Clark: April 9, 1805
The expedition departed early under a gentle southeasterly breeze. At breakfast, the accompanying Indian decided to return to his people. Clark noted the first mosquito of the season, large flocks of brant flying upriver, and budding maples, elms, cottonwoods, and arrow wood. He observed a small burrowing animal resembling a prairie dog. The party passed two Minitaree hunting camps and the mouth of Miry Creek on the south side. Clark recorded geese feeding on young prairie grass, blooming flowers, juniper on the hillsides, and coal seams in the bluffs. They camped on an elevated plain above riverside rocks.
9th of April Tuesday 1805. Set out this morning verry early under a gentle
breeze from the S. E. at Brackfast the Indian deturmined to return to his
nation. I saw a Musquetor to day great numbers of Brant flying up the
river, the Maple, & Elm has buded & Cotton and arrow wood
beginning to bud. I saw in the prarie an animal resembling the Prarie dog
or Barking Squirel & burrow in the Same way, this animal was about 1/3
as large as the barking Squirel. But fiew resident birds or water fowls
which I have Seen as yet at 6 miles passed an old hunting camp of
Menitarrees on the S. S. 21/2 miles higher passed the mouth of Miry Creek
on the S. S. passed a hunting Camp of Minetarees on the S. S. waiting the
return of the Antilope, Saw Great numbers of Gees feedin in the Praries on
the young grass, I saw flowers in the praries to day, juniper grows on the
Sides of the hills, & runs on the ground all the hills have more or
Less indefferent Coal in Stratias at different bites from the waters edge
to 80 feet. those Stratias from 1 inch to 5 feet thick. we Campd. on the
S. S. above some rocks makeing out in the river in a butifull ellivated
plain.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
9th of April, Tuesday 1805. We set out this morning very early under a gentle breeze from the S.E. At breakfast the Indian determined to return to his nation. I saw a mosquito today, and great numbers of brant flying up the river. The maple and elm have budded, and the cottonwood and arrow wood are beginning to bud. I saw in the prairie an animal resembling the prairie dog or barking squirrel, which burrows in the same way; this animal was about one-third as large as the barking squirrel. There are but few resident birds or water fowl that I have seen as yet.
At 6 miles we passed an old hunting camp of Menitarrees (Minitarees) on the south side. Two and a half miles higher we passed the mouth of Miry Creek on the south side, and passed a hunting camp of Minetarees (Minitarees) on the south side waiting the return of the antelope. I saw great numbers of geese feeding in the prairies on the young grass, and I saw flowers in the prairies today. Juniper grows on the sides of the hills and runs along the ground. All the hills have more or less low-quality coal in strata at different heights from the water's edge up to 80 feet. These strata range from 1 inch to 5 feet thick. We camped on the south side above some rocks jutting out into the river, on a beautiful elevated plain.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
