Lewis: July 13, 1805
On a calm clear morning, Lewis loaded the remaining baggage into six small canoes and crossed to the opposite shore, sending Charbonneau by water in place of the sick Baptiste Lepage. Traveling overland with the sick man and Sacagawea, Lewis reached Captain Clark's camp around 9 A.M. Along the way he examined an unusual abandoned Indian lodge frame, 216 feet around, possibly a council house. Sergeant Ordway's canoe party was delayed by high winds. Hunters killed three buffalo, and Lewis collected plant specimens. Mosquitoes were severe, forcing him to send for his netting.
Saturday July 13th 1805. This morning being calm and Clear I had the
remainder of our baggage embarked in the six small canoes and maned them
with two men each. I now bid a cheerfull adue to my camp and passed over
to the opposite shore. Baptiest La Page one of the men whom I had reserved
to man the canoes being sick I sent Charbono in his stead by water and the
sick man and Indian woman accompanyed me by land. from the head of the
white bear Islands I passed in a S. W. direction and struck the Missouri
at 3 miles and continued up it to Capt. Clark’s camp where I arrived about
9 A.M. and found them busily engaged with their canoes Meat &c. in my
way I passed a very extraordinary Indian lodge, or at least the fraim of
one; it was formed of sixteen large cottonwood poles each about fifty feet
long and at their larger end which rested on the ground as thick as a
man’s body; these were arranged in a circular manner at bottom and equally
distributed except the omission of one on the East side which I suppose
was the entrance to the lodge; the upper part of the poles are united in a
common point above and secured with large wyths of willow brush. in the
center of this fabric there was the remains of a large fire; and about the
place the marks of about 80 leather lodges. I know not what was the
intention or design of such a lodge but certain I am that it was not
designed for a dwelling of anyone family. it was 216 feet in
circumpherence at the base. it was most probably designed for some great
feast, or a council house on some great national concern. I never saw a
similar one nor do the nations lower down the Missouri construct such. The
canoes and party with Sergt. Ordway poceeded up the river about 5 miles
when the wind became so violent that two of the canoes shiped a
considerable quanty of water and they were compelled to put too take out
the baggage to dry and clense the canoes of the water. about 5 P.M. the
wind abated and they came on about 8 miles further and encamped. I saw a
number of turtledoves and some pigeons today. of the latter I shot one;
they are the same common to the United States, or the wild pigeon as they
are called. nothing remarkable in the appearance of the country; the
timber entirely confined to the river and the country back on either side
as far as the eye can reach entirely destitute of trees or brush. the
timber is larger and more abundant in the bottom in which we now are than
I have seen it on the Missouri for many hundred miles. the current of the
river is still extreemly gentle. The hunters killed three buffaloe today
which were in good order. the flesh was brought in dryed the skins wer
also streached for covering our baggage. we eat an emensity of meat; it
requires 4 deer, an Elk and a deer, or one buffaloe, to supply us
plentifully 24 hours. meat now forms our food prinsipally as we reserve
our flour parched meal and corn as much as possible for the rocky
mountains which we are shortly to enter, and where from the indhan account
game is not very abundant. I preserved specemines of several small plants
to day which I have never before seen. The Musquetoes and knats are more
troublesome here if possible than they were at the White bear Islands. I
sent a man to the canoes for my musquetoe bier which I had neglected to
bring with me, as it is impossible to sleep a moment without being
defended against the attacks of these most tormenting of all insects; the
man returned with it a little after dark.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday, July 13th, 1805. This morning, being calm and clear, I had the remainder of our baggage loaded into the six small canoes and manned them with two men each. I now bid a cheerful goodbye to my camp and crossed over to the opposite shore. Baptiest La Page (Baptiste Lepage), one of the men I had kept back to man the canoes, was sick, so I sent Charbono (Charbonneau) in his place by water, while the sick man and the Indian woman accompanied me by land. From the head of the White Bear Islands I went in a southwest direction and struck the Missouri after 3 miles, then continued up it to Capt. Clark's camp, where I arrived about 9 A.M. and found them busily engaged with their canoes, meat, and other work.
On my way I passed a very extraordinary Indian lodge, or at least the frame of one. It was made of sixteen large cottonwood poles, each about fifty feet long, and at their larger end, which rested on the ground, as thick as a man's body. These were arranged in a circle at the bottom and evenly spaced, except for the omission of one on the east side, which I suppose was the entrance to the lodge. The upper ends of the poles were brought together at a common point above and secured with large withes of willow brush. In the center of this structure were the remains of a large fire, and around the place were the marks of about 80 leather lodges. I do not know what the intention or design of such a lodge was, but I am certain it was not meant as a dwelling for any one family. It was 216 feet in circumference at the base. It was most probably designed for some great feast, or as a council house for some important national matter. I have never seen a similar one, nor do the nations lower down the Missouri build such structures.
The canoes and the party with Sergt. Ordway (Sergeant Ordway) proceeded up the river about 5 miles, when the wind became so violent that two of the canoes shipped a considerable amount of water, and they were forced to put to shore, take out the baggage to dry, and clear the water from the canoes. About 5 P.M. the wind died down, and they came on about 8 miles further before camping.
I saw a number of turtledoves and some pigeons today. Of the latter I shot one; they are the same as those common to the United States, or the wild pigeon, as they are called. There is nothing remarkable in the appearance of the country; the timber is entirely confined to the river, and the land beyond on either side, as far as the eye can reach, is entirely without trees or brush. The timber is larger and more abundant in the bottomland we are now in than I have seen anywhere else on the Missouri for many hundred miles. The current of the river is still extremely gentle.
The hunters killed three buffalo today, which were in good condition. The flesh was brought in and dried, and the skins were also stretched for covering our baggage. We eat an immense amount of meat; it requires 4 deer, an elk and a deer, or one buffalo, to supply us plentifully for 24 hours. Meat now forms our food principally, as we are saving our flour, parched meal, and corn as much as possible for the Rocky Mountains, which we are shortly to enter, and where, from the Indian account, game is not very abundant. I preserved specimens of several small plants today which I had never seen before.
The mosquitoes and gnats are more troublesome here, if possible, than they were at the White Bear Islands. I sent a man to the canoes for my mosquito bar, which I had neglected to bring with me, as it is impossible to sleep a moment without being defended against the attacks of these most tormenting of all insects. The man returned with it a little after dark.
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.
