Lewis: July 10, 1806
The party traveled 24 miles down the southwest bank of the river, slowed by ground left muddy from the previous day's rain. Hunting was poor in the morning due to unfavorable wind, but in the evening Lewis and R. Fields killed two elk, and Drouillard shot a large brown bear that swam across the river. Sergeant Gass and Thompson were chased by another large bear in the plains. The day's take totaled five deer, three elk, and a bear. Vast herds of buffalo and wolves were seen and heard nearby.
July 10th 1806. Set out early and continued down the S W bank of the river
N 75 E 24 m. to our encampment in a grove of cottonwood timber. the latter
part of this course for 7 miles there is no timber in the river bottom,
the other parts of the river possesses bottoms of the wide leafed
cottonwood. much the greater part of the bottom is untimbered. the bottoms
are wide and level the high praries or plains are also beautiful level and
smooth. great quantities of prickly pear of two kinds on the plains. the
ground is renderd so miry by the rain which fell yesterday that it is
excessively fatiegueing to the horses to travel. we came 10 miles and
halted for dinner the wind blowing down the river in the fore part of the
day was unfavourable to the hunters they saw several gangs of Elk but they
having the wind of them ran off. in the evening the wind set from the West
and we fell in with a few elk of which R. Fields and myself killed 3 one
of which swam the river and fell on the opposite so we therefore lost it’s
skin I sent the packhorses on with Sergt. Gass directing them to halt and
encamp at the first timber which proved to be about 7 ms. I retained
frazier to assist in skining the Elk. we wer about this time joined by
drewer. a large brown bear swam the river near where we were and drewyer
shot and killed it. by the time we butchered thes 2 elk and bar it was
nearly dark we loaded our horses with the best of the meat and pursud the
party and found them encamped as they had been directed in the first
timber. we did not reach them until 9 P.M. they informed us that they had
seen a very large bear in the plains which had pursued Sergt. Gass and
Thomson some distance but their horses enabled them to keep out of it’s
reach. they were affraid to fire on the bear least their horses should
throw them as they were unaccustomed to the gun. we killed five deer 3 Elk
and a bear today saw vast herds of buffaloe in the evening below us on the
river. we hered them bellowing about us all night. vast assemblages of
wolves. saw a large herd of Elk making down the river. passed a
considerable rapid in medicine river after dark. the river about a hundred
yards wide is deep and in many parts rappid and today has been much
crouded with islands. from our encampment down we know the river and there
is no rapids and scarcely any courant. goosberries are very abundant of
the common red kind and are begining to ripen. no currants on this river.
both species of the prickly pears just in blume.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
July 10th, 1806. Set out early and continued down the southwest bank of the river N 75° E for 24 miles to our camp in a grove of cottonwood timber. Along the latter part of this course, for 7 miles, there is no timber in the river bottom; the other parts of the river have bottoms of the wide-leafed cottonwood. Much the greater part of the bottom is untimbered. The bottoms are wide and level, and the high prairies or plains are also beautifully level and smooth. There are great quantities of prickly pear of two kinds on the plains. The ground is rendered so miry by the rain that fell yesterday that it is excessively fatiguing for the horses to travel.
We came 10 miles and halted for dinner. The wind blowing down the river in the early part of the day was unfavorable to the hunters; they saw several gangs of elk, but the elk caught their scent and ran off. In the evening the wind shifted from the west, and we fell in with a few elk, of which R. Fields and I killed 3. One of them swam the river and fell on the opposite side, so we lost its skin. I sent the pack horses on with Sergt. Gass, directing them to halt and camp at the first timber, which proved to be about 7 miles away. I kept Frazier with me to assist in skinning the elk. About this time we were joined by Drewyer (Drouillard). A large brown bear swam the river near where we were, and Drewyer shot and killed it. By the time we butchered these 2 elk and the bear, it was nearly dark. We loaded our horses with the best of the meat and pursued the party, and found them camped as they had been directed in the first timber. We did not reach them until 9 P.M.
They informed us that they had seen a very large bear on the plains which had pursued Sergt. Gass and Thomson some distance, but their horses enabled them to keep out of its reach. They were afraid to fire on the bear lest their horses should throw them, as the horses were unaccustomed to the gun. We killed five deer, 3 elk, and a bear today. Saw vast herds of buffalo in the evening below us on the river. We heard them bellowing all around us all night. Vast assemblages of wolves. Saw a large herd of elk making down the river. Passed a considerable rapid in Medicine River after dark. The river, about a hundred yards wide, is deep and in many parts rapid, and today has been much crowded with islands. From our camp downward we know the river, and there are no rapids and scarcely any current. Gooseberries of the common red kind are very abundant and are beginning to ripen. No currants on this river. Both species of the prickly pear are just in bloom.
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