Missouri River near Porcupine River — Joseph Whitehouse: May 3, 1805
The expedition set off around 7 a.m. on a clear but unusually cold day for May, with frost, snow on the ground, and standing water frozen enough to ice their poles. A high west wind blew throughout the day. Captain Clark, walking ashore, killed an elk that men retrieved, and another hunter shot a beaver. The party noted abundant beaver sign and many buffalo on the plains. After traveling 20 miles past large bottoms and two creeks, they camped after dark on the north side, breaking the red pirogue's rudder irons while landing.
clear but verry cold for this month. we Set off about 7 oC &
proceeded on the Standing water was froze over in places, &
froze to our poles as we were working along. a white frost
last night. the Ground is covered with Snow. the wind rose
high from the west. we halted about one oC. at a bottom
cov‘ with timber on the N. S. Cap! Clark who walked on
Shore Since morning came to us had killed an Elk near Some
men went & brought it in. one man went a Short distance
along the bank and Shot a beaver. we have Saw Great Sign
of beaver all day. the wind cold & high. we proceeded on
Saw a Great many buffaloe on the ridges & plains. the Snow
is all gone this evening. passed Jarge bottoms & plains in the
course of the day but no high hills. passed a creek on the
S.S. Came 20 miles and Camped in a bottom on the N. S.
as we were a landing it being after.dark Got the Irons broke
off the red perogue, which the rudder hung on. we passed a
creek towards evening on the N.S. which came in at a sand
bar. I forgot it.”
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Clear but very cold for this month. We set off about 7 o'clock and proceeded on. The standing water was frozen over in places, and froze to our poles as we were working along. There was a white frost last night. The ground is covered with snow. The wind rose high from the west. We halted about one o'clock at a bottom covered with timber on the north side. Capt. Clark (Capt. Clark), who walked on shore since morning, came to us. He had killed an elk nearby. Some men went and brought it in. One man went a short distance along the bank and shot a beaver. We have seen great sign of beaver all day. The wind cold and high.
We proceeded on and saw a great many buffalo on the ridges and plains. The snow is all gone this evening. We passed large bottoms and plains in the course of the day, but no high hills. We passed a creek on the south side. We came 20 miles and camped in a bottom on the north side. As we were landing, it being after dark, the irons that the rudder hung on got broken off the red pirogue. We passed a creek towards evening on the north side, which came in at a sand bar. I forgot it.
This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.
Entities mentioned in this entry
Auto-extracted from the entry text. Hover any entity for context.
