Lewis: June 25, 1805
Lewis sent parties in multiple directions: men back to the lower camp, Frazier to retrieve Drouillard and meat, Joseph Fields to hunt elk, and Gass and Shields to gather bark and timber from a large island. Fields had a close call with a white bear, injuring himself escaping. Drouillard and Frazier returned with 800 pounds of dried meat and 100 pounds of tallow. Lewis described the wide river, level bottoms, wild rye, mint, and blackbirds. Captain Clark was unwell. Men at the lower camp danced to Cruzatte's violin, and winds were strong enough to sail canoes overland on truck wheels.
Tuesday June 25th 1805. This morning early I sent the party back to the
lower camp; dispatched Frazier down with the canoe for Drewyer and the
meat he had collected, and Joseph Fields up the Missouri to hunt Elk. at
eight OCIk. sent Gass and Sheilds over to the large Island for bark and
timber. about noon Fields returned and informed me that he had seen two
white bear near the river a few miles above and in attempting to get a
shoot them had stumbled uppon a third which immediately made at him being
only a few steps distant; that in runing in order to escape from the bear
he had leaped down a steep bank of the river on a stony bar where he fell
cut his hand bruised his knees and bent his gun. that fortunately for him
the bank hid him from the bear when he fell and that by that means he had
escaped. this man has been truly unfortunate with these bear, this is the
second time that he has narrowly escaped from them. about 2 P. M Shields
and Gass returned with but a small quantity of both bark and timber and
informed me that it was all they could find on the Island; they had killed
two Elk the skins of which and a part of the flesh they brought with them.
in the evening Drewyer and Frazier arrivd with about 800 lbs. of excellent
dryed meat and about 100 lbs of tallow. The river is about 800 yds. wide
opposite to us above these islands, and has a very gentle current the
bottoms are hadsome level and extensive on both sides; the bank on this
side is not more than 2 feet above the level of the water; it is a pretty
little grove in which our camp is situated. there is a species of wild rye
which is now heading it rises to the hight of 18 or 20 inches, the beard
is remarkably fine and soft it is a very handsome grass the culm is
jointed and is in every rispect the wild rye in minuture. great quantities
of mint also are here it resemble the pepper mint very much in taste and
appearance. the young blackbirds which are almost innumerable in these
islands just begin to fly. see a number of water tarripens. I have made an
unsuccessfull attempt to catch fish, and do not think there are any in
this part of the river. The party that returned this evening to the lower
camp reached it in time to take one canoe on the plain and prepare their
baggage for an early start in the morning after which such as were able to
shake a foot amused themselves in dancing on the green to the music of the
violin which Cruzatte plays extreemly well.
Capt. C. somewhat unwell today. he made Charbono kook for the party
against their return. it is worthy of remark that the winds are sometimes
so strong in these plains that the men informed me that they hoisted a
sail in the canoe and it had driven her along on the truck wheels. this is
really sailing on dry land.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Tuesday June 25th 1805. Early this morning I sent the party back to the lower camp; I dispatched Frazier down with the canoe for Drewyer (Drouillard) and the meat he had collected, and Joseph Fields up the Missouri to hunt elk. At eight o'clock I sent Gass and Shields over to the large island for bark and timber. About noon Fields returned and informed me that he had seen two white bears near the river a few miles above, and in attempting to get a shot at them he had stumbled upon a third, which immediately came at him, being only a few steps away. While running to escape from the bear, he had leaped down a steep bank of the river onto a stony bar, where he fell, cut his hand, bruised his knees, and bent his gun. Fortunately for him, the bank hid him from the bear when he fell, and by that means he had escaped. This man has been truly unfortunate with these bears; this is the second time he has narrowly escaped from them. About 2 P.M. Shields and Gass returned with only a small quantity of both bark and timber, and informed me that it was all they could find on the island. They had killed two elk, the skins of which, along with part of the flesh, they brought with them. In the evening Drewyer and Frazier arrived with about 800 lbs. of excellent dried meat and about 100 lbs. of tallow.
The river is about 800 yards wide opposite us above these islands, and has a very gentle current. The bottoms are handsome, level, and extensive on both sides; the bank on this side is not more than 2 feet above the level of the water. It is a pretty little grove in which our camp is situated. There is a species of wild rye which is now heading; it rises to a height of 18 or 20 inches. The beard is remarkably fine and soft, and it is a very handsome grass. The culm is jointed, and it is in every respect the wild rye in miniature. Great quantities of mint are also here; it resembles peppermint very much in taste and appearance. The young blackbirds, which are almost innumerable on these islands, are just beginning to fly. I see a number of water terrapins. I have made an unsuccessful attempt to catch fish, and do not think there are any in this part of the river.
The party that returned this evening to the lower camp reached it in time to take one canoe onto the plain and prepare their baggage for an early start in the morning, after which those who were able to shake a foot amused themselves by dancing on the green to the music of the violin, which Cruzatte plays extremely well.
Capt. C. (Capt. Clark) is somewhat unwell today. He had Charbono (Charbonneau) cook for the party against their return. It is worthy of remark that the winds are sometimes so strong in these plains that the men informed me they hoisted a sail in the canoe and it drove her along on the truck wheels. This is really sailing on dry land.
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