Missouri River, first view of Rocky Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: May 27, 1805
Pleasant weather with a high northwest wind. Around 10 a.m., the party set off using towing lines against a very swift current, passing numerous rapids, steep mountains, and cliffs. The surrounding country appeared barren and desert-like, with rich but dry soil unsuitable for habitation or farming, dotted with patches of pitch and spruce pine. Game was scarce, though bighorn sheep, elk, and deer fed on grasses in the valleys. Hard riffles forced the men to double-man the pirogues. One mountain ram was killed. They traveled 13 miles and camped at an old Indian camp on the south side, now 810 miles from the Mandans.
pleasant weather. the wind high from the N. W. about
10 oC. we Set off and proceeded on with the towing lines.
the current verry Swift. passed a great nomber of rapid places.
passed verry high Steep mountains and clifts Steep precipices.
these mountains appear to be a desert part of the country. they
wash by rains, but a little rain in this part. no diews like
other parts but barron broken rich Soil but too much of a
desert to be inhabited, or cultivated. Some Spots of pitch &
Spruce pine. the game is Scarcer than it has been. no grass
nor timber for them to live in, but what Ibex or Mountain
Sheep, Elk deer &c [there are ] live on what little grass their is
in the vallies and narrow plains on [‘the] river, which is covered
with wild hysop rose bush & Some grass. Some different
kinds of mint along the Shore. Saw mussel Shells also. the
[ 89 ]
Shore is Stoney & gravvelly. no falling in banks but the
creeks drive the earth and gravvel in Some distance in the river
which causes the most of the hard riffles, which we have had all
day and had to double man our perogues to git them over Safe.
one mountain ram or Ibex killed to day. we Came 13 m* to
day, and Camped at an old Indian Camp on the S. Side [of]
River we are 800 & 10 miles from the Mandans, 2415 [from
the Mouth of the Missouri].
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Pleasant weather. The wind was high from the northwest. About 10 o'clock we set off and proceeded on with the towing lines. The current was very swift. We passed a great number of rapid places. We passed very high steep mountains and cliffs and steep precipices. These mountains appear to be a desert part of the country. They are washed by rains, but there is little rain in this part. There are no dews like in other parts, but barren, broken, rich soil, though too much of a desert to be inhabited or cultivated. There are some spots of pitch and spruce pine. Game is scarcer than it has been. There is no grass nor timber for them to live in, but what Ibex or mountain sheep, elk, deer, etc., live on what little grass there is in the valleys and narrow plains along the river, which is covered with wild hyssop, rose bush, and some grass. There are some different kinds of mint along the shore. We also saw mussel shells.
The shore is stony and gravelly. There are no falling-in banks, but the creeks drive the earth and gravel some distance into the river, which causes most of the hard riffles, which we have had all day, and we had to double-man our pirogues to get them over safely. One mountain ram or Ibex was killed today. We came 13 miles today and camped at an old Indian camp on the south side of the river. We are 810 miles from the Mandans, 2,415 from the mouth of the Missouri.
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