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The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates July 22, 1805 - July 26, 1805
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: July 22, 1805 - July 26, 1805
July 22,
1805
Monday, 22. We set out at an early hour. The river being
divided into so many channels by both large and small
islands, that it was impossible to lay it down accurately
by following in a canoe any single channel, Captain
Lewis walked on shore, took the general courses of the
river, and from the rising grounds laid down the situation
of the islands and channels, which he was enabled to
do with perfect accuracy, the view not being obstructed
by much timber. At one mile and a quarter we passed
an island somewhat larger than the rest, and four miles
further reached the upper end of another, on which we
breakfasted. This is a large island forming in the middle
of a bend to the north a level fertile plain ten feet
above the surface of the water and never overflowed.
Here we found great quantities of a small onion about
the size of a musket ball, though some were larger;
it is white, crisp, and as well flavored as any of our
garden onions; the seed is just ripening, and as the
plant bears a large quantity to the square foot, and
stands the rigors of the climate, it will no doubt be
an acquisition to settlers. From this production we
called it Onion island.
During the next seven
and three quarter miles we passed several long circular
bends, and a number of large and small islands which
divide the river into many channels, and then reached
the mouth of a creek on the north side. It is composed
of three creeks which unite in a handsome valley about
four miles before they discharge themselves into the
Missouri, where it is about fifteen feet wide and eight
feet deep, with clear transparent water. Here we halted
for dinner, but as the canoes took different channels
in ascending it was some time before they all joined.
Here we were delighted to find that the Indian woman
recognizes the country; she tells us that to this creek
her countrymen make excursions to procure a white paint
on its banks, and we therefore call it Whiteearth creek.
She says also that the three forks of the Missouri are
at no great distance, a piece of intelligence which
has cheered the spirits of us all, as we hope soon to
reach the head of that river. This is the warmest day
except one we have experienced this summer. In the shade
the mercury stood at 80° above 0, which is the second
time it has reached that height during this season.
We encamped on an island after making nineteen and three
quarter miles.
In the course of the day we saw many geese, cranes,
small birds common to the plains, and a few pheasants:
we also observed a small plover or curlew of a brown
color, about the size of the yellow-legged plover or
jack curlew, but of a different species. It first appeared
near the mouth of Smith's river, but is so shy and vigilant
that we were unable to shoot it. Both the broad and
narrow-leafed willow continue, though the sweet willow
has become very scarce. The rosebush, small honeysuckle,
the pulpy-leafed thorn, southern wood, sage and box-alder,
narrow-leafed cottonwood, redwood, and a species of
sumach, are all abundant. So too are the red and black
gooseberries, serviceberries, chokecherry, and the black,
red, yellow, and purple currant, which last seems to
be a favorite food of the bear. Before encamping we
landed and took on board captain Clarke with the meat
he had collected during this day's hunt, which consisted
of one deer and an elk: we had ourselves shot a deer
and an antelope. The mosquitoes and gnats were unusually
fierce this evening.
July
23, 1805
Tuesday, 23.
Captain Clarke again proceeded with four men along the
right bank. During the whole day the river divided by
a number of islands, which spread it out sometimes to
the distance of three miles: the current is very rapid
and has many ripples; and the bed formed of gravel and
smooth stones. The banks along the low grounds are of
a rich loam, followed occasionally by low bluffs of
yellow and red clay, with a hard red slatestone intermixed.
The low grounds are wide, and have very little timber
but a thick underbrush of willow, and rose and currant
bushes: these are succeeded by high plains extending
on each side to the base of the mountains, which lie
parallel to the river about eight or twelve miles apart,
and are high and rocky, with some small pine and cedar
interspersed on them. At the distance of seven miles
a creek twenty yards wide, after meandering through
a beautiful low ground on the left for several miles
parallel to the river, empties itself near a cluster
of small islands: the stream we called Whitehouse creek
after Joseph Whitehouse one of the party, and the islands
from their number received the name of the "Ten islands."
About ten o'clock
we came up with Drewyer, who had gone out to hunt yesterday,
and not being able to find our encampment had staid
out all night: he now supplied us with five deer. Three
and a quarter miles beyond Whitehouse creek we came
to the lower point of an island where the river is three
hundred yards wide, and continued along it for one mile
and a quarter, and then passed a second island just
above it. We halted rather early for dinner in order
to dry some part of the baggage which had been wet in
the canoes: we then proceeded, and at five and a half
miles had passed two small islands. Within the next
three miles we came to a large island, which from its
figure we called Broad island. From that place we made
three and a half miles, and encamped on an island to
the left, opposite to a much larger one on the right.
Our journey to-day
was twenty-two and a quarter miles, the greater part
of which was made by means of our poles and cords, the
use of which the banks much favored. During the whole
time we had the small flags hoisted in the canoes to
apprise the Indians, if there were any in the neighborhood,
of our being white men and their friends; but we were
not so fortunate as to discover any of them. Along the
shores we saw great quantities of the common thistle,
and procured a further supply of wild onions and a species
of garlic growing on the highlands, which is now green
and in bloom: it has a flat leaf, and is strong, tough,
and disagreeable. There was also much of the wild flax,
of which we now obtained some ripe seed, as well as
some bullrush and cattail flag. Among the animals we
met with a black snake about two feet long, with the
belly as dark as any other part of the body, which was
perfectly black, and which had one hundred and twenty-eight
scuta on the belly and sixty-three on the tail: we also
saw antelopes, crane, geese, ducks, beaver, and otter;
and took up four deer which had been left on the water
side by captain Clarke. He had pursued all day an Indian
road on the right side of the river, and encamped late
in the evening at the distance of twenty-five miles
from our camp of last night. In the course of his walk
he met besides deer a number of antelopes and a herd
of elk, but all the tracks of Indians, though numerous,
were of an old date.
July
24, 1805
Wednesday,
24. We proceeded for four and a quarter miles along
several islands to a small run, just above which the
low bluffs touch the river. Within three and a half
miles further we came to a small island on the north,
and a remarkable bluff composed of earth of a crimson
color, intermixed with strata's of slate, either black
or of a red resembling brick. The following six and
three quarter miles brought us to an assemblage of islands,
having passed four at different distances; and within
the next five miles we met the same number of islands,
and encamped on the north after making nineteen and
a half miles. The current of the river was strong and
obstructed, as indeed it has been for some days by small
rapids or ripples which descend from one to three feet
in the course of one hundred and fifty yards, but they
are rarely incommoded by any fixed rocks, and therefore,
though the water is rapid, the passage is not attended
with danger.
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