Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — Joseph Whitehouse: August 6, 1805
On a clear morning, the party hauled canoes up the rapids through low, timbered bottoms until Drouillard reported they had taken the wrong fork. Captain Lewis, scouting ahead, determined the middle of three forks was the correct route, so the group turned back. Descending the rough shoals, a canoe upset and soaked its cargo; Whitehouse jumped in to steady it, nearly breaking his leg and losing his shot pouch, powder, and other gear. They reunited with Lewis at the forks, dried goods, and sent out hunters who returned with three deer and a fawn elk. George Shannon failed to return and was feared lost despite signal horns and gunshots. A brief shower fell.
a clear morning. we Set out as usal, and proceeded on hall-
ing the canoes up the rapids. the bottoms low and covered
with Small timber. about 8 oClock A. M. we halted for
breakfast at a grove of timber. Saw an Indian trale or path.
G. Drewyer Came to us and informed us that we had got the
wrong fork & that their was 3 forks & Cap: Lewis allowed
that the middle fork would be the right course & the best fork
for us to go up. Cap! Lewis gone down to the forks. we
turned about and went down to the forks with the crafts. in
going through a difficult place which we went up thro last
evening, one canoe got up Set and everry perticle of the load-
ing got wet. one of the men who was in the bow lost his
knapsack and the most of his cloaths &c. I was in the Stern
when She Swang & jumped out to prevent hir from turning
over but the current took hir round So rapid that caught my
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1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
leg under hir and lamed me & was near breaking my leg.
lost my Shot pouch powder horn full of powder a bunch of
thred and Some mockisons &c. the remainder of the loading
Saved. we found it difficult to go down over the Sholes.
Several canoes ran fast &c. one of the large canoes took in
water & was near filling. we got down to the forks found
Cap: Lewis & party their. they informed us that they had
been about 30 miles up & their was 3 forks and the middle
fork was the best for us, to go. we halted here at the forks
on L, S. and put out all the articles which got wet to dry.
one of the men who went out to hunt this morning has not
returned. Several men went out from this place to hunt.
we had a Small Shower of rain. the hunters all returned in
the evening had killed 3 Deer and one faun Elk. we blew
the horn & fired Several guns, expecting the man who went
out this morning George Shannon was lost. the Indian goods
&c. did not all git dry this evening &c.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A clear morning. We set out as usual and proceeded on, hauling the canoes up the rapids. The bottoms were low and covered with small timber. About 8 o'clock A.M. we halted for breakfast at a grove of timber. Saw an Indian trail or path. G. Drewyer (Drouillard) came to us and informed us that we had gotten on the wrong fork, and that there were 3 forks. Capt. Lewis decided that the middle fork would be the right course and the best fork for us to go up. Capt. Lewis had gone down to the forks. We turned about and went down to the forks with the craft.
In going through a difficult place which we had gone up through last evening, one canoe got upset and every particle of the loading got wet. One of the men who was in the bow lost his knapsack and most of his clothes, etc. I was in the stern when she swung, and jumped out to prevent her from turning over, but the current took her around so rapidly that it caught my leg under her and lamed me, and was near breaking my leg. I lost my shot pouch, powder horn full of powder, a bunch of thread, and some moccasins, etc. The remainder of the loading was saved.
We found it difficult to go down over the shoals. Several canoes ran fast, etc. One of the large canoes took in water and was near filling. We got down to the forks and found Capt. Lewis and party there. They informed us that they had been about 30 miles up, and there were 3 forks, and the middle fork was the best for us to go.
We halted here at the forks on the L. S. (larboard side) and put out all the articles which got wet to dry. One of the men who went out to hunt this morning has not returned. Several men went out from this place to hunt. We had a small shower of rain. The hunters all returned in the evening, having killed 3 deer and one fawn elk. We blew the horn and fired several guns, expecting the man who went out this morning, George Shannon, who was lost. The Indian goods, etc. did not all get dry this evening, etc.
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