Lewis: August 6, 1805
The party set out early to return to the forks of the Jefferson River. Lewis discovered that Clark had mistakenly taken the rapid fork because he never found Lewis's note. While ascending, three canoes overturned or filled with water, soaking valuable supplies including medicine, gunpowder, corn, and Indian presents. Whitehouse was nearly crushed beneath a canoe and badly injured his leg. They camped on a gravel bar to dry goods, and hunters killed deer and elk. Shannon went missing again. Lewis named the two upper forks Wisdom and Philanthropy, honoring Jefferson's virtues.
Tuesday August 6th 1805. We set out this morning very early on our return
to the forks. having nothing to eat I set Drewyer to the woodlands to my
left in order to kill a deer, sent Sergt. Gass to the right with orders to
keep sufficiently near to discover Capt. C. and the party should they be
on their way up that stream, and with Sharbono I directed my course to the
main forks through the bottom directing the others to meet us there. about
five miles above the forks I head the hooping of the party to my left and
changed my rout towards them; on my arrival found that they had taken the
rapid fork and learnt from Capt. Clark that he had not found the note
which I had left for him at that place and the reasons which had induced
him to ascend this stream. it was easeist & more in our direction, and
apd. to contain as much water he had hoever previously to my comeing up
with him, met Drewyer who informed him of the state of the two rivers and
was on his return. one of their canoes had just overset and all the
baggage wet, the medecine box among other articles and several articles
lost a shot pouch and horn with all the implements for one rifle lost and
never recovered. I walked down to the point where I waited their return.
on their arrival found that two other canoes had filled with water and wet
their cargoes completely. Whitehouse had been thrown out of one of the
canoes as she swing in a rapid current and the canoe had rubed him and
pressed him to the bottom as she passed over him and had the water been 2
inches shallower must inevitably have crushed him to death. our parched
meal, corn, Indian preasents, and a great part of our most valuable stores
were wet and much damaged on this ocasion. to examine, dry and arrange our
stores was the first object; we therefore passed over to the lard. side
opposite to the entrance of the rapid fork where there was a large gravly
bar that answered our purposes; wood was also convenient and plenty. here
we fixed our camp, and unloaded all our canoes and opened and exposed to
dry such articles as had been wet. a part of the load of each canoe
consisted of the leaden canestirs of powder which were not in least
injured, tho some of them had remained upwards of an hour under water.
about 20 lbs. of powder which we had in a tight Keg or at least one which
we thought sufficiently so got wet and intirely spoiled. this would have
been the case with the other had it not have been for the expedient which
I had fallen on of securing the powder by means of the lead having the
latter formed into canesters which were filled with the necessary
proportion of poder to discharge the lead when used, and those canesters
well secured with corks and wax. in this country the air is so pure and
dry that any vessel however well seasoned the timber may be will give way
or shrink unless it is kept full of some liquid. we found that three deer
skins which we had left at a considerable hight on a tree were taken off
which we supposed had been done by a panther. we sent out some men to hunt
this evening, they killed 3 deer and four Elk which gave us a plentifull
supply of meat once more. Shannon had been dispatched up the rapid fork
this morning to hunt, by Capt Clark before he met with Drewyer or learnt
his mistake in the rivers. when he returned he sent Drewyer in surch of
him, but he rejoined us this evening and reported that he had been several
miles up the river and could find nothing of him. we had the trumpet
sounded and fired several guns but he did not join us this evening. I am
fearful he is lost again. this is the same man who was seperated from us
15 days as we came up the Missouri and subsisted 9 days of that time on
grapes only. Whitehouse is in much pain this evening with the injury one
of his legs sustained from the canoe today at the time it upset and swing
over him. Capt Clarks ankle is also very painfull to him.we should
have given the party a days rest some where near this place had not this
accedent happened, as I had determined to take some observations to fix
the Latitude and longitude of these forks. our merchandize medecine &c
are not sufficiently dry this evening we covered them securely for the
evening. Capt Clark had ascended the river about 9 miles from this place
on a course of S 30° W. before he met with Drewyer.
