Lewis: June 7, 1805
Cold rain and a hard northeast wind made for a miserable march down the river. The clay bluffs were dangerously slippery, and Lewis nearly fell ninety feet into the river, saving himself with his espontoon. Moments later, Private Windsor slipped at the same narrow pass and clung to the edge until Lewis calmly talked him through cutting a foothold and crawling to safety. Other men waded the breast-deep river to avoid the bluffs. After 18 grueling miles and six deer killed, the party sheltered in an old Indian stick lodge.
Friday June 7th 1805. It continued to rain almost without intermission
last night and as I expected we had a most disagreable and wrestless
night. our camp possessing no allurements, we left our watery beads at an
early hour and continued our rout down the river. it still continues to
rain the wind hard from N. E. and could. the grownd remarkably slipry,
insomuch that we were unable to walk on the sides of the bluffs where we
had passed as we ascended the river. notwithstanding the rain that has now
fallen the earth of these bluffs is not wet to a greater debth than 2
inches; in it’s present state it is precisely like walking over frozan
grownd which is thawed to small debth and slips equally as bad. this clay
not only appears to require more water to saturate it as I before observed
than any earth I ever observed but when saturated it appears on the other
hand to yeald it’s moisture with equal difficulty. In passing along the
face of one of these bluffs today I sliped at a narrow pass of about 30
yards in length and but for a quick and fortunate recovery by means of my
espontoon I should been precipitated into the river down a craggy
pricipice of about ninety feet. I had scarcely reached a place on which I
could stand with tolerable safety even with the assistance of my espontoon
before I heard a voice behind me cry out god god Capt. what shall I do on
turning about I found it was Windsor who had sliped and fallen abut the
center of this narrow pass and was lying prostrate on his belley, with his
wright hand arm and leg over the precipice while he was holding on with
the left arm and foot as well as he could which appeared to be with much
difficulty. I discovered his danger and the trepedation which he was in
gave me still further concern for I expected every instant to see him
loose his strength and slip off; altho much allarmed at his situation I
disguised my feelings and spoke very calmly to him and assured him that he
was in no kind of danger, to take the knife out of his belt behind him
with his wright hand and dig a hole with it in the face of the bank to
receive his wright foot which he did and then raised himself to his knees;
I then directed him to take off his mockersons and to come forward on his
hands and knees holding the knife in one hand and the gun in the other
this he happily effected and escaped. those who were some little distance
bhind returned by my orders and waded the river at the foot of the bluff
where the water was breast deep. it was useless we knew to attempt the
plains on this part of the river in consequence of the numerous steep
ravines which intersected and which were quite as had as the river bluffs.
we therefore continued our rout down the river sometimes in the mud and
water of the bottom lands, at others in the river to our breasts and when
the water became so deep that we could not wade we cut footsteps in the
face of the steep bluffs with our knives and proceded. we continued our
disagreeable march through the rain mud and water untill late in the
evening having traveled only about 18 miles, and encamped in an old Indian
stick lodge which afforded us a dry and comfortable shelter. during the
day we had killed six deer some of them in very good order altho none of
them had yet entirely discarded their winter coats. we had reserved and
brought with us a good supply of the best peices; we roasted and eat a
hearty supper of our venison not having taisted a mosel before during the
day; I now laid myself down on some willow boughs to a comfortable nights
rest, and felt indeed as if I was fully repaid for the toil and pain of
the day, so much will a good shelter, a dry bed, and comfortable supper
revive the sperits of the waryed, wet and hungry traveler.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Friday June 7th 1805. It continued to rain almost without intermission last night, and as I expected, we had a most disagreeable and restless night. Our camp possessing no attractions, we left our watery beds at an early hour and continued our route down the river. It still continues to rain, the wind hard from N. E. and cold. The ground is remarkably slippery, so much so that we were unable to walk on the sides of the bluffs where we had passed as we ascended the river. Notwithstanding the rain that has now fallen, the earth of these bluffs is not wet to a greater depth than 2 inches; in its present state it is precisely like walking over frozen ground which is thawed to a small depth and slips equally as badly. This clay not only appears to require more water to saturate it, as I before observed, than any earth I ever observed, but when saturated it appears on the other hand to yield its moisture with equal difficulty.
In passing along the face of one of these bluffs today, I slipped at a narrow pass of about 30 yards in length, and but for a quick and fortunate recovery by means of my espontoon, I should have been thrown into the river down a craggy precipice of about ninety feet. I had scarcely reached a place on which I could stand with tolerable safety, even with the assistance of my espontoon, before I heard a voice behind me cry out, "God, God, Captain, what shall I do!" On turning about, I found it was Windsor, who had slipped and fallen about the center of this narrow pass and was lying prostrate on his belly, with his right arm and leg over the precipice, while he was holding on with the left arm and foot as well as he could, which appeared to be with much difficulty. I discovered his danger, and the trepidation which he was in gave me still further concern, for I expected every instant to see him lose his strength and slip off. Although much alarmed at his situation, I disguised my feelings and spoke very calmly to him, and assured him that he was in no kind of danger; to take the knife out of his belt behind him with his right hand and dig a hole with it in the face of the bank to receive his right foot, which he did, and then raised himself to his knees. I then directed him to take off his moccasins and to come forward on his hands and knees, holding the knife in one hand and the gun in the other. This he happily accomplished and escaped. Those who were some little distance behind returned by my orders and waded the river at the foot of the bluff, where the water was breast deep.
It was useless, we knew, to attempt the plains on this part of the river, in consequence of the numerous steep ravines which intersected it and which were quite as bad as the river bluffs. We therefore continued our route down the river, sometimes in the mud and water of the bottom lands, at other times in the river to our breasts, and when the water became so deep that we could not wade, we cut footsteps in the face of the steep bluffs with our knives and proceeded. We continued our disagreeable march through the rain, mud, and water until late in the evening, having traveled only about 18 miles, and camped in an old Indian stick lodge, which afforded us a dry and comfortable shelter. During the day we had killed six deer, some of them in very good condition, although none of them had yet entirely shed their winter coats. We had reserved and brought with us a good supply of the best pieces; we roasted and ate a hearty supper of our venison, not having tasted a morsel before during the day. I now laid myself down on some willow boughs for a comfortable night's rest, and felt indeed as if I was fully repaid for the toil and pain of the day. So much will a good shelter, a dry bed, and a comfortable supper revive the spirits of the wearied, wet, and hungry traveler.
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