Clark: October 14, 1805

October 14th Monday 1805. A very cool morning, wind from the west. Set out at 8 o'clock and proceeded on. At this rapid the canoe astern, steered by Drewyer (Drouillard), struck a rock and turned. The men got out onto a rock, the stern of the canoe took in water, and she sunk. The men on the rock held her. A number of articles floated; all that could be caught were taken by 2 of the other canoes. Many articles were lost, among other things 2 of the men's bedding, shot pouches, tomahawks, etc., etc., and every article was wet, of which we have great cause to lament, as all our loose powder, two canisters, all our roots prepared in the Indian way, and one half of our goods. Fortunately the lead canisters which were in the canoe were tied down, otherwise they must have been lost as the canoe turned over. We got the men off the rock and towed our canoe on shore after taking out all the stores, etc., we could, and put them out to dry on the island, on which we found some wood which was covered with stones. This is the parts of an Indian house, which we used for firewood, by the wish of our two Chiefs. Those Chiefs—one of them was in the canoe—swam in and saved some property. The Indians have buried fish on this island, which we are cautious not to touch. Our small canoe and three Indians in another was out of sight at the time our misfortune happened, and did not join us. Wind hard from the SW.

October 14th Monday 1805. A very cold morning, wind from the west and cool until about 12 o'clock when it shifted to the SW. At 2½ miles passed a remarkable rock, very large and resembling the hull of a ship, situated on a larboard point at some distance from the ascending country. Passed rapids at 6 and 9 miles. At 12 miles we came to at the head of a rapid which the Indians told me was very bad. We viewed the rapid and found it bad in descending. Three stern canoes stuck fast for some time on the head of the rapid, and one struck a rock in the worst part. Fortunately all landed safe below the rapid, which was nearly 3 miles in length. Here we dined, and for the first time for three weeks past I had a good dinner of blue-wing teal.

After dinner we set out, and had not proceeded on two miles before our stern canoe, in passing through a short rapid opposite the head of an island, ran on a smooth rock and turned broadside. The men got out on the rock, all except one of our Indian Chiefs who swam on shore. The canoe filled and sunk, and a number of articles floated out, such as the men's bedding, clothes, and skins, the lodge, etc., etc., the greater part of which were caught by 2 of the canoes, while a third was unloading and stemming the swift current to the relief of the men on the rock, who could with much difficulty hold the canoe. However, in about an hour we got the men and canoe to shore, with the loss of some bedding, tomahawks, shot pouches, skins, clothes, etc., etc., all wet. We had every article exposed to the sun to dry on the island. Our loss in provisions is very considerable; all our roots were in the canoe that sunk, and cannot be dried sufficiently to save. Our loose powder was also in the canoe and is all wet. This, I think, we shall save.

On this island we found some split timber, the parts of a house which the Indians had very securely covered with stone. We also observed a place where the Indians had buried their fish. We have made it a point at all times not to take anything belonging to the Indians, even their wood; but at this time we are compelled to violate that rule and take a part of the split timber we find here buried, for firewood, as no other is to be found in any direction. Our small canoe, which was ahead, returned at night with 2 oars which they found floating below. The wind this afternoon from the SW as usual and hard.

On the way from the forks to the Indian camps at the first, we had not one mouthful to eat until night, as our hunters could kill nothing and I could see and catch no fish except a few small ones. The Indians gave us 2 salmon boiled, which I gave to the men. One of my men shot a salmon in the river about sunset, and those fish gave us a supper. All the camp flocked about me until I went to sleep, and I believe if they had a sufficiency to eat themselves and any to spare, they would be liberal of it. I directed the men to mend their moccasins tonight and turn out in the morning early to hunt deer, fish, birds, etc., etc.

Saw great numbers of the large black grasshopper. Some bears, which were very wild, but few birds. A number of ground lizards; some few pigeons. Plainly see a range of mountains which bore SE and NW, the nearest point south about 60 miles, and becomes high toward the NW. The plains on each side are waving. Labiche killed 2 geese and 2 ducks of the large kind.

At two o'clock we loaded and set out. Our powder and provisions of roots are not sufficiently dry. We shall put them out at the forks or mouth of this river, which is at no great distance, and at which place we shall delay to make some celestial observations, etc. Passed eleven islands and seven rapids today. Several of the rapids very bad and difficult to pass. The islands are of different sizes and all of round stone and sand. No timber of any kind in sight of the river, a few small willows excepted. In the evening the country becomes lower, not exceeding 90 or 100 feet above the water, and back is a waving plain on each side. Passed through narrows for 3 miles where the cliffs of rocks jutted to the river on each side, compressing the water of the river through a narrow channel, below which it widens into a kind of basin nearly round, without any perceptible current. At the lower part of this basin is a bad, difficult, and dangerous rapid to pass.

At the upper part of this rapid we overtook the three Indians who had piloted us through the rapids from the forks. Those people, with our 2 Chiefs, had proceeded on to this place, where they thought proper to delay for us to warn us of the difficulties of this rapid. We landed at a parcel of split timber, the timber of a house of Indians out hunting the antelope in the plains, and raised on scaffolds to save them from the spring floods. Here we were obliged for the first time to take the property of the Indians without the consent or approbation of the owner. The night was cold, and we made use of a part of those boards and split logs for firewood. Killed two teal this evening.

Examined the rapids, which we found more difficult to pass than we expected from the Indians' information. A succession of shoals appears to reach from bank to bank for 3 miles, which was also intersected with large rocks sticking up in every direction, and the channel through which we must pass crooked and narrow. We only made 20 miles today, owing to the detention in passing rapids, etc.