Clark: April 15, 1805
The expedition departed early on a windy day, with Captain Lewis going ashore and killing a goose. Clark later hiked up to the high country on the south side, observing beautiful, fertile open plains and drainages running northeast, which he believed flowed toward the Mouse River and Lake Winnipeg. He noted that most local streams were too mineral-laden to drink. They passed a 20-yard-wide creek and saw remains of Assiniboine camps, including a large pen built to trap antelope. The party spotted buffalo, elk, and a black bear, and camped on a sand point.
15th of April Monday 1805 Set out at an early hour, Captn Lewis walked on
Shore and Killed a goose, passed a Island in a bend to the L. S. the wind
hard from the S. E. after brackfast I walked on Shore and assended to the
high Countrey on the S. S. and off from the Missouri about three miles the
countrey is butifull open fertile plain the dreans take theer rise near
the Clifts of the river and run from the river in a N E derection as far
as I could See, this is the part of the River which Mouse river the waters
of Lake Winnipec approaches within a fiew miles of Missouri, and I believe
those dreans lead into that river. we passed a creek about 20 yds. wide on
the S. S. the bottoms of this Creek is extensive & fertile, the water
of this as also, all the Streams which head a fiew miles in the hills
discharge water which is black & unfit for use (and can Safely Say
that I have not Seen one drop of water fit for use above fort Mandan
except Knife and the little Missouris Rivers and the Missouri, the other
Streams being So much impregnated with mineral as to be verry disagreeble
in its present State.) I saw the remains of Several Camps of ossinniboins,
near one of those camps & at no great distance from the mouth of the
aforesid Creek, in a hollow, I saw a large Strong pen made for the purpose
of Catching the antelope, with wings projecting from it widining from the
pen
Saw Several gangs of Buffalow and Some elk at a distance, a black bear
Seen from the Perogues to daypassed a rock in the Middle of the
river, Some Smaller rocks from that to the L. Shore, the dog that came to
us yesterday morning continues to follow us, we camped on a Sand point to
the L. S.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
15th of April, Monday 1805. Set out at an early hour. Captn Lewis (Capt. Lewis) walked on shore and killed a goose. Passed an island in a bend to the larboard side. The wind blew hard from the southeast. After breakfast I walked on shore and ascended to the high country on the starboard side, about three miles off from the Missouri. The country is a beautiful, open, fertile plain. The drains take their rise near the cliffs of the river and run from the river in a northeast direction as far as I could see. This is the part of the river where Mouse River, the waters of Lake Winnipec (Lake Winnipeg), approaches within a few miles of the Missouri, and I believe those drains lead into that river.
We passed a creek about 20 yards wide on the starboard side. The bottoms of this creek are extensive and fertile. The water of this, as well as all the streams that head a few miles in the hills, is black and unfit for use. (I can safely say that I have not seen one drop of water fit for use above Fort Mandan except for Knife and the Little Missouri Rivers and the Missouri itself. The other streams are so impregnated with mineral as to be very disagreeable in their present state.)
I saw the remains of several camps of Ossinniboins (Assiniboines). Near one of those camps, and at no great distance from the mouth of the aforesaid creek, in a hollow, I saw a large strong pen made for the purpose of catching antelope, with wings projecting from it and widening out from the pen.
Saw several gangs of buffalo and some elk at a distance, and a black bear was seen from the pirogues today. Passed a rock in the middle of the river, with some smaller rocks from there to the larboard shore. The dog that came to us yesterday morning continues to follow us. We camped on a sand point on the larboard side.
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