Joseph Whitehouse: May 29, 1805
Overnight, a buffalo swam the river, charged through camp, damaged a blunderbuss and rifle, and nearly trampled sleeping men. The party set off as usual under cloudy skies, passing several creeks and a bottom where about 100 Indian lodges, suspected to be Blackfoot, had recently camped. They navigated rapids and saw cliffs where natives had driven a herd of buffalo to their deaths, leaving rotting carcasses. Captain Clark killed a wolf, and a hunter killed an elk. Rain, hail, and snow arrived; officers issued a dram of spirits. They made 18 miles.
Some clouday. a large buffaloe Swam the river last night,
and came out across one of the perogues & broke a blunder-
buss, & bent a rifle & came up the bank through the Camp
& like to have tramped on Several of the men as they were
a Sleep. we Set off as usal & proceeded on. passed the
Mouth of a large Creek or 2, on the S.S. & bottoms of
timber. about 10 oC. A. M. we passed a handsom bottom
on the N.S, where about 100 lodges of Indians had lately
1805] WHITEHOUSE’S JOURNAL
been camped. we Suspect it was a nation called the blackfoot
Indians which live back from the River, to the Northward.
we got Some of their dog poles. we proceeded on passed
over hard rifles which was So rapid that caused high waves for
Some distance below. passed Several Creeks on each Side of
the river. about one oC. P. M. we passed high Steep clifts
of rocks on the N.S. where the natives had lately drove a
gang of buffaloe off from the plains. they fell So far on the
uneven Stone below that it killed them dead. they took what
meat they wanted, & now the wolves & bears are feasting on
the remains, which causes a horrid Smell. Cap! Clark killed
a wolf with a Sphere [spear] near that place. we Saw Several
brown bear on the mountains on the S. Side. about 3 oC.
P. M. we passed the mouth of a large Creek or Small river
on S.S. we halted [a] little above at a handsom bottom of
timber on the N.S. began to rain, the wind rose high from
N. W. So we Camped for the night. Some of the hunters
went out in the plains. they Soon returned & Said it Snowed
& hailed on the hills back from the river. our officers gave
each man a draughm of ardent Spirits. one of the hunters
killed an Elk. hard rain this evening. we had come 18
miles to day through a Mountaneous desert Country. Saw
a nomber of geese on the river. one man killed one of them.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Somewhat cloudy. A large buffalo swam the river last night, and came out across one of the pirogues and broke a blunderbuss, and bent a rifle, and came up the bank through the camp, and nearly trampled on several of the men as they were asleep. We set off as usual and proceeded on. Passed the mouth of a large creek or two on the south side, and bottoms of timber. About 10 o'clock A.M. we passed a handsome bottom on the north side, where about 100 lodges of Indians had lately been camped. We suspect it was a nation called the Blackfoot Indians, which live back from the river to the northward. We got some of their dog poles. We proceeded on, passed over hard riffles which were so rapid that they caused high waves for some distance below. Passed several creeks on each side of the river.
About 1 o'clock P.M. we passed high steep cliffs of rocks on the north side, where the natives had lately driven a gang of buffalo off from the plains. They fell so far on the uneven stone below that it killed them dead. They took what meat they wanted, and now the wolves and bears are feasting on the remains, which causes a horrid smell. Capt. Clark killed a wolf with a sphere [spear] near that place. We saw several brown bears on the mountains on the south side. About 3 o'clock P.M. we passed the mouth of a large creek or small river on the south side. We halted a little above at a handsome bottom of timber on the north side. It began to rain, and the wind rose high from the northwest, so we camped for the night.
Some of the hunters went out into the plains. They soon returned and said it snowed and hailed on the hills back from the river. Our officers gave each man a dram of ardent spirits. One of the hunters killed an elk. Hard rain this evening. We had come 18 miles today through a mountainous desert country. Saw a number of geese on the river. One man killed one of them.
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