we had some meat cooked and took dinner after which we proceeded to the grand falls where we arrived at sunset. on our way we saw two very large bear on the opposite side of the river. as we arrived in sight of the little wood below the falls we saw two other bear enter it; this being the only wood in the neighbourhood we were compelled of course to contend with the bear for possession, and therefore left our horses in a place of security and entered the wood which we surched in vain for the bear, they had fled. here we encamped and the evening having the appearance of rain made our beds and slept under a shelving rock. these falls have abated much of their grandure since I first arrived at them in June 1805, the water being much lower at preset than it was at that moment, however they are still a sublimely grand object. I determined to take a second drawing of it in the morning. we saw a few buffaloe as we pa.s.sed today, the immence hirds which were about this place on our arrival have princ.i.p.ally pa.s.sed the river and directed their course downwards.

we see a number of goats or antilopes always in pa.s.sing through the plains of the Missouri above the Mandans. at this season they are thinly scattered over the plains but seem universally distributed in every part; they appear very inquisitive usually to learn what we are as we pa.s.s, and frequently accompany us at no great distance for miles, frequently halting and giving a loud whistle through their nostrils, they are a very pretty animal and astonis.h.i.+ngly fleet and active. we spent this evening free from the torture of the Musquetoes. there are a great number of geese which usually raise their young above these falls about the entrance of Medicine river we saw them in large flocks of several hundred as we pa.s.sed today. I saw both yesterday and today the Cookkoo or as it is sometimes called the rain craw. this bird is not met with west of the Rocky Mountains nor within them.

[Lewis, July 17, 1806]

Thursday July 17th 1806.

I arrose early this morning and made a drawing of the falls. after which we took breakfast and departed. it being my design to strike Maria's river about the place at which I left it on my return to it's mouth in the begining of June 1805. I steered my course through the wide and level plains which have somewhat the appearance of an ocean, not a tree nor a shrub to be seen. the land is not fertile, at least far less so, than the plains of the Columbia or those lower down this river, it is a light coloured soil intermixed with a considerable proportion of coa.r.s.e gravel without sand, when dry it cracks and appears thursty and is very hard, in it's wet state, it is as soft and slipry as so much soft soap the gra.s.s is naturally but short and at present has been rendered much more so by the graizing of the buffaloe, the whole face of the country as far as the eye can reach looks like a well shaved bowlinggreen, in which immence and numerous herds of buffaloe were seen feeding attended by their scarcely less numerous sheepherds the wolves. we saw a number of goats as usual today, also the party coloured plover with the brick red head and neck; this bird remains about the little ponds which are distributed over the face of these plains and here raise their young. we killed a buffaloe cow as we pa.s.sed throug the plains and took the hump and tonge which furnish ample rations for four men one day. at 5 P.M. we arrived at rose rivers where I purposed remaining all night as I could not reach maria's river this evening and unless I did there would be but little probability of our finding any wood and very probably no water either. on our arrival at the river we saw where a wounded and bleading buffaloe had just pa.s.sed and concluded it was probable that the indians had been runing them and were near at hand. the Minnetares of Fort de prarie and the blackfoot indians rove through this quarter of the country and as they are a vicious lawless and reather an abandoned set of wretches I wish to avoid an interview with them if possible. I have no doubt but they would steel our horses if they have it in their power and finding us weak should they happen to be numerous wil most probably attempt to rob us of our arms and baggage; at all events I am determined to take every possible precaution to avoid them if possible. I hurried over the river to a thick wood and turned out the horses to graize; sent Drewyer to pursue and kill the wounded buffaloe in order to determine whether it had been wounded by the indians or not, and proceeded myself to reconnoitre the adjacent country having sent R. Fields for the same purpose a different rout. I ascended the river hills and by the help of my gla.s.s examined the plains but could make no discovery, in about an hour I returned to camp, where I met with the others who had been as unsuccessfull as myself. Drewyer could not find the wounded buffaloe.

J. Fields whom I had left at camp had already roasted some of the buffaloe meat and we took dinner after which I sent Drewyer and R.

