Clark: August 24, 1805
Setting out very early, Clark returned upriver along the route he had descended, marking his name on a pine tree at the creek's mouth and breakfasting on berries. He rejoined his party at 4 p.m., bruising his leg on a rock along the way; the men had subsisted on pheasants, small fish, and a heath hen. Clark wrote to Lewis outlining two plans—preferring one to obtain horses, hire the guide, and travel overland to a navigable part of the Columbia. The discouraged party camped two miles on, eating only choke cherries and red haws.
August 24th Satturday 1805 Set out verry early this morning on my return
passed down the Creek at the mouth marked my name on a pine Tree, proceed
on to the bottom above the Creek & Brackfast on buries & delayed 1
hour, then proceed on up the river by the Same rout we decended to the
place I left my party where we arrived at 4 oClock, (I Sliped &
bruised my leg verry much on a rock) the party had killed Several phesents
and Cought a fiew Small fish on which they had Subsisted in my absence.
also a heath hen, near the Size of a Small turkey.
I wrote a letter to Capt Lewis informing him of the prospects before us
and information recved of my guide which I thought favourable &c.
& Stating two plans one of which for us to pursue &c. and
despatched one man & horse and directed the party to get ready to
march back, every man appeared disheartened from the prospects of the
river, and nothing to eate, I Set out late and Camped 2 miles above,
nothing to eate but Choke Cherries & red haws which act in different
ways So as to make us Sick, dew verry heavy, my beding wet in passing
around a rock the horses were obliged to go deep into the water.
The plan I stated to Capt Lewis if he agrees with me we shall adopt is to
procure as many horses (one for each man) if possible and to hire my
present guide who I sent on to him to interegate thro the Intprtr. and
proceed on by land to Some navagable part of the Columbia River, or to the
Ocean, depending on what provisions we can procure by the gun aded to the
Small Stock we have on hand depending on our horses as the last resort.
a second plan to divide the party one part to attempt this deficuet river
with what provisions we had, and the remaindr to pass by Land on hose back
Depending on our gun &c for Provisions &c. and come together
occasionally on the river.
the 1s of which I would be most pleased with &c.
I saw Several trees which would make Small Canoes and by putting 2
together would make a Siseable one, all below the last Indian Camp Several
miles
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
August 24th, Saturday 1805. Set out very early this morning on my return. Passed down the creek; at the mouth I marked my name on a pine tree. Proceeded on to the bottom above the creek and breakfasted on berries, delaying one hour. Then proceeded on up the river by the same route we descended, to the place I left my party, where we arrived at 4 o'clock. (I slipped and bruised my leg very much on a rock.) The party had killed several pheasants and caught a few small fish, on which they had subsisted in my absence, also a heath hen, near the size of a small turkey.
I wrote a letter to Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) informing him of the prospects before us and the information received from my guide, which I thought favorable, etc., and stating two plans, one of which we should pursue, etc. I dispatched one man and a horse, and directed the party to get ready to march back. Every man appeared disheartened from the prospects of the river and having nothing to eat. I set out late and camped 2 miles above, with nothing to eat but choke cherries and red haws, which act in different ways so as to make us sick. Dew very heavy; my bedding wet from passing around a rock where the horses were obliged to go deep into the water.
The plan I stated to Capt Lewis, if he agrees with me, that we shall adopt, is to procure as many horses (one for each man) if possible, and to hire my present guide, whom I sent on to him to interrogate through the interpreter, and proceed on by land to some navigable part of the Columbia River, or to the ocean, depending on what provisions we can procure by the gun, added to the small stock we have on hand, depending on our horses as the last resort.
A second plan: to divide the party, one part to attempt this difficult river with what provisions we had, and the remainder to pass by land on horseback, depending on our guns, etc., for provisions, etc., and come together occasionally on the river.
The first of which I would be most pleased with, etc.
I saw several trees which would make small canoes, and by putting two together would make a sizable one—all below the last Indian camp several miles.
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.
