August 5, 1805
Monday August 5th 1805
As Charbono complained of being unable to march far today I ordered him
and Sergt. Gass to pass the rappid river near our camp and proceed at
their leasure through the level bottom to a point of high timber about
seven miles distant on the middle fork which was in view; I gave them
my pack that of Drewyer and the meat which we had, directing them to
remain at that place untill we joined them. I took Drewyer with me and
continued my rout up the stard. side of the river about 4 miles and
then waded it; found it so rapid and shallow that it was impossible to
navigate it. continued up it on the Lard. side about 11/2 miles further
when the mountains put in close on both sides and arrose to great
hight, partially covered with snow. from hence the course of the river
was to the East of North. I took the advantage of a high projecting
spur of the mountain which with some difficulty we ascended to it's
summit in about half an hour. from this eminance I had a pleasing view
of the valley through which I had passed many miles below and the
continuation of the middle fork through the valley equally wide above
me to the distance of about 20 miles when that also appeared to enter
the mountains and disappeared to my view; however the mountains which
termineate the valley in this direction appeared much lower than those
up either of the other forks. on the rapid fork they appeared still to
rise the one range towering above another as far as I could perceive
them. the middle fork as I suspected dose bear considerably to the West
of South and the gap formed by it in the mountains after the valley
terminates is in the same direction. under these circumstances I did
not hesitate in beleiving the middle fork the most proper for us to
ascend. about South from me, the middle fork approached within about 5
miles. I resolved to pass across the plains to it and return to Gass
and Charbono, accordingly we set out and decended the mountain among
some steep and difficult precipices of rocks. here Drewyer missed his
step and had a very dangerous fall, he sprained one of his fingers and
hirt his leg very much. in fifteen or 20 minutes he was able to proceed
and we continued our rout to the river where we had desighned to
interscept it. I quenched my thirst and rested a few minutes examined
the river and found it still very navi-gable. an old indian road very
large and plain leads up this fork, but I could see no tracks except
those of horses which appeared to have passed early in the spring. as
the river mad a great bend to the South East we again ascended the high
plain and steered our course as streight as we could to the point where
I had directed Gass and Sharbono to remain. we passed the plain
regained the bottom and struck the river about 3 miles above them; by
this time it was perfectly dark & we hooped but could hear no tidings
of them. we had struck the river at the point of timber to which I had
directed them, but having mistaken a point of woods lower down, had
halted short of the place. we continued our rout after dark down the
bottom through thick brush of the pulppy leafed thorn and prickly pears
for about 2 hours when we arrived at their camp. they had a small
quantity of meat left which Drewyer and myself eat it being the first
we had taisted today. we had traveled about 25 miles. I soon laid down
and slept very soundly untill morning. I saw no deer today nor any game
except a few Antelopes which were very shy. the soil of the plains is a
light yellow clay very meager and intermixed with a large proportion of
gravel, producing nothing except the twisted or bearded grass, sedge
and prickly pears. the dryer parts of the bottoms are also much more
indifferent in point of soil to those below and are covered with the
southernwood pulpy leafed thorn and prickley pears with but little
grass. the moist parts are fertile and covered with fine grass and sand
rushes.
This morning Capt. Clark set out at sunrise and dispatched Joseph &
Reubin Fields to hunt. they killed two deer on one of which the party
breakfasted. the river today they found streighter and more rapid even
than yesterday, and the labour and difficulty of the navigation was
proportionably increased, they therefore proceeded but slowly and with
great pain as the men had become very languid from working in the water
and many of their feet swolen and so painfull that they could scarcely
walk. at 4 P.M. they arrived at the confluence of the two rivers where
I had left the note. this note had unfortunately been placed on a green
pole which the beaver had cut and carried off together with the note;
the possibility of such an occurrence never one occurred to me when I
placed it on the green pole. this accedent deprived Capt. Clark of any
information with ripect to the country and supposing that the rapid
fork was most in the direction which it was proper we should pursue, or
West, he took that stream and asscended it with much difficulty about a
mile and encamped on an island that had been lately overflown and was
yet damp; they were therefore compelled to make beds of brush to keep
themselves out of the mud. in ascending this stream for about a quarter
of a mile it scattered in such a maner that they were obliged to cut a
passage through the willow brush which leant over the little channels
and united their tops. Capt. Clarks ankle is extreemly painfull to him
this evening; the tumor has not yet mature, he has a slight fever.— The
men were so much fortiegued today that they wished much that navigation
was at an end that they might go by land.-
August 5th Monday 1805
a Cold Clear morning the wind from the S. E. the river Streight & much
more rapid than yesterday, I Sent out Jo. & R. Fields to kill Some meat
they killed 2 Deer & we brackfast on one of them and proceeded on with
great dificuelety from the rapidity of the Current, and numerable
rapids we had to encounter, at 4 oClock P M Murcury 49 ab. 0, passed
the mouth of principal fork which falls in on the Lard. Side, this fork
is about the Size of the Stard. one less water reather not so rapid,
its Course as far as can be Seen is S. E & appear to pass through
between two mountains, the N W. fork being the one most in our course
i. e. S 25 W. as far as I can See, deturmind me to take this fork as
the principal and the one most proper the S E fork is of a Greenish
Colour & contains but little timber. The S W fok contains more timber
than is below for Some distance, we assended this fork about one mile
and Encamped on an Island which had been laterly overflown & was wet we
raised our bead on bushes, we passed a part of the river above the
forks which was divided and Scattered thro the willows in Such a manner
as to render it dificuelt to pass through for a 1/4 of a mile, we wer
oblige to Cut our way thro the willows— Men much fatigued from their
excessive labours in hauling the Canoes over the rapids &c. verry weak
being in the water all day. my foot verry painfull
Assended the N W Fork 9 miles on a Course S. 30° W. to a Bluff on the
Stard. Side passed Several Bayous & Islands
