Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — Joseph Whitehouse: August 9, 1805
On a clear, cool morning with high southeast winds, the party set out and traveled 18 miles up the river. George Shannon, lost for three days, rejoined them having killed three fat buck deer. Captain Lewis, Drewyer, McNeal, and Shields departed by land to scout ahead and seek the Snake (Shoshone) Indians. The captains named the main stream Jefferson's River and the north fork Sensible River, leaving the south fork unnamed. Hunters brought in a goat and deer. Snow was visible on distant mountains. Mosquitoes were troublesome, beaver plentiful, and thunder showers passed nearby. They camped near cottonwoods on the larboard side.
a clear cool morning. Several hunters out on Shore we
Set out as usal and proceeded on the wind high from the
S. E. took on board a goat which one of the hunters had
killed. we halted ab! 8 oC. for breakfast. George Shannon
joined us who had been lost 3 days. he had killed 3 buck
Deer, which was fat. he brought in the Skins & a little meat.
Cap! Lewis G. Drewyer H. M® Neal & John Shields Set out
to go on by land a long distance to look out the way for us to
go & expect to find the Snake nation of Indians. we pro-
ceeded on. took on bord a deer which one of the hunters
killed. we Saw no game worth notice except a fiew Deer.
the River and Smooth prarie the Same as yesterday. back
at the forks our Captains named this Stream Jeffersons River,
the N. fork Sensable River, and the South fork’ not known
yet. So I expect that ought to be called the head of the
1 This sentence was crossed through thus far, in the original MS., with a stroke of
the pen. It has been allowed to stand, to make intelligible what follows, — Ep.
[ 130 ]
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
Missourie although we are yet on the head branch, which we
expect to See the head of it Soon. Some Thunder. the
Musquetoes troublesome. the beaver pleanty as usal &c.
Saw Snow on the Mountains Some distance a head. pro-
ceeded on passed the old bed of the River where it formerly
ran along the high land at South Side of the prarie Some
cotton trees along it. the prarie low, Some part of which is
soft & boggy which we expect is good turf to burn [if it] was
dug & dryed. Thunder Showers passed round or over.
Came 18 miles and Camped on L. S. near a grove of cotton
trees & willows.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A clear, cool morning. Several hunters out on shore. We set out as usual and proceeded on. The wind was high from the southeast. Took on board a goat which one of the hunters had killed. We halted about 8 o'clock for breakfast. George Shannon joined us, who had been lost 3 days. He had killed 3 buck deer, which were fat. He brought in the skins and a little meat. Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis), G. Drewyer (Drouillard), H. McNeal, and John Shields set out to go on by land a long distance to look out the way for us to go, and expect to find the Snake nation of Indians. We proceeded on. Took on board a deer which one of the hunters killed. We saw no game worth notice except a few deer. The river and smooth prairie the same as yesterday.
Back at the forks our Captains named this stream Jeffersons River, the north fork Sensable River, and the south fork not known yet. So I expect that ought to be called the head of the Missourie (Missouri), although we are yet on the head branch, which we expect to see the head of soon. Some thunder. The mosquitoes troublesome. The beaver plenty as usual, etc. Saw snow on the mountains some distance ahead. Proceeded on, passed the old bed of the river where it formerly ran along the high land at the south side of the prairie. Some cottonwood trees along it. The prairie low, some part of which is soft and boggy, which we expect is good turf to burn if it was dug and dried. Thunder showers passed round or over. Came 18 miles and camped on the larboard side near a grove of cottonwood trees and willows.
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.
