Clark: August 22, 1805
Clark's party set out early and traveled through extremely steep, rocky mountainous terrain, crossing several creeks and a small river. They encountered Indian families drying fish and berries who were alarmed and frightened, never having seen white men before; the Indians offered elk tusks, salmon, and berries, and Clark distributed small gifts to calm them. After about an hour, he continued three miles along a steep mountainside and camped on an island. Attempts to gig fish largely failed. Clark also noted an unfamiliar woodpecker-like bird feeding on pine cones.
August 22d Thursday 1805 We Set out early passed a Small Creek on the
right at 1 mile and the points of four mountains verry Steap high &
rockey, the assent of three was So Steap that it is incrediable to
describe the rocks in maney places loose & Sliped from those mountains
and is a bed of rugid loose white and dark brown loose rock for miles. the
Indian horses pass over those Clifts hills Sids & rocks as fast as a
man, the three horses with me do not detain me any on account of those
dificuelties, passed two bold rung. Streams on the right and a Small river
at the mouth of Which Several families of Indians were encamped and had
Several Scaffolds of fish & buries drying we allarmed them verry much
as they knew nothing of a white man being in their Countrey, and at the
time we approached their lodges which was in a thick place of bushes-my
guiedes were behind.They offered every thing they possessed (which
was verry littl) to us, Some run off and hid in the bushes The first offer
of theirs were Elks tuskes from around their Childrens necks, Sammon &c.
my guide attempted passifyed those people and they Set before me berres,
& fish to eate, I gave a fiew Small articles to those fritened people
which added verry much to their pasification but not entirely as Some of
the women & Childn. Cried dureing my Stay of an hour at this place, I
proceeded on the Side of a verry Steep & rockey mountain for 3 miles
and Encamped on the lower pt. of an Island. we attempted to gig fish
without Suckcess. caught but one Small one.The last Creek or Small river
is on the right Side and “a road passes up it & over to the Missouri”
in this day passed Several womin and Children gathering and drying buries
of which they were very kind and gave us a part. the river rapid and
Sholey maney Stones Scattered through it in different directions. I Saw to
day Bird of the wood pecker kind which fed on Pine burs its Bill and tale
white the wings black every other part of a light brown, and about the
Size of a robin. Some fiew Pine Scattered in the bottoms & Sides of
the Mountains (the Top of the Motn. to the left Covered &
inaxcessable) I Saw one which would make a Small Canoe.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
August 22nd, Thursday 1805. We set out early, passed a small creek on the right at 1 mile and the points of four mountains, very steep, high, and rocky. The ascent of three was so steep that it is incredible to describe. The rocks in many places were loose and had slipped from those mountains, forming a bed of rugged, loose white and dark brown rock for miles. The Indian horses pass over those cliffs, hillsides, and rocks as fast as a man. The three horses with me do not slow me down at all on account of those difficulties.
We passed two bold running streams on the right and a small river at the mouth of which several families of Indians were camped and had several scaffolds of fish and berries drying. We alarmed them very much, as they knew nothing of a white man being in their country, and at the time we approached their lodges (which were in a thick place of bushes) my guides were behind. They offered everything they possessed (which was very little) to us. Some ran off and hid in the bushes. The first offer of theirs was elk's tusks from around their children's necks, salmon, etc. My guide attempted to pacify those people, and they set before me berries and fish to eat. I gave a few small articles to those frightened people, which added very much to their reassurance, but not entirely, as some of the women and children cried during my stay of an hour at this place.
I proceeded on the side of a very steep and rocky mountain for 3 miles and camped on the lower point of an island. We attempted to gig fish without success, catching but one small one. The last creek or small river is on the right side, and "a road passes up it and over to the Missouri." During this day we passed several women and children gathering and drying berries, of which they were very kind and gave us a part. The river is rapid and shoaly, with many stones scattered through it in different directions.
I saw today a bird of the woodpecker kind which fed on pine burs; its bill and tail white, the wings black, every other part a light brown, and about the size of a robin. A few pines are scattered in the bottoms and sides of the mountains (the top of the mountain to the left covered and inaccessible). I saw one which would make a small canoe.
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.
