Lewis: to Great Falls / Clark: to Three Forks — Patrick Gass: July 8, 1806
After a frosty start, the party set out early heading north, spotting deer, antelope, and wolves on the plains. About three and a half miles in, they crossed Torrent Creek, a tributary of the Medicine River, then left the trail to cut across the plains. After roughly fifteen miles they reached the Medicine River near its forks, where they halted for dinner and a hunter killed a deer and an antelope. They continued nine more miles downriver, covering twenty-eight miles total before camping, where mosquitoes proved very troublesome.
frost. We started early and proceeded on nearly north; saw
several deer, cabre and wolves in the plains, and after going
three miles and an half passed Torrent creek, a large creek
that runs into Medicine river. Shortly after we passed this
17
258 GASS’S JOURNAL OF THE
creek we went off the path or trail, travelled straight across
the plains, and in about fifteen miles struck Medicine river,
close above the forks where we halted for dinner; and one
of our hunters killed a deer and a cabre. In the afternoon
we proceeded down Medicine river nine miles; and having
come in the whole to-day twenty-eight miles encamped for
the night; and found the musquitoes very troublesome.
WV ednesday 9th. A cloudy morning. We set out early to
go down the river; but had not proceeded far until it began
to rain, and we halted at some old Indian lodges, where we
took shelter. In an hour’s time the rain slackened, and we
proceeded on; but had not gone far before it began to rain
again, and the weather was very cold for the season. At noon
we came up with our hunters, who had killed a large buffaloe;
so we halted and some of us went and dressed it, and brought
in the best of the meat which was very good. We encamped
here and lay by during the afternoon as the rain continued
during the whole of it.
Read this entry in modern English AI-translated
Frost. We started early and continued on nearly north; we saw several deer, cabre (antelope) and wolves on the plains, and after going three and a half miles passed Torrent Creek, a large creek that runs into Medicine River. Shortly after we passed this creek we went off the path or trail, traveled straight across the plains, and in about fifteen miles struck Medicine River, just above the forks, where we halted for dinner; and one of our hunters killed a deer and a cabre (antelope). In the afternoon we proceeded down Medicine River nine miles; and having come in all today twenty-eight miles, we camped for the night, and found the mosquitoes very troublesome.
Wednesday 9th. A cloudy morning. We set out early to go down the river; but had not proceeded far before it began to rain, and we halted at some old Indian lodges, where we took shelter. In an hour's time the rain slackened, and we proceeded on; but had not gone far before it began to rain again, and the weather was very cold for the season. At noon we came up with our hunters, who had killed a large buffalo; so we halted and some of us went and dressed it, and brought in the best of the meat, which was very good. We camped here and lay by during the afternoon, as the rain continued throughout it.
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