Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — Joseph Whitehouse: August 11, 1805
On a cool, cloudy morning with some rain, the party set out after breakfast and sent three hunters ahead. About three miles on, they reached a large prairie island they named 3000 Mile Island, marking its distance from the mouth of the Missouri. They hauled over several shoals along its left side. A hunter rejoined them at noon, having killed three deer and two otter. They observed abundant beaver, geese, and ducks, passed boggy bottoms, and spotted snow-capped mountains ahead. After 14 miles, they camped on a wet bottom, troubled by flies and mosquitoes.
ad COOL cloudy morning Some rain we Set out after
breakfast and proceeded on 3 men out a hunting.
about 3 miles came to a verry large prarie Island which
is 3000 miles from wood River or the mouth of the Missourie.
So we call it 3000 mile Island. we took up the L. Side of it
& had to hall over Several Shole places. Saw a nomber of
geese & ducks. one of the hunters joined us at noon. had
killed 3 three Deer & 2 otter, Some distance a head. the day
warm. the large flys troublesome. we proceeded on passed
Several Sunken ponds and low bottoms which is Soft and
boggy the beaver has cut many channels to their houses along
the Shores they are verry numerous in this valley. I think
they are more pleanty than ever we Saw them before. towards
evening we Came to a fiew Scattering cotton trees along the
Shore. the valley continues to be 8 or 10 miles wide and all
low Smooth prarie with timber. we See Mountains a head
Some distance which appear high. large Spots of Snow on
them. we Came 14 miles this day and Camped on a wet
bottom on the Star‘ Side. the Mosquitoes troublesome, &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A cool, cloudy morning with some rain. We set out after breakfast and proceeded on, with 3 men out hunting. About 3 miles on, we came to a very large prairie island which is 3000 miles from Wood River, or the mouth of the Missouri. So we call it 3000 Mile Island. We took up the larboard side of it and had to haul over several shoal places. Saw a number of geese and ducks. One of the hunters joined us at noon. He had killed 3 deer and 2 otter, some distance ahead. The day was warm. The large flies were troublesome.
We proceeded on, passing several sunken ponds and low bottoms which are soft and boggy. The beaver have cut many channels to their houses along the shores; they are very numerous in this valley. I think they are more plentiful than we have ever seen them before. Toward evening we came to a few scattering cottonwood trees along the shore. The valley continues to be 8 or 10 miles wide and is all low, smooth prairie with timber. We see mountains ahead some distance which appear high, with large spots of snow on them. We came 14 miles this day and camped on a wet bottom on the starboard side. The mosquitoes were troublesome, etc.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
