Jefferson River ascending toward divide — Joseph Whitehouse: July 31, 1805
On a fine, very warm morning, the party set off at sunrise on the rapid current and passed a beaver-dammed creek on the larboard side. Around 8 a.m. they reached Captain Lewis, who had spent the night alone, and took breakfast before continuing past a large island and a plain rich in flax, wild tansy, and thistles. They dined under cottonwoods near snow-capped mountains. Captain Clark spotted a mountain sheep through the spyglass. Game was growing scarce, leaving them without fresh meat. They made 17¾ miles and camped on a small island; a hunter wounded a white bear.
Cap! Lewis layed out alone all last night. a fine morning.
we Set off at Sun rise and proceeded on as usal. the current
rapid. passed the Mouth of a Creek on the Lar‘ Side, which
was damed up by the beaver in Sundry places. the bottoms
low on each Side and covered with Small cotton timber &
young willow &c. about 8 oClock A. M. we came to Cap!
Lewis where he Camped last night. we took breakfast and pro-
ceeded on passed a plain on the L.S. the hills begin to make
near the River on each Side. passed a verry large Island
which is Smo[o]th bottom prarie & but a little timber on it
large open plain on L. Side on which grows abundance of flax
wild Tanzey thissels &c. the above mentioned handsome
Creek runs through this prarie on Smoth bottom without tim-
ber. only a little cotton timber on the River we dined about
1 oC. under a delightful Grove of cotton timber on L. Side
[ 124 ]
ios] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
under the mountain which has large heaps of Snow on it. we
now enter the hills on each Side and keeps along under the
mountains. Cap! Clark Saw a mountain Sheep with the Spy
glass on a round hill towards the mountain. the Game is now
gitting Scarser. we are now without fresh meat which is verry
uncommon to us. the day verry warm. we proceeded on
passed clifts of rocks and high wales along the Shores. Some
pine Scatering along the hills. we Came 1734 miles this day
and Camped on a Small Island on the Lar? Side. our hunter
on Shore wounded a white bear.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Capt. Lewis stayed out alone all last night. A fine morning. We set off at sunrise and proceeded on as usual. The current was rapid. We passed the mouth of a creek on the larboard side, which was dammed up by beavers in several places. The bottoms were low on each side and covered with small cottonwood timber and young willow, etc.
About 8 o'clock A.M. we came to where Capt. Lewis had camped last night. We took breakfast and proceeded on, passing a plain on the L.S. The hills begin to come close to the river on each side. We passed a very large island which is smooth bottom prairie with only a little timber on it. There is a large open plain on the L. Side, on which grows an abundance of flax, wild tansy, thistles, etc. The above mentioned handsome creek runs through this prairie on smooth bottom without timber. Only a little cottonwood timber along the river.
We dined about 1 o'clock under a delightful grove of cottonwood timber on the L. Side, under the mountain which has large heaps of snow on it. We now enter the hills on each side and keep along under the mountains. Capt. Clark saw a mountain sheep with the spyglass on a round hill toward the mountain. The game is now getting scarcer. We are now without fresh meat, which is very uncommon for us. The day was very warm.
We proceeded on, passing cliffs of rocks and high walls along the shores. Some pine scattered along the hills. We came 17 3/4 miles this day and camped on a small island on the larboard side. Our hunter on shore wounded a white bear.
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