Missouri River above Great Falls, Gates of the Mountains — Patrick Gass: July 16, 1805
Captain Lewis and two men went ahead toward the mountain to take an observation. The party passed a dry 60-yard-wide riverbed on the south side and traveled through fine water until early afternoon, when the current grew more rapid near the mountain, though less swift than below the falls. They passed several small islands. One man fell ill. In the afternoon they pushed about three miles into the first range of the Rocky Mountains, camping on a sandy north-side beach after covering roughly 20 miles.
Captain Lewis and two men went on ahead to the mountain
to take an observation. We passed the channel of a river on
the south side without water, about 60 yards wide. We had
fine water until about 1 o’clock, when we came within about
two miles of the mountain; when the water became more
rapid: but the current not so swift as below the falls. At
this place there are a number of small islands. One of our
men has been taken unwell. In the afternoon we continued
our voyage, and the water continued very rapid. We got
about three miles into the first range of the Rocky mountains,
and encamped on the north side of the river on the sand
112 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
beach. There is some fine timber on the mountains, but not
much in this part. There are great hills of solid rock of a
dark colour. This day we went about 20 miles.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Captain Lewis (Capt. Lewis) and two men went on ahead to the mountain to take an observation. We passed the channel of a river on the south side without water, about 60 yards wide. We had fine water until about 1 o'clock, when we came within about two miles of the mountain; when the water became more rapid, but the current not so swift as below the falls. At this place there are a number of small islands. One of our men has been taken unwell.
In the afternoon we continued our voyage, and the water continued very rapid. We got about three miles into the first range of the Rocky Mountains, and camped on the north side of the river on the sand beach. There is some fine timber on the mountains, but not much in this part. There are great hills of solid rock of a dark color. This day we went about 20 miles.
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