Clark: August 5, 1806
Plagued by mosquitoes that kept the men awake and even penetrated his mosquito netting, Clark set out early hoping to find a better camp. He spotted a bighorn ram on a bluff but missed his shot because mosquitoes prevented him from aiming. A northwest breeze thinned the insects by mid-morning. He camped on a sandbar to wait for Lewis, killing two elk and a deer, then moved on, shot a large fat female grizzly, and made camp under a bluff where southwest winds finally drove the mosquitoes away.
Thursday 5th August 1806. The Musquetors was So troublesom to the men last
night that they Slept but very little. indeed they were excessive
troublesom to me. my Musquetor Bear has a number of Small holes worn
through they pass in. I Set out at an early hour intending to proceed to
Some other Situation. I had not proceded on far before I Saw a ram of the
big horn Animal near the top of a Lard. Bluff I assended the hill with a
view to kill the ram. the Misquetors was So noumerous that I could not
keep them off my gun long enough to take Sight and by thair means missed.
at 10 a.m. the wind rose with a gentle breeze from the N. W. which in Some
measure thinned the Misquetors. I landed on a Sand bar from the South
Point intending to form a Camp at this place and Continue untill Capt
Lewis Should arive. and killed two Buck Elks and a Deer the best of their
flesh & fat I had Saved. had all the dryed meat & fat put out to
Sun and continued at this place untill late in the evening finding that
there were no buffalow or fresh Sign I deturmined to proceed on
accordingly Set out at 4 P. M and proceeded on but a fiew miles eeir I saw
a Bear of the white Species walking on a Sand bear. I with one man went on
the Sand bear and killed the Bear which proved to be a feemale very large
and fat. much the fattest animale we have killed on the rout as this bear
had got into the river before we killed her I had her toed across to the
South Side under a high Bluff where formed a Camp, had the bear Skined and
fleaced. our Situation was exposed to a light breeze of wind which
continued all the forepart of the night from the S W. and blew away the
misquetors.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Thursday, 5th August 1806. The mosquitoes were so troublesome to the men last night that they slept but very little. Indeed, they were excessively troublesome to me. My mosquito bar has a number of small holes worn through which they pass in. I set out at an early hour, intending to proceed to some other situation. I had not proceeded far before I saw a ram of the bighorn animal near the top of a larboard bluff. I ascended the hill with a view to kill the ram. The mosquitoes were so numerous that I could not keep them off my gun long enough to take sight, and by that means missed.
At 10 a.m. the wind rose with a gentle breeze from the N.W., which in some measure thinned the mosquitoes. I landed on a sand bar from the south point, intending to form a camp at this place and continue until Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) should arrive, and killed two buck elks and a deer, the best of their flesh and fat I had saved. I had all the dried meat and fat put out to sun and continued at this place until late in the evening. Finding that there were no buffalo or fresh sign, I determined to proceed on. Accordingly, I set out at 4 p.m. and proceeded on, but a few miles before I saw a bear of the white species walking on a sand bar. I, with one man, went onto the sand bar and killed the bear, which proved to be a female, very large and fat—much the fattest animal we have killed on the route. As this bear had gotten into the river before we killed her, I had her towed across to the south side under a high bluff, where I formed a camp and had the bear skinned and fleeced. Our situation was exposed to a light breeze of wind, which continued all the fore part of the night from the S.W. and blew away the mosquitoes.
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