Lewis: July 30, 1805

Tuesday, July 30th, 1805. Capt. Clark being much better this morning, and having completed my observations, we reloaded our canoes and set out, ascending Jefferson's River. Sharbono (Charbonneau), his wife, two invalids, and myself walked through the bottom on the larboard (left) side of the river about 4½ miles, when we again struck it at the place where the woman informed us she had been taken prisoner. Here we halted until Capt. Clark arrived, which was not until after one P.M., the current being strong and the river extremely crooked. We dined and again proceeded on. As the river now passed through the woods, the invalids got on board together with Sharbono and the Indian woman; I crossed the river and continued my walk on the starboard (right) side.

I saw a vast number of beaver in many large dams which they had made in various bayous of the river, which are distributed for a distance of three or four miles on this side of the river over an extensive bottom of timbered and meadow lands intermixed. In order to avoid these bayous and beaver dams, which I found difficult to pass, I directed my course to the high plain to the right, which I gained after some time with much difficulty, wading many beaver dams up to my waist in mud and water. I would willingly have joined the canoes, but the brush was so thick, the river crooked, and the bottoms intercepted in such a manner by the beaver dams, that I found it useless to attempt to find them, and therefore proceeded on up the river in order to intercept it where it came near the plain and would be more collected into one channel.

At length, about sunset, I arrived at the river only about six miles, by my calculation on a direct line, from the place I had left the canoes, but I thought they were still below me. I found the river was divided where I reached it by an island, and was therefore fearful that they might pass without my seeing them, and went down to the lower point of the large island. Here I discovered a small island, close under the shore on which I was. I passed the narrow channel to the small island and examined the gravelly bar along the edge of the river for the tracks of the men, knowing from the appearance of the river at this place that if they had passed they would have used the cord on the side where I was. I saw no tracks and was then fully convinced that they were below me. I fired my gun and hallooed but could hear nothing of them.

By this time it was getting nearly dark, and a duck lit on the shore within about 40 steps of me, and I killed it. Having now secured my supper, I looked out for a suitable place to amuse myself in combating the mosquitoes for the balance of the evening. I found a parcel of driftwood at the head of the little island on which I was, and immediately set it on fire and collected some willow brush to lie on. I cooked my duck, which I found very good, and after eating it lay down, and should have had a comfortable night's lodging but for the mosquitoes, which infested me all night.

Late at night I was awakened by the noise of some animal running over the stony bar on which I lay, but did not see it. From the weight with which it ran, I supposed it to be either an elk or a brown bear. The latter are very abundant in this neighborhood. The night was cool, but I felt very little inconvenience from it, as I had a large fire all night. Capt. Clark had proceeded on after I separated from him and camped on an island only about 2 miles below me, but did not hear the report of my gun nor of my hooping. I saw some deer and antelopes.