we beleive that the N. W. or rapid fork is the dane of the melting snows
of the mountains, and that it is not as long as the middle fork and dose
not at all seasons of the year supply any thing like as much water as the
other and that about this season it rises to it’s greatest hight. this
last appears from the apparent bed of the river which is now overflown and
the water in many plases spreads through old channels which have their
bottoms covered with grass that has grown this season and is such as
appears on the parts of the bottom not innundated. we therefore determined
that the middle fork was that which ought of right to bear the name we had
given to the lower portion or River Jefferson and called the bold rapid an
clear stream Wisdom, and the more mild and placid one which flows in from
the S. E. Philanthrophy, in commemoration of two of those cardinal
virtues, which have so eminently marked that deservedly selibrated
character through life.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday August 6th 1805. We set out this morning very early on our return to the forks. Having nothing to eat, I sent Drouillard to the woodlands on my left to kill a deer, sent Sergeant Gass to the right with orders to stay sufficiently near to spot Captain Clark and the party should they be on their way up that stream, and with Charbonneau I directed my course to the main forks through the bottomland, directing the others to meet us there. About five miles above the forks I heard the whooping of the party to my left and changed my route toward them. On my arrival I found that they had taken the rapid fork, and I learned from Captain Clark that he had not found the note which I had left for him at that place, and the reasons which had induced him to ascend this stream. It was easier and more in our direction, and appeared to contain as much water. However, before I came up with him, he had met Drouillard, who informed him of the state of the two rivers, and he was on his return. One of their canoes had just overturned and all the baggage was wet, including the medicine box and several other articles, and a shot pouch and horn with all the implements for one rifle were lost and never recovered.
I walked down to the point where I waited for their return. On their arrival I found that two other canoes had filled with water and their cargoes were completely soaked. Whitehouse had been thrown out of one of the canoes as she swung in a rapid current, and the canoe had rubbed and pressed him to the bottom as it passed over him; had the water been 2 inches shallower it must inevitably have crushed him to death. Our parched meal, corn, Indian presents, and a great part of our most valuable stores were wet and much damaged on this occasion.
To examine, dry, and arrange our stores was our first object. We therefore crossed over to the larboard (left) side opposite the entrance of the rapid fork, where there was a large gravelly bar that answered our purposes; wood was also convenient and plentiful. Here we fixed our camp, unloaded all our canoes, and opened and exposed to dry such articles as had been wet. Part of the load of each canoe consisted of the leaden canisters of powder, which were not in the least injured, though some of them had remained upwards of an hour under water. About 20 pounds of powder which we had in a tight keg, or at least one which we thought sufficiently tight, got wet and was entirely spoiled. This would have been the case with the other had it not been for the expedient which I had hit upon of securing the powder by means of the lead, having the latter formed into canisters which were filled with the necessary proportion of powder to discharge the lead when used, and those canisters well secured with corks and wax. In this country the air is so pure and dry that any vessel, however well seasoned the timber may be, will give way or shrink unless it is kept full of some liquid.
We found that three deer skins which we had left at a considerable height on a tree had been taken off, which we supposed had been done by a panther. We sent out some men to hunt this evening; they killed 3 deer and four elk, which gave us a plentiful supply of meat once more. Shannon had been dispatched up the rapid fork this morning to hunt by Captain Clark before he met with Drouillard or learned his mistake in the rivers. When he returned he sent Drouillard in search of him, but he rejoined us this evening and reported that he had been several miles up the river and could find nothing of him. We had the trumpet sounded and fired several guns, but he did not join us this evening. I am fearful he is lost again. This is the same man who was separated from us for 15 days as we came up the Missouri and subsisted 9 days of that time on grapes only. Whitehouse is in much pain this evening from the injury one of his legs sustained from the canoe today at the time it upset and swung over him. Captain Clark's ankle is also very painful to him.
We should have given the party a day's rest somewhere near this place had not this accident happened, as I had determined to take some observations to fix the latitude and longitude of these forks. Our merchandise, medicine, etc., are not sufficiently dry this evening; we covered them securely for the night. Captain Clark had ascended the river about 9 miles from this place on a course of S 30° W before he met with Drouillard.
We believe that the N.W. or rapid fork is fed by the melting snows of the mountains, and that it is not as long as the middle fork, and does not at all seasons of the year supply anything like as much water as the other, and that about this season it rises to its greatest height. This last appears from the apparent bed of the river, which is now overflown, and the water in many places spreads through old channels which have their bottoms covered with grass that has grown this season and is such as appears on the parts of the bottom not inundated. We therefore determined that the middle fork was the one which ought rightfully to bear the name we had given to the lower portion, or River Jefferson, and we called the bold, rapid, and clear stream Wisdom, and the more mild and placid one which flows in from the S.E. Philanthropy, in commemoration of two of those cardinal virtues which have so eminently marked that deservedly celebrated character throughout his life.
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