Marias River decision camp — Joseph Whitehouse: June 12, 1805
After burying three forgotten traps, the party left Point Deposit around 7 a.m. on a clear morning and continued up the South Fork, which they still called the Missouri River. They passed numerous islands, high black and yellow bluffs, and smooth plains, spotting elk, antelope, and geese, and finding pennyroyal for the first time. The rapid current nearly capsized several canoes. Multiple rattlesnakes were seen, and one man narrowly avoided being bitten. The interpreter's wife was very ill. Captain Clark and other hunters killed elk and deer. They traveled 78 miles and camped on the north side.
a clear pleasant morning. we burryed 3 traps which was for-
got yesterday, and Set out about 7 oClock from Camp or
point Deposit 250814 m® from mouth, and proceeded on up
the South fork which we Still call the Missourie R. passed a
great nomber of Islands (5 or 6 at least by noon) before we
had got out of cite of the point, which was covered with cotton
timber. one of the party caught a beaver on one of them in a
trap which he Set last night. passed high black & yallow bluffs
on each Side & handsom Smooth plains on each Side. Saw
Elk antelopes & Geese &c. found Some penerial [pennyroyal]
the first we Saw on the River. the current verry Rapid. three
of the (G. D.)! canoes like to have overset & one in great dan-
ger. Several Rattle Snakes has been Seen by the party to day.
one man took hold of one with his hand, which was in a bunch
of bushes, but luckily he escaped being bit. Our Intrepters
wife verry Sick. Cap! Clark killed this evening one Elk & a
Deer. Some other of the hunters killed 1 or 2 more. we
passed in the course of the day a number of gravvelly Islands
& bars. the Shore on each Side is covered with Stone of dif-
ferent Sizes. we Came 78 miles to day & Camped at a handsom
bottom of cotton wood on the N. Side, where the Elk & Deer
was killed.
1 These letters, G. D., are inserted in the MS. above the line. Possibly they are
the initials of George Drouillard, the hunter. — Ep.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A clear, pleasant morning. We buried 3 traps that had been forgotten yesterday, and set out about 7 o'clock from camp, or Point Deposit, 2,508 1/4 miles from the mouth, and proceeded on up the South Fork, which we still call the Missouri River. We passed a great number of islands (at least 5 or 6 by noon) before we had gotten out of sight of the point, which was covered with cottonwood timber. One of the party caught a beaver on one of them in a trap that he had set last night. We passed high black and yellow bluffs on each side, and handsome smooth plains on each side. We saw elk, antelope, geese, etc. We found some pennyroyal, the first we had seen on the river. The current was very rapid. Three of the (G. D.) canoes were likely to have overset, and one was in great danger. Several rattlesnakes have been seen by the party today. One man took hold of one with his hand, which was in a bunch of bushes, but luckily he escaped being bitten. Our interpreter's wife is very sick. Capt. Clark (Captain Clark) killed one elk and a deer this evening. Some of the other hunters killed 1 or 2 more. We passed in the course of the day a number of gravelly islands and bars. The shore on each side is covered with stones of different sizes. We came 78 miles today and camped at a handsome bottom of cottonwood on the north side, where the elk and deer were killed.
[Note: The letters G. D. are inserted in the manuscript above the line. Possibly they are the initials of George Drouillard, the hunter. — Ed.]
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