Lewis: August 12, 1806
Eager to catch up with Captain Clark, Lewis set out early and made fast progress down the river. Around 8 A.M. he encountered two Illinois hunters, Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock, who had been trapping on the Missouri since 1804. Lewis shared river information and gave them a file, powder, and lead. Colter and Collins, separated since August 3rd, also rejoined the party. At 1 P.M. Lewis reunited with Clark, finding everyone well. His wounds were stiff but less inflamed. He described a scarlet cherry found near the Beaverbends, then handed journaling duties to Clark.
Thursday August 12th 1806. Being anxious to overtake Capt. Clark who from
the appearance of his camps could be at no great distance before me, we
set out early and proceeded with all possible expedition at 8 A.M. the
bowsman informed me that there was a canoe and a camp he beleived of
whitemen on the N. E. shore. I directed the perogue and canoes to come too
at this place and found it to be the camp of two hunters from the Illinois
by name Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock. these men informed me that
Capt. C. had passed them about noon the day before. they also informed me
that they had left the Illinois in the summer 1804 since which time they
had been ascended the Missouri, hunting and traping beaver; that they had
been robed by the indians and the former wounded last winter by the Tetons
of the birnt woods; that they had hitherto been unsuccessfull in their
voyage having as yet caught but little beaver, but were still determined
to proceed. I gave them a short discription of the Missouri, a list of
distances to the most conspicuous streams and remarkable places on the
river above and pointed out to them the places where the beaver most
abounded. I also gave them a file and a couple of pounds of powder with
some lead. these were articles which they assured me they were in great
want of. I remained with these men an hour and a half when I took leave of
them and proceeded. while I halted with these men Colter and Collins who
seperated from us on the 3rd ist. rejoined us. they were well no accedent
having happened. they informed me that after proceeding the first day and
not overtaking us that they had concluded that we were behind and had
delayed several days in waiting for us and had thus been unable to join us
untill the present momet. my wounds felt very stiff and soar this morning
but gave me no considerable pain. there was much less inflamation than I
had reason to apprehend there would be. I had last evening applyed a
poltice of peruvian barks at 1 P.M. I overtook Capt. Clark and party and
had the pleasure of finding them all well. as wrighting in my present
situation is extreemly painfull to me I shall desist untill I recover and
leave to my frind Capt. C. the continuation of our journal. however I must
notice a singular Cherry which is found on the Missouri in the bottom
lands about the beaverbends and some little distance below the white earth
river. this production is not very abundant even in the small tract of
country to which it seems to be confined. the stem is compound erect and
subdivided or branching without any regular order it rises to the hight of
eight or ten feet seldom puting up more than one stem from the same root
not growing in cops as the Choke Cherry dose. the bark is smooth and of a
dark brown colour. the leaf is peteolate, oval accutely pointed at it’s
apex, from one and a 1/4 to 11/2 inches in length and from 1/2 to 3/4 of
an inch in width, finely or minutely serrate, pale green and free from
bubessence. the fruit is a globular berry about the size of a buck-shot of
a fine scarlet red; like the cherries cultivated in the U States each is
supported by a seperate celindric flexable branch peduncle which issue
from the extremities of the boughs the peduncle of this cherry swells as
it approahes the fruit being largest at the point of insertion. the pulp
of this fruit is of an agreeable ascid flavour and is now ripe. the style
and stigma are permanent. I have never seen it in blume.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Thursday, August 12th, 1806. Being anxious to overtake Capt. Clark, who from the appearance of his camps could be at no great distance before me, we set out early and proceeded with all possible speed. At 8 A.M. the bowsman informed me that there was a canoe and a camp, which he believed belonged to white men, on the northeast shore. I directed the pirogue and canoes to come to at this place, and found it to be the camp of two hunters from Illinois, by name Joseph Dickson and Forest Hancock. These men informed me that Capt. C. (Capt. Clark) had passed them about noon the day before. They also informed me that they had left Illinois in the summer of 1804, since which time they had been ascending the Missouri, hunting and trapping beaver; that they had been robbed by the Indians, and the former had been wounded last winter by the Tetons of the Burnt Woods; that they had so far been unsuccessful in their journey, having as yet caught but little beaver, but were still determined to proceed. I gave them a short description of the Missouri, a list of distances to the most conspicuous streams and remarkable places on the river above, and pointed out to them the places where the beaver most abounded. I also gave them a file and a couple of pounds of powder with some lead. These were articles which they assured me they were in great want of. I remained with these men an hour and a half, when I took leave of them and proceeded.
While I halted with these men, Colter and Collins, who separated from us on the 3rd instant, rejoined us. They were well, no accident having happened. They informed me that after proceeding the first day and not overtaking us, they had concluded that we were behind, and had delayed several days waiting for us, and had thus been unable to join us until the present moment.
My wounds felt very stiff and sore this morning, but gave me no considerable pain. There was much less inflammation than I had reason to expect. Last evening I had applied a poultice of Peruvian bark. At 1 P.M. I overtook Capt. Clark and party and had the pleasure of finding them all well. As writing in my present situation is extremely painful to me, I shall desist until I recover, and leave to my friend Capt. C. (Capt. Clark) the continuation of our journal.
However, I must note a peculiar cherry which is found on the Missouri in the bottom lands about the Beaver Bends and some little distance below the White Earth River. This plant is not very abundant, even in the small tract of country to which it seems to be confined. The stem is compound, erect, and subdivided or branching without any regular order. It rises to the height of eight or ten feet, seldom putting up more than one stem from the same root, not growing in copses as the chokecherry does. The bark is smooth and of a dark brown color. The leaf is petiolate, oval, acutely pointed at its apex, from one and a quarter to one and a half inches in length, and from one half to three quarters of an inch in width, finely or minutely serrated, pale green, and free from pubescence. The fruit is a globular berry about the size of a buckshot, of a fine scarlet red; like the cherries cultivated in the United States, each is supported by a separate cylindric, flexible branch peduncle which issues from the extremities of the boughs. The peduncle of this cherry swells as it approaches the fruit, being largest at the point of insertion. The pulp of this fruit is of an agreeable acid flavor and is now ripe. The style and stigma are permanent. I have never seen it in bloom.
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