Fields to resume their resurches for the indians; and set myself down to record the transactions of the day. rose river is at this place fifty yards wide, the water which is only about 3 feet deep occupys about 35 yds. and is very terbid of a white colour. the general course of this river is from East to west so far as I can discover it's track through the plains, it's bottoms are wide and well timbered with cottonwood both the broad and narrow leafed speceis. the bed of this stream is small gravel and mud; it's banks are low but never overflow, the hills are about 100 or 150 feet high; it possesses bluffs of earth like the lower part of the Missouri; except the debth and valocity of it's stream and it is the Missouri in miniture. from the size of rose river at this place and it's direction I have no doubt but it takes it's source within the first range of the Rocky mountains. the bush which bears the red berry is here in great plenty in the river bottoms The spies returned having killed 2 beaver and a deer. they reported that they saw no appearance of Indians.-

[Lewis, July 18, 1806]

Friday July 18th 1806.

We set out this morning a little before sunrise ascended the river hills and continued our rout as yesterday through the open plains at about 6 miles we reached the top of an elivated plain which divides the waters of the rose river from those of Maria's river. from hence the North mountains, the South mountains, the falls mountains and the Tower Mountain and those arround and to the East of the latter were visible.

our course led us nearly parrallel with a creek of Maria's river which takes it's rise in these high plains at the place we pa.s.sed them; at noon we struck this creek about 6 ms. from its junction with Maria's river where we found some cottonwood timber; here we halted to dine and graize our horses. the bed of this creek is about 25 yds. wide at this place but is nearly dry at present, the water being confined to little pools in the deeper parts of it's bed. from hence downwards there is a considerable quant.i.ty of timber in it's bottom. we pa.s.sed immence herds of buffaloe on our way in short for about 12 miles it appeared as one herd only the whole plains and vally of this creek being covered with them; saw a number of wolves of both speceis, also Antelopes and some horses. after dinner we proceeded about 5 miles across the plain to Maria's river where we arrived at 6 P.M. we killed a couple of buffaloe in the bottom of this river and encamped on it's west side in a grove of cottonwood some miles above the entrance of the creek. being now convinced that we were above the point to which I had formerly ascended this river and faring that a fork of this stream might fall in on the Northside between this place and the point to which I had ascended it, I directed Drewyer who was with me on my former excurtion, and Joseph Fields to decend the river early in the morning to the place from whence I had returned, and examine whether any stream fell inn or not.

I keep a strict lookout every night, I take my tour of watch with the men.

[Lewis, July 19, 1806]

Sat.u.r.day July 19th 1806.

Drewyer and J. Fields set out early this morning in conformity to my instructions last evening. they returned at 1/2 after 12 OCk. and informed me that they had proceeded down the river to the place from which I had returned on the ____ of June last and that it was 6 miles distant. they pa.s.sed 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 Alt.i.tude we set out, ascended the river hills having pa.s.sed the river and proceeded through the open plains up the N. side of the river 20 miles and encamped. at 15 miles we pa.s.sed a large creek 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 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 dest.i.tute of timber. from the entrance of this creek they bore N. 10 W. the river bottoms are usually about 1/2 a mile wide and possess a considerable quant.i.ty of timber entirely cottonwood; the underbrush is honeysuckle rose bushes the narrow leafed willow and the bush which bears the acid red berry called by the french engages grease de buff. just as we halted to encamp R. Fields killed a mule doe. the plains are beautifull and level but the soil is but thin. in many parts of the plains there are great quant.i.ties of p.r.i.c.kly pears. saw some herds of buffaloe today but not in such quant.i.ties as yesterday, also antelopes, wolves, gees, pigeons, doves, hawks, ravens crows larks sparrows &c. the Curlooe has disappeared.

[Lewis, July 20, 1806]

Sunday July 20th 1806 We set at sunrise and proceed through the open plain as yesterday up the North side of the river. the plains are more broken than they were yesterday and have become more inferior in point of soil; a great quanty of small gravel is every where distributed over the surface of the earth which renders travling extreemly painfull to our bearfoot horses. the soil is generally a white or whiteish blue clay, this where it has been trodden by the buffaloe when wet has now become as firm as a brickbat and stands in an inumerable little points quite as formidable to our horses feet as the gravel. the mineral salts common to the plains of the missouri has been more abundant today than usual.

the bluffs of the river are about 200 feet high, steep irregular and formed of earth which readily desolves with water, slips and precipitates itself into the river as before mentioned frequentlly of the bluffs of the Missouri below which they resemble in every particular, differing essencially from those of the Missouri above the entrance of this river, they being composed of firm red or yellow clay which dose not yeald readily to the rains and a large quant.i.ty of rock.