Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — John Ordway: August 10, 1805

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