John Ordway: April 11, 1806
Despite rainy weather continuing into the morning, most of the party joined Captain Clark in hauling canoes upstream through the Big Shoot (a difficult rapid) using tow ropes. Working in pairs of one large and one small canoe, they made two trips, with the large canoes filling with water at the steepest, nearly vertical pitch. The smallest canoe was carried overland instead. With hard labor and the help of several local Indians at the worst section, the party successfully brought all the canoes to the head of the portage by evening.
night and continues this morning, all the party except a fiew to
guard the baggage turned out with Cap1 Clark to takeing up our
canoes with the tow Rope up the big Shoote took one large one
and one small one at once the large one filled at the highest
pitch where it is allmost perpinticular but with some difficulty
we got the 2 to the head of the portage about noon, then went
back took dinner and took another large canoe and a small
one the other smallest one was taken & carried by land, this
large canoe filled twice with water at the worst pitch but with
some difficulty & hard fatigue got them Safe up towards evening
by the assistance of a number of Indians at the worst pitch <&C.
and hailed the large canoe up by force allthough she was full
of water, the most of the mens feet sore towing over the sharp
rocks, our officers made a chief of the [blank in Ms.] nation gave
meddle &C. Drewyer and the 2 Fields Sent on a head with
their little canoe to a creek on the N. Side to hunt untill our
arival.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The rain that fell last night continues this morning. All the party except a few left to guard the baggage turned out with Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) to take our canoes up the big Shoote (Shoot) with the tow rope. We took one large canoe and one small one at the same time. The large one filled with water at the highest pitch, where it is almost perpendicular, but with some difficulty we got the two canoes to the head of the portage about noon.
Then we went back, took dinner, and took another large canoe and a small one. The other smallest canoe was taken and carried by land. This large canoe filled twice with water at the worst pitch, but with some difficulty and hard fatigue we got them safely up toward evening, with the assistance of a number of Indians at the worst pitch.
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