The Journals of Lewis & Clark: August 11, 1804

Updated May 14, 2020 | Infoplease Staff
by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark
August 10, 1804
August 12, 1804

August 11, 1804

August 11th Satturday 1804 about day this morning a hard wind from the N. W. followed by rain, we landed at the foot of the hill on which Black Bird The late King of the mahar who Died 4 years ago & 400 of his nation with the Small pox was buried (1) and went up and fixed a white flag bound with Blue white & read on the Grave which was about 12 foot Base & circueller, on the top of a Penical about 300 foot above the water of the river, from the top of this hill may be Seen the bends or meanderings of the river for 60 or 70 miles round & all the County around the base of this high land is a Soft Sand Stone Bluff of about 40 or 150 foot, the Crooked, passed a Creek Called Wau-Con di peche C or Bad God Creek of bad Spirits on the L. S above the Bluff on this Creek the Mahars had the Small pox 4 years ago, Lattitude 42° 1'3" 8/10 taken on the Point above the Creek. the river is verry Crooked, we are now within 3/4 of a mile of the river at a place we Shall not get around to untill tomorrow noon- We er 3 Legues from the Mahars by land and the great deel of Beaver sign induce a belief that those people do not hunt much.

I have observed a number of places where the river has Changd its Bead at different times

11th August Satturday 1804. about day light this Morning a hard wind from the N W. with Some rain proceeded on arround the right of the Isld.

a hard wind accompanied with rain from the S. E. after the rain was over Capt. Lewis myself & 10 men assended the Hill on the L. S. under which there was Some fine Springs to the top of a high point where the Mahars King Black Bird was burried 4 years ago. a mound of earth about 12 Diamuter at the base & 6 feet high is raised over him turfed, and a pole 8 feet high in the Center on this pole we fixed a white flage bound with red Blue & white; this hill about 300 feet above the water forming a Bluff between that & the Water of Various hight from 40 to 150 feet in hight yellow Soft Sand Stone from the tops of this Nole the river may be Seen Meandering for 60 or 70 Miles, we Decended & Set out N. 24 to W. 1/2 me. passing over a Sand bar on the S. pt. along the Willows. to the river opposit a Small Beyeau on the L. S. which is the Conveyance of the high water from a bend which appears near in a northerly direction, haveing passed a Creek in a Deep bend to the L. S. Called by the Mahars Wau can di Peeche (Great Spirrit is bad) on this Creek & Hills near it about 400 of the Mahar Died with the Small Pox- Took Medn. Altitude & made the Latd. 42° 1' 3" 8/10 N. also the Moons Distanc from the Sun I have observed a number of places where the River has onced run and now filled or filling up & growing with willows & cottonwood

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