Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — John Ordway: August 10, 1805
The party continued upriver on short rations of lean venison and antelope, with hunters bringing in only one deer. They navigated an increasingly small, crooked, and shallow stream, sometimes wading to haul the canoes over shoals. The commanding officers formally named the rivers at the recent forks: the main branches were christened Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin, while smaller tributaries were named Philosophy, Wisdom, and Philanthropy. A heavy thunderstorm with large hail struck around one o'clock during their dinner halt. They traveled 13 miles through a wide, beaver-rich valley and camped on the starboard side.
out as usal. Several men out hunting, we have now to live on
poor venison & goat or antelopes which goes hard with us as the
fatigues is hard, the clifts and high land begin to make near the
River, passed a high bank along L. S. took on board a deer
which one of the hunters killed 2 days past, passed a high clift of
rocks of rocks on Starbd Side proceeded on the valley wider &
covered with high grass, the hills make further from the River,
the River Small & amazeing crooked,1 our Commanding officers
thought proper that the Missourie Should loose its name at the 2
[second] 3 forks we passed Some time ago, where we expected to
have found the Snake nation of Indians. So they named the
North fork Jeffersons River the the west or middle fork Maddisons
River, the South fork Gallitine River, on which is a large Spring
2 miles from its Junction with the Missourie. the Small River
which falls in to Jeffersons River above the forks on L. S. they
call Phillossofy River.2 So we Still keep on Jeffersons River the
last three forks we passed a fiew days past, they call the North
fork Wisdom River the South fork they call Philandrophy,and the
west or middle Still retains the name of Jeffersons River, which
we are yet on it is now gitting a Small Stream verry crooked
and Sholes in places, So that we have to wade and hall the canoes
over, about one oClock we halted to dine, a hard Thunder
Show[er] arose of rain and large hail which lasted nearly an hour,
we then proceeded on the prarie low & Smooth as usal. the
beaver abound in this valley which is large and extensive & pleas-
ant &.C. our hunters killed only one Deer this day. we Came 13
miles this day and Camped on the Stard Side.3
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Out as usual. Several men were out hunting. We now have to live on poor venison and goat or antelope, which is hard on us since the work is so demanding. The cliffs and highlands are beginning to draw near the river. We passed a high bank along the larboard side and took on board a deer that one of the hunters had killed two days ago. We passed a high cliff of rocks on the starboard side and proceeded on. The valley grew wider and was covered with high grass, the hills sat farther from the river, and the river was small and amazingly crooked.
Our commanding officers thought it proper that the Missouri should lose its name at the second three forks we passed some time ago, where we had expected to find the Snake nation of Indians. So they named the north fork Jeffersons (Jefferson's) River, the west or middle fork Maddisons (Madison's) River, and the south fork Gallitine (Gallatin) River, on which there is a large spring two miles from its junction with the Missouri. The small river that falls into Jeffersons River above the forks on the larboard side they call Phillossofy (Philosophy) River.
So we are still on Jeffersons River. The last three forks we passed a few days ago they call the north fork Wisdom River, the south fork they call Philandrophy (Philanthropy), and the west or middle fork still retains the name of Jeffersons River, which we are still on. It is now getting to be a small stream, very crooked and shoaly in places, so that we have to wade and haul the canoes over.
About one o'clock we halted to dine. A hard thundershower of rain and large hail came up and lasted nearly an hour. We then proceeded on. The prairie was low and smooth as usual. The beaver abound in this valley, which is large, extensive, and pleasant, etc. Our hunters killed only one deer this day. We came 13 miles this day and camped on the starboard side.
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