Lewis: July 22, 1805
Traveling up the Missouri through a maze of islands, Lewis walked ashore to chart the channels by sight. On one fertile island he gathered wild onions, naming it Onion Island. He shot an otter and dove into clear water to retrieve it. The day was hot, with the thermometer reaching 80°F. Sacagawea recognized the country and confirmed the Three Forks were near, lifting the party's spirits. They named White Earth Creek and reunited with Clark's group in the evening. Despite blistered feet, Clark insisted on continuing his overland scout the next morning. Mosquitoes and gnats troubled the camp.
Monday July 22cd 1805. We set out early as usual. The river being divided
into such a number of channels by both large and small Island that I found
it impossible to lay it down correctly following one channel only in a
canoe and therefore walked on shore took the general courses of the river
and from the rising grounds took a view of the Islands and it’s different
channels which I laid don in conformity thereto on my chart. there being
but little timber to obstruct my view I could see it’s various meanders
very satisfactorily. I passed though a large Island which I found a
beautifull level and fertile plain about 10 feet above the surface of the
water and never overflown. on this Island I met with great quantities of a
smal onion about the size of a musquit ball and some even larger; they
were white crisp and well flavored I geathered about half a bushel of them
before the canoes arrived. I halted the party for breakfast and the men
also geathered considerable quantities of those onions. it’s seed had just
arrived to maturity and I gathered a good quantity of it. This appears to
be a valuable plant inasmuch as it produces a large quantity to the squar
foot and bears with ease the rigor of this climate, and withall I think it
as pleasantly flavored as any species of that root I ever tasted. I called
this beatifull and fertile island after this plant Onion Island. here I
passed over to the stard. shore where the country was higher and ascended
the river to the entrance of a large creek which discharges itself into
the Missouri on the Stard. side. it is composed of three pretty
considerable creeks which unite in a beautifull and extensive vally a few
miles before it discharges itself into the river. while wateing for the
canoes to arrive I killed an otter which sunk to the bottom on being shot,
a circumstance unusual with that anamal. the water was about 8 feet deep
yet so clear that I could see it at the bottom; I swam in and obtained it
by diving. I halted the party here for dinner; the canoes had taken
different channels through these islands and it was sometime before they
all came up. I placed my thermometer in a good shade as was my custom
about 4 P.M. and after dinner set out without it and had proceeded near a
mile before I recollected it I sent Sergt. Ordway back for it, he found it
and brought it on. the murcury stood at 80 a. 0 this is the warmest day
except one which we have experienced this summer. The Indian woman
recognizes the country and assures us that this is the river on which her
relations live, and that the three forks are at no great distance. this
peice of information has cheered the sperits of the party who now begin to
console themselves with the anticipation of shortly seeing the head of the
missouri yet unknown to the civilized world. the large creek which we
passed on Stard. 15 yds. we call white Earth Creek from the circumstance
of the natives procuring a white paint on this crek.Saw many gees,
crams, and small birds common to the plains, also a few phesants and a
species of small curlooe or plover of a brown colour which I first met
with near the entrance of Smith’s river but they are so shy and watchfull
there is no possibility of geting a shoot at them it is a different kind
from any heretofore discribed and is about the size of the yellow leged
plover or jack Curlooe. both species of the willow that of the broad leaf
and narrow leaf still continue, the sweet willow is very scarce. the rose
bush, small honesuckle, the pulpy leafed thorn, southernwood, sage Box
alder narrow leafed cottonwood, red wod, a species of sumac are all found
in abundance as well as the red and black goosberries, service berries,
choke cherries and the currants of four distinct colours of black, yellow,
red and perple. the cherries are not yet ripe. the bear appear to feed
much on the currants. late this evening we arrived at Capt. Carks camp on
the stard. side of the river; we took them on board with the meat they had
collected and proceeded a short distance and encamped on an Island Capt.
