Clark: June 17, 1805
On a fine, windy morning, Captain Lewis and the party unloaded the pirogue and began hauling cargo about a mile over a low hill to the creek, preparing for the portage. Clark set out with five men at 8 a.m. to scout a route, traveling up the creek and across rolling prairie to survey the Great Falls. He measured the main cataract at 97 feet 3/4 and nearly slipped into the river while climbing the cliffs. He marked his name on a cottonwood tree, observed additional falls and rapids, and watched buffalo swept to their deaths in the current. The party camped in a ravine in cold weather, with snow visible on surrounding mountains.
June 17th Monday 1805 a fine morning wind as usial Capt. Lewis with the
party unloaded the Perogue & he determined to keep the party employed
in getting the loading to the Creek about 1 mile over a low hill in my
absence on the Portage.
I Set out with 5 men at 8 oClock, and proceeded on up the Creek Some
distance to examine that & if possable assend that Suffcently high,
that a Streight Cours to the mouth of Medison river would head the 2
reveins, the Creek I found Confined rapid and Shallow generalley
Monday 17th of June passed through an open roleing Prarie, So as to head
the two reveins after heading two we Stand our Course So as to Strike the
river below the great pitch on our Course to the river Crossed a Deep
rivein near its mouth with Steep Clifts this rivein had running water
which was very fine, the river at this place is narrow & Confined in
perpindicular clifts of 170 feet from the tops of those Clifts the
Countrey rises with a Steep assent for about 250 feet more we proceeded up
the river passing a Sucession of rapids & Cascades to the Falls, which
we had herd for Several miles makeing a dedly Sound, I beheld those
Cateracts with astonishment the whole of the water of this great river
Confined in a Channel of 280 yards and pitching over a rock of 97 feet 3/4
of an, from the foot of the falls arrises a Continued mist which is
extended for 150 yds. down & to near the top of the Clifts on L Sd.
the river below is Confined a narrow Chanl. Of 93 yards haveing a Small
bottom of timber on the Stard Side which is definded by a rock, rangeing
Cross wise the river a little below the Shoot, a Short distance below this
Cataract a large rock divides the Stream, I in assendending the Clifts to
take the hith of the fall was near Slipping into the water, at which place
I must have been Sucked under in an instant, and with deficuelty and great
risque I assended again, and decended the Clift lower down (but few places
Can be descended to the river) and took the hight with as much accuricy as
possible with a Spirit Leavels &c. dined at a fine Spring 200 yards
below the pitch near which place 4 Cotton willow trees grew. on one of
them I marked my name the date, and hight of the falls,we then
proceeded up on the river passing a Continued Cascade & rapid to a
fall of 19 feet at 4 Small Islands, this fall is diaguanally across the
river from the Lard Side, forming an angle of 3/4 of the width from the
Lard. from which Side it pitches for 2/3 of that distance. on the Stard
Side is a rapid declinebelow this Shoot a Deep revein falls in
which we Camped for the night which was Cold (The mountains in every
derection has Snow on Them) The plain to our left is leavel we Saw one
Bear & inumerable numbers of Buffalow, I Saw 2 herds of those animals
watering immediately above a considerable rapid, they decended by a narrow
pass to the bottom Small, the rier forced those forwd into the water Some
of which was taken down in an instant, and Seen no more others made Shore
with difficuelty, I beheld 40 or 50 of those Swimming at the Same time
those animals in this way are lost and accounts for the number of buffalow
carcases below the rapids
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
June 17th Monday 1805. A fine morning, wind as usual. Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) with the party unloaded the pirogue, and he determined to keep the party employed in getting the loading to the creek about 1 mile over a low hill in my absence on the portage.
I set out with 5 men at 8 o'clock, and proceeded on up the creek some distance to examine it and, if possible, ascend it sufficiently high that a straight course to the mouth of Medicine River would head the 2 ravines. The creek I found confined, rapid, and shallow generally.
Monday 17th of June. Passed through an open rolling prairie, so as to head the two ravines. After heading the two, we steered our course so as to strike the river below the great pitch. On our course to the river we crossed a deep ravine near its mouth with steep cliffs; this ravine had running water which was very fine. The river at this place is narrow and confined in perpendicular cliffs of 170 feet. From the tops of those cliffs the country rises with a steep ascent for about 250 feet more. We proceeded up the river, passing a succession of rapids and cascades to the falls, which we had heard for several miles making a deadly sound.
I beheld those cataracts with astonishment. The whole of the water of this great river is confined in a channel of 280 yards and pitches over a rock of 97 feet 3/4 of an [inch]. From the foot of the falls arises a continued mist which is extended for 150 yards down and to near the top of the cliffs on the larboard side. The river below is confined in a narrow channel of 93 yards, having a small bottom of timber on the starboard side which is defended by a rock ranging crosswise the river a little below the shoot. A short distance below this cataract a large rock divides the stream. In ascending the cliffs to take the height of the fall, I was near slipping into the water, at which place I must have been sucked under in an instant; and with difficulty and great risk I ascended again, and descended the cliff lower down (but few places can be descended to the river) and took the height with as much accuracy as possible with a spirit level, etc.
Dined at a fine spring 200 yards below the pitch, near which place 4 cottonwood willow trees grew. On one of them I marked my name, the date, and the height of the falls. We then proceeded up the river, passing a continued cascade and rapid, to a fall of 19 feet at 4 small islands. This fall is diagonally across the river from the larboard side, forming an angle of 3/4 of the width from the larboard, from which side it pitches for 2/3 of that distance. On the starboard side is a rapid decline. Below this shoot a deep ravine falls in, where we camped for the night, which was cold. (The mountains in every direction have snow on them.) The plain to our left is level.
We saw one bear and innumerable numbers of buffalo. I saw 2 herds of those animals watering immediately above a considerable rapid; they descended by a narrow pass to the bottom, small, [and] the river forced those forward into the water. Some of which were taken down in an instant, and seen no more; others made shore with difficulty. I beheld 40 or 50 of those swimming at the same time. Those animals in this way are lost, and this accounts for the number of buffalo carcasses below the rapids.
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