Clark: June 16, 1805
On a cloudy, rainy Sunday with strong southwest winds, the party double-manned the pirogue and canoes to pass a rapid, then halted to scout a continuous two-mile cascade above. Clark walked upstream past a large creek and a sulphur spring, where Captain Lewis met him after returning from the falls five miles away and reported the south side offered the best portage route. They crossed the river and made camp to begin portaging. Sacagawea was gravely ill but finally took medicine after her husband intervened. Six men were chosen to build wheels for hauling the canoes overland.
June 16th of Sunday 1805 Some rain last night a cloudy morning wind hard
from the S. W. we Set out passed the rapid by double manning the Perogue
& Canoes and halted at 1/4 of a mile to examine the rapids above,
which I found to be an Continued Cascade for as far as could be Seen which
was about 2 miles, I walked up on the Lard Side as high as a large Creek,
which falls in on the Lard. Side one mile above & opposit a large
Sulpher Spring which falls over the rocks on the Std. Side the wind rored
from the S. W. hard & Some rain, at about 2 oClock Capt Lewis joined
me from the falls 5 miles distant, & infd. that the Lard Side was the
best portage I despatched 2 men this morning on the Lard. Side to examine
the portage.the Indian woman verry bad, & will take no medisin
what ever, untill her husband finding her out of her Senses, easyly
provailed on her to take medison, if She dies it will be the fault of her
husband as I am now convinced-. we crossed the river after part of the day
and formed a Camp from which we intended to make the first portage, Capt.
Lewis stayed on the Std Side to direct the Canoes over the first riffle 4
of them passed this evening the others unloaded & part of the Perogue
Loading taken outI deturmined to examine & Survey the Portage
find a leavel rout if possibleThe 2 men despatched to examine the
Portage gave an unfavourable account of the Countrey, reporting that the
Creek & 2 deep reveens cut the Prarie in such a manner between the
river and mountain as to render a portage in their oppinion for the Canoes
impossiblewe Selected 6 men to make wheels & to draw the Canoes
on as the distance was probably too far for to be caried on the mens
Sholders
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
June 16th, Sunday, 1805. Some rain last night and a cloudy morning, with the wind blowing hard from the southwest. We set out, passed the rapid by double-manning the pirogue and canoes, and halted after a quarter of a mile to examine the rapids above, which I found to be a continued cascade as far as could be seen, which was about 2 miles. I walked up on the larboard side as far as a large creek, which falls in on the larboard side one mile above and opposite a large sulphur spring that falls over the rocks on the starboard side. The wind roared hard from the southwest, with some rain.
At about 2 o'clock Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) joined me from the falls, 5 miles distant, and informed me that the larboard side was the best portage. I dispatched 2 men this morning on the larboard side to examine the portage. The Indian woman is very ill and will take no medicine whatever, until her husband, finding her out of her senses, easily prevailed on her to take medicine. If she dies, it will be the fault of her husband, as I am now convinced.
We crossed the river in the latter part of the day and formed a camp from which we intended to make the first portage. Capt. Lewis stayed on the starboard side to direct the canoes over the first riffle. 4 of them passed this evening; the others were unloaded and part of the pirogue's load was taken out. I determined to examine and survey the portage to find a level route if possible.
The 2 men dispatched to examine the portage gave an unfavorable account of the country, reporting that the creek and 2 deep ravines cut the prairie in such a manner between the river and mountain as to render a portage, in their opinion, impossible for the canoes. We selected 6 men to make wheels and to draw the canoes on, as the distance was probably too far for them to be carried on the men's shoulders.
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