Clark’s party had killed a deer and an Elk today and ourselves one deer
and an Antelope only. altho Capt C. was much fatiegued his feet yet
blistered and soar he insisted on pursuing his rout in the morning nor
weould he consent willingly to my releiving him at that time by taking a
tour of the same kind. finding him anxious I readily consented to remain
with the canoes; he ordered Frazier and Jo. & Reubin Filds to hold
themselves in readiness to accompany him in the morning. Sharbono was
anxious to accompany him and was accordingly permitted. the musquetoes and
knats more than usually troublesome to us this evening.-
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Monday, July 22nd, 1805. We set out early as usual. The river was divided into so many channels by both large and small islands that I found it impossible to map it correctly while following only one channel in a canoe. Therefore, I walked on shore, took the general courses of the river, and from the rising grounds took a view of the islands and their different channels, which I drew on my chart accordingly. Since there was little timber to obstruct my view, I could see its various meanders very satisfactorily. I passed through a large island which I found to be a beautiful, level, and fertile plain about 10 feet above the surface of the water and never overflowed. On this island I encountered great quantities of a small onion about the size of a musket ball, with some even larger; they were white, crisp, and well flavored. I gathered about half a bushel of them before the canoes arrived. I halted the party for breakfast, and the men also gathered considerable quantities of those onions. The seed had just reached maturity, and I gathered a good quantity of it. This appears to be a valuable plant, since it produces a large quantity per square foot and easily endures the harshness of this climate. Furthermore, I think it as pleasantly flavored as any species of that root I have ever tasted. I named this beautiful and fertile island after this plant: Onion Island. Here I crossed over to the starboard shore, where the country was higher, and ascended the river to the entrance of a large creek which discharges into the Missouri on the starboard side. It is made up of three fairly large creeks which unite in a beautiful and extensive valley a few miles before flowing into the river.
While waiting for the canoes to arrive, I killed an otter, which sank to the bottom when shot—an unusual circumstance for that animal. The water was about 8 feet deep, yet so clear that I could see the otter at the bottom; I swam in and retrieved it by diving. I halted the party here for dinner. The canoes had taken different channels through these islands, and it was some time before they all came up. About 4 P.M. I placed my thermometer in a good shade, as was my custom, and after dinner set out without it. I had gone nearly a mile before I remembered it, so I sent Sergeant Ordway back for it; he found it and brought it on. The mercury stood at 80 above 0. This is the warmest day, except for one, that we have experienced this summer.
The Indian woman recognizes the country and assures us that this is the river on which her relatives live, and that the three forks are not far away. This piece of information has cheered the spirits of the party, who now begin to console themselves with the anticipation of soon seeing the headwaters of the Missouri, still unknown to the civilized world. The large creek which we passed on the starboard side, 15 yards wide, we call White Earth Creek, because of the white paint the natives obtain along this creek.
We saw many geese, cranes, and small birds common to the plains, as well as a few pheasants and a species of small curlew or plover of a brown color, which I first encountered near the entrance of Smith's River. They are so shy and watchful that there is no possibility of getting a shot at them. It is a different kind from any previously described, and is about the size of the yellow-legged plover or jack curlew. Both species of the willow—the broad leaf and the narrow leaf—still continue, but the sweet willow is very scarce. The rose bush, small honeysuckle, the pulpy-leafed thorn, southernwood, sage, box elder, narrow-leafed cottonwood, redwood, and a species of sumac are all found in abundance, as well as the red and black gooseberries, serviceberries, chokecherries, and currants of four distinct colors—black, yellow, red, and purple. The cherries are not yet ripe. The bears seem to feed much on the currants.
Late this evening we arrived at Capt. Clark's (Capt. Carks) camp on the starboard side of the river. We took them on board with the meat they had collected, proceeded a short distance, and camped on an island. Capt. Clark's party had killed a deer and an elk today, and we ourselves had killed only one deer and an antelope. Although Capt. C. was very fatigued and his feet were still blistered and sore, he insisted on continuing his route in the morning, nor would he willingly consent to my relieving him at that time by taking a similar tour. Finding him anxious, I readily agreed to remain with the canoes. He ordered Frazier, Joseph, and Reubin Field to be ready to accompany him in the morning. Charbonneau (Sharbono) was eager to go along and was accordingly permitted. The mosquitoes and gnats were more than usually troublesome to us this evening.
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