Journal Entry

Patrick Gass: September 7, 1804

September 7, 1804
Missouri River near present-day Chamberlain, SD area / White River confluence region Thwaites Vol. Gass 1807 First Edition
AI Summary

The expedition traveled past high prairie land with cottonwood on the low river bottoms. On the south side, they discovered a scaffold of neatly dried meat left by a member of their party who had gone hunting horses on August 26 and mistakenly traveled far upriver thinking the group was ahead. Captains Lewis and Clark explored a round knob in the prairie and killed a prairie dog. Later, the captains and most of the party went to a nearby prairie dog village and tried pouring water into the burrows, working until night but capturing only one animal.

high prairie land on both sides; but there is some cotton wood
on the low points in the bottom. On the south side we found
a scaffold of meat neatly dried. This had been left by one of
our men, who had gone out on the 26th of last month to hunt
the horses, and supposing we had got a distance ahead, pro-
ceeded up the river several days’ journey, before he discovered
his error. Captain Lewis and captain Clarke with some of
the men went to view a round knob of a hill in a prairie, and
on their return killed a prairie dog, in size about that of the
smallest species of domestic dogs.
Having understood that the village of those small dogs
was at a short distance from our camp, captain Lewis and
captain Clarke, with all the party, except the guard, went to
it; and took with them all the kettles and other vessels for
holding water; in order to drive the animals out of their holes
by pouring in water; but though they worked at the business
till night, they only caught one of them.

Read this entry in modern English AI-translated

There was high prairie land on both sides; but there is some cottonwood on the low points in the bottom. On the south side we found a scaffold of meat neatly dried. This had been left by one of our men, who had gone out on the 26th of last month to hunt the horses, and supposing we had gotten some distance ahead, proceeded up the river several days' journey before he discovered his error. Captain Lewis and Captain Clarke (Clark) with some of the men went to view a round knob of a hill in a prairie, and on their return killed a prairie dog, about the size of the smallest species of domestic dogs.

Having understood that the village of those small dogs was a short distance from our camp, Captain Lewis and Captain Clarke (Clark), with all the party except the guard, went to it; and took with them all the kettles and other vessels for holding water, in order to drive the animals out of their holes by pouring in water. But though they worked at the business till night, they only caught one of them.

This modernization is AI-generated for accessibility. The original above is the authoritative version.

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