Great Falls of the Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: June 14, 1805
On a pleasant morning, the party continued upriver after two sick men and one with a lame hand had spent the night ashore. They passed Captain Lewis's earlier campsite, where bear and deer skins had been left, and rejoined a hunter who had killed two buffalo and a deer. They navigated rapid currents between high bluffs and cottonwood islands. The interpreter's wife and Whitehouse himself were very sick. A messenger from Lewis reported the falls lay about 20 miles ahead and were very bad. They made 10 miles and camped on the larboard side, observing dead buffalo floating downstream.
a fare pleasant morning. 2 men lay out all last night, which
walked on Shore one [with] a lame hand the other 2 sick.”
we proceeded on. passed the place where Cap! Lewis had
camped as he went up. had left 2 bear Skins & fat one Deer
Skin which they had killed. 2 of the men lay by it last night.
at breakfast we came up to the other man which had killed
2 buffalow & a deer. we proceeded on passed verry high
bluffs on each Side, & Several Islands of cotton timber. the
current verry rapid all day. our Intrepters wife verry Sick &
I am verry Sick myself. about 4 oC. P. M. we met one man
which Cap! Lewis Sent back to meet us. he informed us that
he came from the falls today, & that they were verry bad, &c.
about 20 miles from us above, & that Cap! Lewis & the other
three men was a going to the head of the falls, in order to
examine how far it was before we could take water again. we
went 10 miles to day through a verry rapid current, and
Camped at a Small bottom on the Lard Side. we Saw a nom-
ber of dead buffalow floating down the River which we expect
was killed in the falls.
1 The figure 2 is, in the MS., inserted with a caret, apparently at a later time;
possibly it is meant thereby that both men were sick, and that one had, in addition,
a lame hand. — Ep.
[ 100 ]
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
A fair, pleasant morning. Two men were left out all last night, who had walked on shore — one with a lame hand, the other two sick. We proceeded on. We passed the place where Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) had camped as he went up. He had left two bear skins and fat, and one deer skin, which they had killed. Two of the men stayed by it last night.
At breakfast we came up to the other man, who had killed two buffalo and a deer. We proceeded on, passing very high bluffs on each side, and several islands of cottonwood timber. The current was very rapid all day. Our interpreter's wife is very sick, and I am very sick myself.
About 4 o'clock P.M. we met one man whom Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) had sent back to meet us. He informed us that he came from the falls today, and that they were very bad, etc., about 20 miles above us, and that Capt Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and the other three men were going to the head of the falls in order to examine how far it was before we could take to the water again.
We went 10 miles today through a very rapid current, and camped at a small bottom on the larboard side. We saw a number of dead buffalo floating down the river, which we expect were killed in the falls.
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