Great Falls of the Missouri — Joseph Whitehouse: June 20, 1805

Some cloudy & cold. the wind continues high from the
west. three or 4 men went across the River to hunt &c. we
lay at Camp at the commencement of the carrying place, to
wait the arival of Cap! Clark & party. a light Squall of rain
about noon. in the afternoon Some of the hunters came in
had killed 11 buffalow the most of them verry fat. all hands
turned out after the meat, but could not fetch more than half
of what was fat. 3 men Stayed all night to butcher the re-
mainder of the buffalow, which lay dead. Saw large gangs
come about close to the men which was dressing the meat &c.
a little rain. in the evening Cap! Clark & party returned.
they informed us that they traversed the River going up &
measured the falls & river found the first to be about 30 feet
the highest or middle 87 feet the upper one a 45 feet all of
which is perpinticular. a continued rapids between each other.
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LEWIS AND CLARK JOURNALS _ [June 20
they found it to be 17 miles to the head to where we can take
water again. two men was attacted by a verry large White
bear one of them A Willard near being caught. Cap‘ Clark
went & relieved them & 3 men with him. but night comming
on & the bushes thick it being on an Island they did not kill
it. they Saw 1 or 2 other white bear. they Saw also innu-
merable gangs of buffalow & killed 8 of those animels, & one
beaver. they Saved as much of the buffalow meat as possable.
1 mile above the fall of 47 feet 8 Inches is the largest fountain
or Spring, as they think is the largest in america known. _ this
water boils up from under the rocks near the river & falls
immediately into the river 8 feet & keeps its coulour for 4%
a mile which is clear & of a blueish cast. they inform us that
their is many Shoots or little falls between the high ones. the
large catteract or falls is a large mist quite across the fall, for
a long distance from them. Cap! Clark Saw rattle Snakes but
Saw verry little timber. they turned back this morning in
order to look out the best & Smoothest portage possable to
take the canoes & baggage &c. up to the medicine River.
they informed us that the Country above the falls & up the
meddicine River is level with low banks & Smoth water. they
Saw achain of mountains to the west, Some of which partic-
ular those to N. W. & S. W. are covered with Snow, &
appear to be verry high. Cap! Clark lost a part of his notes
which could not be found, as the wind blew high & took them
off. they did not look out & marke the road for the baggage
&c much more than half way down to Camp it being too late
to go round the deep gulleys &c. Cap! Clark Saw gangs of
buffalow attempt to Swim the river ab’ the falls. Some went
over.
[ 104 ]
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
CuHuarptTter IX
PORTAGING AROUND THE GREAT FALLS
June s1-July 14, 1805
Sune 21% Friday 1805.
FINE morning the wind from the S. W. off the Moun-
Ac & hard. Cap! Lewis with the men except a fiew
take a part of the baggage &c. & a canoe up the Hill
better than a mile in advance. Several men employed in
Shave[in]g & graining Skins Elk hides for the Iron boat as
it is called. the meat was brought in & the men returned
which Stayed out to dress the buffalow last night. they killed
2 or 3 deer and a buffalow calf & a Small Elk. we Saw
innumerable numbers & gangs of buffalow & calfs on the high
plains on Star? Side of the Missourie.