Missouri River, first view of Rocky Mountains — Joseph Whitehouse: May 31, 1805

cloudy. we Set off as usal. the canoes crossed the river
& the men went for the meat which was killed last night.
one of the hunters killed an Elk. we proceeded on. ab‘
11 oC. began to rain, rained moderately for Some time. we
passed verry high clifts of rocks, halted at 12 oC. to dine.
our Captains gave each man a draughm of Spirits as it was
wet. Cap! Lewis killed a fat buffaloe, & Some of the hunters
killed 2 more but lost one of them in the river. ab! 1 oC.
we proceeded on passed high white clifts of rocks & Some
pinecles [pinnacles] which is 100 feet high from the Surface
of the water. Some verry high black walls of Stone also on
each Side of the river, which is curious to see. we Saw a
brown bear on the N.S. Some of the hunters went out in
order to kill it. passed Straight white clifts of rocks on the
S. Side Came 17% miles & Camped at a handsom bottom
covered with c. wood timber on the N. S. which was the first
timber we Saw to day except a fiew Scatering trees along the
Shore and a fiew ceeders on the hills. the current has been
Swift all this day. the hunters came in at dark had killed 1
black taild Deer 2 Ibex or mountain Sheep (rams) which had
handsom large horns. we took care of the horns in order to
take them back to the U. States. a pleasant evening. (one
man Saw a large pond or Small lake, out in the plains on
South Side.)