Clark: July 3, 1805
On a fine, southwest-windy morning at their camp above the falls, the party divided into work crews: some sewed skins onto the sections of the iron-frame boat, others prepared timber, burned tar from drift pine, aired and repacked stores, or hunted for meat and hides. A brief shower fell at 1 o'clock. Hunters brought in one buffalo and two antelope that evening. Clark noted recent catches of six beaver and two otters, described the local timber, river conditions, and grass, and speculated that the persistent cold southwest winds originated from the snowy mountains.
July 3rd Wednesday 1805 all of party employd in Sowing the Skins to the
boat, burning Tare, preparing timber, hunting buffalow for their meat
& Skins, drying & repacking the Stores, Goods &c. &c. at 1
oClock began to rain. in the evening the hunters killed two antilopes
& a Buffalow.
—
July 3rd Wednesday 1805 A fine morning wind from the S. W all the party
employd, Some about the boat, attaching the Skins & Sowing them to the
Sections, others prepareing timber, Some, burning tar of the drift pine,
Some airring and repacking the Stores & Goods, & others hunting
for Meet to make pemitigon & for the use of their Skins to Cover the
Canoes & boat,-. a Small Shower at 1 oClock which did Scercely wet the
grass-. one buffalow and two Antilopes Killed this evening. Six beaver
& 2 orters has been Killed at this camp within a fiew days we discover
no fish above the falls as yetthe only timber in this part of the
Countrey is willow, a fiew Cotton trees which is neither large nor tall,
Boxalders and red wood. (Boil roche arrow wood)
The water tolerably clear and Soft in the river, Current jentle and
bottoms riseing from the water; no appearance of the river riseing more
than a few feet above the falls, as high up as we have yet explored. but
few trees on the Std Side the grass is high and fine near the river. the
winds has blown for Several days from the S. W. I think it possible that
those almost perpetial S W. winds, proceed from the agency of the Snowey
mountains and the wide leavel and untimbered plains which Streach
themselves along their borders for an emence distance, that the air
comeing in Contact with the Snow is Suddenly chilled and condensed, thus
becomeing heavyer than the air beneath in the plains it glides down the
Sides of those mountains and decends to the plains, where by the constant
action of the Sun on the face of the untimbered country there is a partial
vacuom formed for it’s reception I have observed that the winds from this
quarter is always the Coaldest and most violent which we experience, yet I
am far from giveing full credit to this hypothesis on this Subject; if I
find however on the opposit Side of these mountains that the winds take a
contrary direction I Shall then have full faith. (The winds take a
contrary direction in the morning or from the mountains on the west Side)
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
July 3rd Wednesday 1805 — All of the party employed in sewing the skins to the boat, burning tar, preparing timber, hunting buffalo for their meat and skins, drying and repacking the stores, goods, etc. At 1 o'clock it began to rain. In the evening the hunters killed two antelopes and a buffalo.
July 3rd Wednesday 1805 — A fine morning, wind from the S.W. All the party employed: some about the boat, attaching the skins and sewing them to the sections; others preparing timber; some burning tar from the drift pine; some airing and repacking the stores and goods; and others hunting for meat to make pemmican and for the use of their skins to cover the canoes and boat. A small shower at 1 o'clock which did scarcely wet the grass. One buffalo and two antelopes killed this evening. Six beaver and 2 otters have been killed at this camp within a few days. We discover no fish above the falls as yet. The only timber in this part of the country is willow, a few cottonwood trees which are neither large nor tall, box elders, and redwood. (Bois rouge, arrow wood.)
The water is tolerably clear and soft in the river, the current gentle, and the bottoms rising from the water; no appearance of the river rising more than a few feet above the falls, as high up as we have yet explored. But few trees on the starboard side; the grass is high and fine near the river. The winds have blown for several days from the S.W. I think it possible that those almost perpetual S.W. winds proceed from the agency of the snowy mountains and the wide, level, and untimbered plains which stretch themselves along their borders for an immense distance — that the air coming in contact with the snow is suddenly chilled and condensed, thus becoming heavier than the air beneath in the plains; it glides down the sides of those mountains and descends to the plains, where by the constant action of the sun on the face of the untimbered country there is a partial vacuum formed for its reception. I have observed that the winds from this quarter are always the coldest and most violent which we experience, yet I am far from giving full credit to this hypothesis on this subject. If I find, however, on the opposite side of these mountains that the winds take a contrary direction, I shall then have full faith. (The winds take a contrary direction in the morning, or from the mountains on the west side.)
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