Missouri River above Great Falls, Gates of the Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: July 23, 1805

Cap! Clark and 3 men Set out in order to go on to the 3
forks, expecting to find the Snake nation, near that place.
Some cloudy, the Musquetoes verry troublesome. I cannot
keep them out of my face at this time, the current verry
rapid, we proceeded on. the river Spreads wide, and full of
Islands, we passed the mouth of a Small River which came in
behind an Island on the South Side, passed livel Smoth large
plains, on each Side, high grass in places & fine Short grass
in general, considerable of good flax now going to Seed, the
thissels also pleanty & high now in blossom, the timber con-
tinues on the Island [s] and along the Shores, the beaver
pleanty. the pine timber continues on the Sides of the hills at
Some distance from the River, our hunter who Stayed out last
night came to us at noon where we delayed to dry the articles
wh[ich] is wet in the canoes, he had killed Several Deer, and
Saved the most of the meat, we hoisted up our flags and pro-
ceeded on the current verry rapid. Came 24 miles this day
and Camped on the South Side, the party in general much
fatigued, we find pleanty of wild Inions or garlick, in these
bottoms & Islands &c. &c.
I