Jefferson/Beaverhead River near present-day Dillon — Patrick Gass: August 9, 1805

with some dew; proceeded on till g o’clock when we halted
for breakfast. Here one of the hunters came to us who had
been out since the morning the canoes went up the north
branch by mistake, and who had that morning preceded them
by land. Here also Captain Lewis and three men started to
go on ahead; and at 10 we proceeded on with the canoes.
The river is narrow and very crooked, and the valley contin-
ues about the same breadth. There is some timber on the
mountain on the south side, and white earth or rocks appear-
ing through the pines. At noon we halted for dinner, and
hauled out one of the canoes, which had sprung a leak and
caulked her.
This morning our commanding officers thought proper
that the Missouri should lose its name at the confluence of the
three branches we had left on the 30th ultimo. The north
branch, which we went up, they called JEFFERSON ; the west or
middle branch, MADISON; the south branch, about 2 miles up
which a beautiful spring comes in, GALLATIN! and a small
122 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
river above the forks they called Philosophy. Of the 3
branches we had just left, they called the north Wisdom, the
south Philanthropy, and the west or middle fork, which we
continued our voyage along, retained the name of JEFFERSON.
We went 14 miles and encamped on the south side. Our two
hunters killed but one goat.
LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION © 123
CHAP. XI.
ae 10th. We set out early in a fine morning, and
proceeded on through the valley, until breakfast time,
when we came to a place where the river passes through a
mountain. This narrow passage is not more than a quarter
of a mile in length. At the upper end another valley com-
mences, but not so wide as the one below. There is no tim-
ber in the lower end of this valley; and the river very crooked,
narrow, and in some places so shallow, that we were obliged to
get into the water and drag the canoes along. At 1 o’clock
we halted to dine, when a shower of rain came on with thun-
der and lightning and continued an hour, during which some
hail fell. Two hunters were out to-day and killed but one
deer. We came 13 miles and encamped on the North side.
Here the valley begins to be more extensive.