Lewis: July 8, 1806
Lewis's party set out at 6 AM and traveled northwest, crossing Dearborn's River and sighting the conical Shishequaw Mountain standing in advance of the Rocky Mountains' eastern range. They continued north across open plains to Shishequaw Creek, then left the established road to head for Medicine River, intending to hunt for skins and meat to supply three non-hunters being left at the falls. Reuben Fields killed a buck and a goat, and the men spotted abundant deer, goats, wolves, and the first buffalo. They camped on a large island after Lewis killed an unusually white wolf.
July 8th 1806. Set out at 6 A.M.
N 25 W. 31/2 m. to the top of a hill from whence we saw the Shishequaw
mountain about 8 M. distant, immediately before us. passed Dearborne’s
river at 3 m. this stream comes form the S. W. out of the mountains which
are about 5 Ms. to our left. the bed of the river is about 100 yds. wide
tho the water occupys only about 30 yds. it appears to spread over it’s
bottoms at certain seasons of the year and runs a mear torrant tearing up
the trees by the roots which stand in it’s bottom the Shishiquaw mountain
is a high insulated conic mountain standing several miles in advance of
the Eastern range of the rocky mountains. Country broken and mountanous to
our wright.
North141/2 ms. through an open plain to Shishequaw Creek 20 yds.
wide bottoms and considerable gantity of timber it leaves the mountain to
the S E and enters the mountains. we struck it about 10 miles below the
mountain which boar S. 32 W. from us. the road continued along the foot of
the mountain to the West of north which not being anything like our course
and the country becoming tolerably level at the commencement of this
course we steered through the plains leaving the road with a view to
strike Medicine river and hunt down it to it’s mouth in order to procure
the necessary skins to make geer, and meat for the three men whom we mean
to leave at the falls as none of them are hunters. we halted and dined on
Shishequaw Creek R. Fields killed a fine buck and a goat; Josh. Fields saw
two buffaloe below us some distance which are the first that have been
seen. we saw a great number of deer goats and wolves as we passed through
the plains this morning but no Elk or buffaloe. saw some barking squirrils
much rejoiced at finding ourselves in the plains of the Missouri which
abound with game.
N. 50 E 2 m. to the discharge of Shishequaw Creek into the Medicine Rivers
through an extensive beautiful) and level bottom.
N. 85° E. 8 m. to our encampment of this evening on a large island the
bottoms continue level low and extensive plains level and not very
elivated partcularly on the N. E. side of the river. the land of neither
the plains nor bottoms is fertile. it is of a light colour intermixed with
a considerable proportion of gravel the grass generally about 9 inghes
high. the hunters were unsuccessful this evening. I killed a very large
and the whitest woolf I have seen-
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
July 8th, 1806. Set out at 6 A.M.
N 25 W. 3½ miles to the top of a hill, from where we saw the Shishequaw mountain about 8 miles distant, immediately before us. Passed Dearborne's (Dearborn's) river at 3 miles. This stream comes from the S.W. out of the mountains, which are about 5 miles to our left. The bed of the river is about 100 yards wide, though the water occupies only about 30 yards. It appears to spread over its bottoms at certain seasons of the year and runs a mere torrent, tearing up the trees by the roots that stand in its bottom. The Shishiquaw mountain is a high, isolated, conical mountain standing several miles in advance of the eastern range of the Rocky Mountains. Country broken and mountainous to our right.
North 14½ miles through an open plain to Shishequaw Creek, 20 yards wide, with bottoms and a considerable quantity of timber. It leaves the mountain to the S.E. and enters the mountains. We struck it about 10 miles below the mountain, which bore S. 32 W. from us. The road continued along the foot of the mountain to the west of north, which, not being anything like our course, and the country becoming tolerably level at the commencement of this course, we steered through the plains, leaving the road with a view to strike Medicine river and hunt down it to its mouth in order to procure the necessary skins to make gear, and meat for the three men whom we mean to leave at the falls, as none of them are hunters. We halted and dined on Shishequaw Creek. R. Fields killed a fine buck and a goat; Josh. Fields saw two buffalo below us some distance, which are the first that have been seen. We saw a great number of deer, goats, and wolves as we passed through the plains this morning, but no elk or buffalo. Saw some barking squirrels. Much rejoiced at finding ourselves in the plains of the Missouri, which abound with game.
N. 50 E. 2 miles to the discharge of Shishequaw Creek into the Medicine River, through an extensive, beautiful, and level bottom.
N. 85° E. 8 miles to our camp of this evening on a large island. The bottoms continue level, low, and extensive; the plains are level and not very elevated, particularly on the N.E. side of the river. The land of neither the plains nor bottoms is fertile. It is of a light color intermixed with a considerable proportion of gravel. The grass is generally about 9 inches high. The hunters were unsuccessful this evening. I killed a very large and the whitest wolf I have seen.
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