Clark: July 26, 1805
Clark left Charbonneau and another footsore man to rest while he pressed on with two others to climb a mountain about 12 miles west, hoping to spot Indians and survey the rivers ahead. Reaching the summit by 11 a.m., he traced the north fork through a valley but saw no fresh Indian signs. Returning via an old Indian path, the party drank from an icy spring that made Clark ill. Exhausted, blistered, and pricked by prickly pears, he forded the divided Missouri and camped on the little river. They killed two lean bears and noted abundant beaver and otter. Light rain fell that evening.
July 26th Friday 1805 I deturmined to leave Shabono & one man who had
Sore feet to rest & proceed on with the other two to the top of a
mountain 12 miles distant west and from thence view the river &
vallies a head, we with great dificuelty & much fatigue reached the
top at 11 oClock from the top of this mountain I could see the Course of
the North fork about 10 miles meandering through a Vallie but Could
discover no Indians or Sign which was fresh. I could also See Some
distance up the Small River below, and also the middle fork after
Satisfying my Self returned to the two men by an old Indian parth, on this
parth & in the Mountain we Came to a Spring of excessive Cold water,
which we drank reather freely of as we were almost famished; not with
Standing the precautions of wetting my face, hands, & feet, I Soon
felt the effects of the water. We Contind. thro a Deep Vallie without a
Tree to Shade us Scorching with heat to the men who had killed a pore
Deer, I was fatigued my feet with Several blisters & Stuck with
prickley pears. I eate but verry little deturmined to Cross to the middle
fork and examine that. we Crossed the Missouri which was divided by a
verry large Island, the first Part was knee deep, the other waste deep
& verry rapidI felt my Self verry unwell & took up Camp on
the little river 3 miles above its mouth & near the place it falls
into the bottom a fiew Drops of rain this evening
we killed 2 bear which was imediately in our way. both pore emence number
of Beaver and orter in this little river which forks in the bottom
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
July 26th, Friday 1805. I determined to leave Shabono and one man who had sore feet to rest, and to proceed on with the other two to the top of a mountain 12 miles distant west, and from there view the river and valleys ahead. With great difficulty and much fatigue we reached the top at 11 o'clock. From the top of this mountain I could see the course of the North Fork about 10 miles, meandering through a valley, but could discover no Indians or fresh sign. I could also see some distance up the small river below, and also the middle fork. After satisfying myself, I returned to the two men by an old Indian path. On this path, and in the mountain, we came to a spring of excessively cold water, which we drank rather freely of, as we were almost famished. Notwithstanding the precautions of wetting my face, hands, and feet, I soon felt the effects of the water.
We continued through a deep valley without a tree to shade us, scorching with heat, to the men who had killed a poor deer. I was fatigued, my feet with several blisters and stuck with prickly pears. I ate but very little, determined to cross to the middle fork and examine that. We crossed the Missouri, which was divided by a very large island; the first part was knee deep, the other waist deep and very rapid. I felt myself very unwell and took up camp on the little river 3 miles above its mouth, and near the place it falls into the bottom. A few drops of rain this evening.
We killed 2 bear which was immediately in our way, both poor. An immense number of beaver and otter in this little river, which forks in the bottom.
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