Lewis: June 15, 1805
Lewis spent the day camped near the Great Falls while his men retrieved and dried meat from Drouillard's hunt. He fished, catching numerous trout, and Goodrich landed trout and yellow catfish similar to those on the Missouri. Waking from a nap, Lewis discovered a rattlesnake coiled ten feet away and killed it, noting its scale count. After dark, Joseph Fields arrived with news that Captain Clark had reached a rapid five miles below. Lewis concluded the portage would be easier on the river's south side and noted heavy dew from the falls' mist.
Saturday June 15th 1805. This morning the men again were sent to bring in
some more meat which Drewyer had killed yesterday, and continued the
opperation of drying it. I amused myself in fishing, and sleeping away the
fortiegues of yesterday. I caught a number of very fine trout which I made
Goodrich dry; goodrich also caught about two douzen and several small cat
of a yellow colour which would weigh about 4 lbs. the tails was seperated
with a deep angular nitch like that of the white cat of the missouri from
which indeed they differed only in colour. when I awoke from my sleep
today I found a large rattlesnake coiled on the leaning trunk of a tree
under the shade of which I had been lying at the distance of about ten
feet from him. I killed the snake and found that he had 176 scuta on the
abdomen and i’7 half formed scuta on the tale; it was of the same kinde
which I had frequently seen before; they do not differ in their colours
from the rattle snake common to the middle attlantic states, but
considerably in the form and figures of those colours. This evening after
dark Joseph Fields returned and informed me that Capt Clark had arrived
with the party at the foot of a rappid about 5 miles below which he did
not think proper to ascend and would wait my arrival there. I had
discovered from my journey yesterday that a portage on this side of the
river will be attended by much difficulty in consequence of several deep
ravines which intersect the plains nearly at right angles with the river
to a considerable distance, while the South side appears to be a
delighfull smoth unbroken plain; the bearings of the river also make it
pobable that the portage will be shorter on that side than on this.I
directed Fields to return early in the morning to Capt. C. and request him
to send up a party of men for the dryed meat which we had made. I finde a
very heavy due on the grass about my camp every morning which no doubt
procedes from the mist of the falls, as it takes place no where in the
plains nor on the river except here.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Saturday, June 15th, 1805. This morning the men were again sent to bring in some more meat that Drewyer had killed yesterday, and they continued the operation of drying it. I amused myself by fishing and sleeping off the fatigue of yesterday. I caught a number of very fine trout, which I had Goodrich dry; Goodrich also caught about two dozen, and several small catfish of a yellow color which would weigh about 4 pounds. Their tails were separated with a deep angular notch like that of the white catfish of the Missouri, from which indeed they differed only in color.
When I awoke from my sleep today, I found a large rattlesnake coiled on the leaning trunk of a tree under the shade of which I had been lying, at a distance of about ten feet from him. I killed the snake and found that he had 176 scuta on the abdomen and 17 half-formed scuta on the tail. It was of the same kind I had frequently seen before; they do not differ in their colors from the rattlesnake common to the middle Atlantic states, but considerably in the form and figures of those colors.
This evening after dark, Joseph Fields returned and informed me that Capt Clark (Capt. Clark) had arrived with the party at the foot of a rapid about 5 miles below, which he did not think proper to ascend, and would wait for my arrival there. I had discovered from my journey yesterday that a portage on this side of the river would be attended with much difficulty, due to several deep ravines that intersect the plains nearly at right angles with the river for a considerable distance, while the south side appears to be a delightful, smooth, unbroken plain. The bearings of the river also make it probable that the portage will be shorter on that side than on this. I directed Fields to return early in the morning to Capt. C. and request him to send up a party of men for the dried meat we had made.
I find a very heavy dew on the grass around my camp every morning, which no doubt proceeds from the mist of the falls, as it takes place nowhere else in the plains nor on the river except here.
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