Clark: September 14, 1804
The expedition set out early on a cold, drizzly day, traveling along a wide, shallow stretch of river and passing several sandbars and a round island. Three beaver were caught overnight. Clark went ashore searching for an old volcano reported by Mr. McKay of St. Charles but found no trace of it. During his walk he shot a pronghorn antelope, and Shields killed a large hare resembling the European mountain hare; both specimens were preserved. Heavy rain washed mud from the bare hills into the muddy river. They camped below a third small creek.
Septr 14th Friday 1804 Course Dists & rifur. Set out early proceeded
on passed Several Sand bars water wide & Shallow N. 68° W. 23/4 mes.
to a pt. of high Land on the L. S. passed a round Island on the S S.Caught
3 beaver last night, Some drizzeley rain Cloudy & Disagreeable and Som
hard Showers, I walked on Shore with a view to find an old Volcano Said to
be in this neghbourhood by Mr. McKey I was Some distance out Could not See
any Signs of a Volcanoe, I killed a Goat, which is peculier to this
Countrey about the hite of a Grown Deer Shorter, its horns Coms out
immediately abov its eyes broad 1 Short prong the other arched & Soft
the color is a light gray with black behind its ears, white round its
neck, no beard, his Sides & belly white, and around its taile which is
Small & white and Down its hams, actively made his brains on the back
of its head, his noisterals large, his eyes like a Sheep only 2 hoofs on
each foot no antelrs (more like the antelope or gazella of Africa than any
other Specis of Goat). Shields Killed a Hare weighing 61/2 lb. verry pore,
the head narrow and its ears 3 Inches wide and 6 long, from the fore to
the end of the hind foot; is 2 feet 11 Inch. hite 1 foot 13/4 its tail
long & thick white, clearly the mountain Hare of Europe, a rainy
evening all wett The Soil of those Plains washes down into the flats, with
the Smallest rain & disolves & mixes with the water we See back
from the river high hills in a leavel plain, evidently the remains of
mountains, what mud washed into the river within those few days has made
it verry mudy, passed two Small Creeks on the L. S. & Camped below a
3rd on the L. S. rained all evening
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14th Septr. Friday 1804. Set out early proceeded on passed Several Sand
bars the river wide and Shallow 3 beaver Caught last night, Drizeley rain
in the forepart of this day, cloudy and disagreeable, I walked on Shore
with a view to find an old Vulcanio, Said to be in this neighbourhood by
Mr. J. McKey of St. Charles. I walked on Shore the whole day without
Seeing any appearance of the Villcanoe, in my walk I Killed a Buck Goat of
this Countrey, about the hight. of the Grown Deer, its body Shorter, the
Horns which is not very hard and forks 2/3 up one prong Short the other
round & Sharp arched, and is imediately above its Eyes the Colour is a
light gray with black behind its ears down its neck, and its Jaw white
round its neck, its Sides and its rump round its tail which is Short &
white verry actively made, has only a pair of hoofs to each foot. his
brains on the back of his head, his Norstral large, his eyes like a Sheephe
is more like the Antilope or Gazella of Africa than any other Species of
Goat. Shields Killed a Hare like the mountain hare of Europe, waighing
61/4 pounds (altho pore) his head narrow, its ears large i, e, 6 Inches
long & 3 Inchs wide one half of each white, the other & out part a
lead grey from the toe of the hind foot to toe of the for foot is 2 feet
11 Inches, the hith is 1 foot 1 Inche & 3/4, his tail long thick &
white.
The rain Continued the Greater part of the day in My ramble I observed,
that all those parts of the hills which was Clear of Grass easily disolved
and washed into the river and bottoms, and those hils under which the
river run, Sliped into it and disolves and mixes with the water of the
river, the bottoms of the river was covered with the water and mud frome
the hills about three Inches deepthose bottoms under the hils which
is Covered with Grass also a great quantity of mud.
Passed 2 Small Creeks on the L. S and Camped below the third, (the place
that Shannon the man who went a head lived on grapes) Some heavy Showers
of rain all wet, had the Goat & rabit Stufed rained all night
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
September 14th, Friday 1804. Course, Distances and references. Set out early and proceeded on. Passed several sand bars; the water was wide and shallow. N. 68° W. 2¾ miles to a point of high land on the larboard side. Passed a round island on the starboard side. Caught 3 beaver last night. Some drizzling rain, cloudy and disagreeable, and some hard showers. I walked on shore with a view to find an old volcano said to be in this neighborhood by Mr. McKey (McKay). I went some distance out but could not see any signs of a volcano. I killed a goat, which is peculiar to this country, about the height of a grown deer but shorter. Its horns come out immediately above its eyes, broad, with one short prong and the other arched and soft. The color is a light gray with black behind its ears, white round its neck, no beard. Its sides and belly are white, and white around its tail, which is small, and down its hams. It is actively made. Its brains are on the back of its head, its nostrils large, and its eyes like a sheep. It has only 2 hoofs on each foot, no antlers (more like the antelope or gazelle of Africa than any other species of goat). Shields killed a hare weighing 6½ pounds, very poor. The head is narrow and its ears are 3 inches wide and 6 long. From the fore to the end of the hind foot it is 2 feet 11 inches; the height is 1 foot 1¾ inches; its tail is long and thick and white. Clearly the mountain hare of Europe. A rainy evening, all wet.
The soil of these plains washes down into the flats with the smallest rain, and dissolves and mixes with the water. We see back from the river high hills in a level plain, evidently the remains of mountains. What mud washed into the river within these few days has made it very muddy. Passed two small creeks on the larboard side and camped below a third on the larboard side. Rained all evening.
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14th September, Friday 1804. Set out early and proceeded on. Passed several sand bars; the river wide and shallow. 3 beaver caught last night. Drizzling rain in the forepart of this day, cloudy and disagreeable. I walked on shore with a view to find an old volcano said to be in this neighborhood by Mr. J. McKey (McKay) of St. Charles. I walked on shore the whole day without seeing any appearance of the volcano. In my walk I killed a buck goat of this country, about the height of the grown deer, its body shorter. The horns, which are not very hard, fork two-thirds up, one prong short, the other round and sharp arched, and they are immediately above its eyes. The color is a light gray with black behind its ears down its neck, and its jaw white, white round its neck, its sides, and its rump round its tail, which is short and white. It is very actively made and has only a pair of hoofs to each foot. Its brains are on the back of its head, its nostrils large, its eyes like a sheep. It is more like the antelope or gazelle of Africa than any other species of goat. Shields killed a hare like the mountain hare of Europe, weighing 6¼ pounds (although poor). Its head is narrow, its ears large, i.e., 6 inches long and 3 inches wide, one half of each white, the other and outer part a lead gray. From the toe of the hind foot to the toe of the fore foot is 2 feet 11 inches; the height is 1 foot 1¾ inches; its tail is long, thick, and white.
The rain continued the greater part of the day. In my ramble I observed that all those parts of the hills which were clear of grass easily dissolved and washed into the river and bottoms; and those hills under which the river runs slipped into it and dissolved and mixed with the water of the river. The bottoms of the river were covered with the water and mud from the hills about three inches deep. Those bottoms under the hills which are covered with grass also had a great quantity of mud.
Passed 2 small creeks on the larboard side and camped below the third (the place where Shannon, the man who went ahead, lived on grapes). Some heavy showers of rain, all wet. Had the goat and rabbit stuffed. Rained all night.
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