Great Falls Portage — Joseph Whitehouse: June 23, 1805
Easterly winds brought clouds and light rain. A hunter returned from the Medicine River reporting that George Shannon had separated from the hunting party on the first day, taking a small kettle and parched meal; the remaining two hunters killed 16 buffalo and a few deer, drying considerable fat buffalo meat at camp. In the evening, Captain Clark and his party arrived from the upper camp, having struggled with frequently breaking truck wagons. Clark surveyed the 18-mile portage route, marking it with stakes and flags. Captain Lewis stayed behind with three men to prepare the iron boat.
the wind has Shifted to the East. Cloudy. a light Sprink-
ling of rain. in the afternoon one of the hunters came in from
the Medicine River & informed us that one man G. Shannon
left them the first day he left this place, & took with hima
Small kittle & Some parched meal which was for the hunters,
and that the other 2 had killed 16 buffalow and a fiew Deer
but Saw no Elk. had dryed considerable of fat buffalow meat
at their Camp on the Medicine River. in the evening Cap*
Clark and party came in from the upper Camp & I with them
& informed us that they had Some difficulty with their truck
waggons as they broke Sundry times. Cap! Clark Surveyed
& measured the remainder of the portage, and looked out the
best way for the truck waggons & baggage to Go, and made
the distance to the upper camp to where we take water again
to be 18 miles a Strait course. they put up mile half mile 4
mile & a half quarty mile Stakes as well as Several flags as
guides for the portage or carrying place &c. Cap! Lewis &
3 men Stayed at the upper Camp, to prepare the Iron boat
dc. Bee.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
The wind has shifted to the east. Cloudy, with a light sprinkling of rain. In the afternoon one of the hunters came in from the Medicine River and informed us that one man, G. Shannon, left them the first day he left this place, and took with him a small kettle and some parched meal which was for the hunters, and that the other two had killed 16 buffalo and a few deer but saw no elk. They had dried a considerable amount of fat buffalo meat at their camp on the Medicine River.
In the evening Capt. Clark (Capt. Clark) and his party came in from the upper camp, and I came with them. They informed us that they had some difficulty with their truck wagons, as they broke several times. Capt. Clark surveyed and measured the remainder of the portage, and looked out the best way for the truck wagons and baggage to go, and made the distance to the upper camp, where we take water again, to be 18 miles in a straight course. They put up mile, half-mile, quarter-mile, and four-and-a-half-mile stakes, as well as several flags, as guides for the portage or carrying place, etc.
Capt. Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and 3 men stayed at the upper camp to prepare the iron boat, etc.
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