Clark: August 5, 1805

August 5th Monday 1805 a Cold Clear morning the wind from the S. E. the
river Streight & much more rapid than yesterday, I Sent out Jo. &
R. Fields to kill Some meat they killed 2 Deer & we brackfast on one
of them and proceeded on with great dificuelety from the rapidity of the
Current, and numerable rapids we had to encounter, at 4 oClock P M Murcury
49 ab. 0, passed the mouth of principal fork which falls in on the Lard.
Side, this fork is about the Size of the Stard. one less water reather not
so rapid, its Course as far as can be Seen is S. E & appear to pass
through between two mountains, the N W. fork being the one most in our
course i. e. S 25 W. as far as I can See, deturmind me to take this fork
as the principal and the one most proper the S E fork is of a Greenish
Colour & contains but little timber. The S W fok contains more timber
than is below for Some distance, we assended this fork about one mile and
Encamped on an Island which had been laterly overflown & was wet we
raised our bead on bushes, we passed a part of the river above the forks
which was divided and Scattered thro the willows in Such a manner as to
render it dificuelt to pass through for a 1/4 of a mile, we wer oblige to
Cut our way thro the willowsMen much fatigued from their excessive
labours in hauling the Canoes over the rapids &c. verry weak being in
the water all day. my foot verry painfull

Assended the N W Fork 9 miles on a Course S. 30° W. to a Bluff on the
Stard. Side passed Several Bayous & Islands