Clark: August 28, 1806
The party traveled 32 miles down the Missouri, with Captain Lewis still unwell after a poor night's rest. They passed the Three Rivers of the Sioux Pass and camped on the southwest side at the same spot used September 16-17, 1804, near Corvus Creek—previously dubbed 'Pleasant Camp' for its abundant game. Clark dispatched multiple hunting parties seeking specimens of mule deer, antelope, magpies, and prairie dogs for scientific collection. Hunters killed common deer and buffalo but obtained only two prairie dogs. The group decided to delay another day to continue hunting these specimens.
Thursday 28th of August 1806 Capt Lewis had a bad nights rest and is not
very well this morning. we Set out early and proceded on very well, Saw a
number of Buffalow bulls on the banks in different places. passd the 3
rivers of the Seioux pass at 9 A.M. a Short distance below on the S W Side
Sent out Reubin & Joseph Feild to hunt for the Mule deer or the
antilope neither of which we have either the Skins or Scellitens of, we
detected those two men to proceed on down to the places we encamped the
16th & 17th of Septr. 1804 and which place the party had called
pleasant Camp from the great abundance of Game Such as Buffalow Elk,
antilopes, Blacktail or mule deer, fallow deer, common deer wolves barking
Squirels, Turkies and a variety of other animals, aded to which there was
a great abundance of the most delicious plumbs and grapes. this Situation
which is a Short distance above the enterance of Corvus Creek we are
deturmined to delay one day for the purpose of prcureing the sceletins of
the Mule deer & antilope, and Some barking Squirels. a fiew miles
below the place the 2 Fields were Set on Shore we Set Drewyer and Labeech
on Shore with the Same directions which had been given to the 2 field’s at
12 oClock we Landed on the S W. Side at the Same Spot which we had
encamped on the 16th and 17th of September 1804, and formed a Camp, Sent
out Serjt. Pryor, Shields, Go. Gibson, Willard and Collins to hunt in the
plains up Corvus Creek for the Antilope and Mule deer Sent out Bratten and
Frazier to kill the barking Squirel, and Gave directions to all of them to
kill the Magpye if they Should See any of them Several of the men and the
Squaws of the enterpreter Jessomme and the Mandan Chief went to Some plumb
bushes in the bottom and geathered more plumbs than the party Could eate
in 2 days, those blumbs are of 3 Speces, the most of them large and well
flavored. our Situation is pleasent a high bottom thinly timbered and
covered with low grass without misquitors. at 3 P. M Drewyer and Labeech
arived, the latter haveing killd. a Deer of the Common Speceis only. in
the evening late all the hunters returned without any Speces of animal we
were in want of, they killed 4 Common deer and two buffalow a part of the
best of the meat of those animals they brought in. we precured two of the
barking Squirels only. as we Could not precere any Mule deer or antelope
we concluded to Send the hunters on a head early in the morning and delay
untill 10 A. M to give them time to hunt. I derected Shannon & Collins
to go on the opposit Side, and Labeech and Willard to proceed down on this
Side at Some distance from the river and join the party at the round
Island &c. and R. Field to proceed on Slowly in the Small Canoe to
that place and take in any thing which the hunters might kill. Made 32
miles to day
The hunters informed me that they Saw great numbers of Buffalow in the
plains. I Saw Several herds of those animals on either Side to day at a
distance.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Thursday, 28th of August 1806. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) had a bad night's rest and is not very well this morning. We set out early and proceeded on very well, and saw a number of buffalo bulls on the banks in different places. We passed the Three Rivers of the Sioux Pass at 9 A.M. A short distance below on the SW side, we sent out Reubin and Joseph Feild (Reuben and Joseph Field) to hunt for the mule deer or the antelope, neither of which we have the skins or skeletons of. We directed those two men to proceed on down to the place we camped the 16th and 17th of September 1804, which place the party had called Pleasant Camp because of the great abundance of game such as buffalo, elk, antelope, blacktail or mule deer, fallow deer, common deer, wolves, barking squirrels, turkeys, and a variety of other animals, in addition to which there was a great abundance of the most delicious plums and grapes. At this location, which is a short distance above the entrance of Corvus Creek, we are determined to delay one day for the purpose of procuring the skeletons of the mule deer and antelope, and some barking squirrels. A few miles below the place where the two Fields were set on shore, we set Drewyer and Labeech (Drouillard and Labiche) on shore with the same directions that had been given to the two Fields.
At 12 o'clock we landed on the SW side at the same spot where we had camped on the 16th and 17th of September 1804, and formed a camp. We sent out Sergt. Pryor, Shields, Go. Gibson, Willard, and Collins to hunt in the plains up Corvus Creek for the antelope and mule deer, and sent out Bratten and Frazier to kill the barking squirrel, and gave directions to all of them to kill the magpie if they should see any. Several of the men, and the squaws of the interpreter Jessomme (Jusseaume) and the Mandan chief, went to some plum bushes in the bottom and gathered more plums than the party could eat in two days. These plums are of three species, most of them large and well flavored. Our situation is pleasant—a high bottom thinly timbered and covered with low grass, without mosquitoes.
At 3 P.M. Drewyer and Labeech arrived, the latter having killed a deer of the common species only. Late in the evening all the hunters returned without any species of animal we were in want of. They killed four common deer and two buffalo, a part of the best meat of which they brought in. We procured only two of the barking squirrels. Since we could not procure any mule deer or antelope, we concluded to send the hunters on ahead early in the morning and delay until 10 A.M. to give them time to hunt. I directed Shannon and Collins to go on the opposite side, and Labeech and Willard to proceed down on this side at some distance from the river and join the party at the Round Island, etc., and R. Field to proceed on slowly in the small canoe to that place and take in anything the hunters might kill. Made 32 miles today.
The hunters informed me that they saw great numbers of buffalo in the plains. I saw several herds of those animals on either side today at a distance.
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.
