Clark: June 15, 1805
On a warm, fair Saturday, the expedition pushed up an increasingly rapid river, with the falls now audible in the distance. The men hauled boats and ropes through the water all day, walking on sharp rocks and dodging numerous rattlesnakes, yet remained cheerful. Sacagawea grew sicker and refused medicine; her husband Charbonneau asked to turn back. Clark treated her with bark. They passed a small 30-yard tributary on the south side and noted red earth bluffs and white clay. Reaching a dangerous rapid late in the day, Clark halted and sent Joseph Fields to inform Lewis.
June the 15th Satturday 1805 a fair morning and worm, we Set out at the
usial time and proceeded on with great dificuelty as the river is more
rapid we can hear the falls this morning verry distinctlyour Indian
woman Sick &low Spirited I gave her the bark & apply it exteranaly
to her region which revived her much. the curt. excessively rapid and
dificuelt to assend great numbers of dangerous places, and the fatigue
which we have to encounter is incretiatable the men in the water from
morning untill night hauling the Cord & boats walking on Sharp rocks
and round Sliperery Stones which alternately cut their feet & throw
them down, not with Standing all this dificuelty they go with great
chearfulness, aded to those dificuelties the rattle Snakes inumerable
& require great caution to prevent being bitten.we passed a
Small river on the Lard Side about 30 yards wide verry rapid which heads
in the mountains to the S. E. I Sent up this river 5 miles, it has Some
timber in its bottoms and a fall of 15 feet at one place, above this river
the bluffs are of red earth mixed with Stratums of black Stone, below this
little river, we pass a white clay which mixes with water like flour in
every respect, the Indian woman much wors this evening, She will not take
any medison, her husband petetions to return &c., river more rapid
late in the evening we arrived at a rapid which appeared So bad that I did
not think it prudent to attempt passing of it this evening as it was now
late, we Saw great numbers of Gees Ducks, Crows Blackbirds &c Geese
& Ducks with their young. after Landing I detached Joseph Fields to
Capt. Lewis to let him know where I was &c river rises a little this
evening we could not get a Sufficency of wood for our use
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
June 15th, Saturday 1805. A fair morning and warm. We set out at the usual time and proceeded on with great difficulty, as the river is more rapid. We can hear the falls this morning very distinctly. Our Indian woman is sick and low-spirited. I gave her the bark and applied it externally to her region, which revived her much. The current is excessively rapid and difficult to ascend, with great numbers of dangerous places, and the fatigue which we have to encounter is incredible. The men are in the water from morning until night hauling the cord and boats, walking on sharp rocks and round slippery stones, which alternately cut their feet and throw them down. Notwithstanding all this difficulty, they go with great cheerfulness. Added to those difficulties, the rattlesnakes are innumerable and require great caution to prevent being bitten.
We passed a small river on the Larboard side about 30 yards wide, very rapid, which heads in the mountains to the S.E. I sent up this river 5 miles; it has some timber in its bottoms and a fall of 15 feet at one place. Above this river, the bluffs are of red earth mixed with stratums of black stone. Below this little river, we pass a white clay which mixes with water like flour in every respect.
The Indian woman is much worse this evening. She will not take any medicine. Her husband petitions to return, etc. The river is more rapid. Late in the evening we arrived at a rapid which appeared so bad that I did not think it prudent to attempt passing it this evening, as it was now late. We saw great numbers of geese, ducks, crows, blackbirds, etc. Geese and ducks with their young. After landing, I detached Joseph Fields to Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) to let him know where I was, etc. The river rises a little this evening. We could not get a sufficiency of wood for our use.
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