Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
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The wind blew so hard during the whole of this day, that we were unable to move. notwithstanding that we were sheltered by high timber from the effects of the wind, such was it's violence that it caused the waves to rise in such manner as to wet many articles in the small canoes before they could be unloaded. we sent out some hunters who killed 4 deer & 2 Elk, and caught some young wolves of the small kind.— Soar eyes is a common complaint among the party. I believe it origenates from the immence quantities of sand which is driven by the wind from the sandbars of the river in such clouds that you are unable to discover the opposite bank of the river in many instances. the particles of this sand are so fine and light that they are easily supported by the air, and are carried by the wind for many miles, and at a distance exhibiting every appearance of a collumn of thick smoke. so penitrating is this sand that we cannot keep any article free from it; in short we are compelled to eat, drink, and breath it very freely. [1] my pocket watch, is out of order, she will run only a few minutes without stoping. I can discover no radical defect in her works, and must therefore attribute it to the sand, with which, she seems plentifully charged, notwithstanding her cases are double and tight.
The wind rose last night and continued blowing from the N. & N W. and Sometimes with great violence, untill 7 oClock P. M, Several articles wet in the Perogues by their takeing water &c. as the wind was a head we could not move to day Sent out hunters, they killed 4 Deer 2 Elk & cought Some young wolves of the Small kind, The party complain much of the Sand in their eyes, the Sand is verry fine and rises in clouds from the Points and bars of the river, I may Say that dureing those winds we eat Drink & breeth a prepotion of Sand.
Wednesday 24th April 1805. Clear and cold. The wind high from the N. W. So that we had to delay here all this day. we dryed and aired Some of the loading which had got wet yesterday. Severall of the party went out a hunting. they killed Several buffaloe Elk deer &.c. one of them found Several young wolf papppies and brought them to camp. the wods got on fire.
Wednesday 24th. This was a clear day, but the wind blew so hard down the river we could not proceed. While we lay here some of the men went to see some water at a distance which appeared like a river or small lake. In the afternoon they returned, and had found it only the water of the Missouri, which had run up a bottom. One of the men caught six young wolves [2] and brought them in, and the other men killed some elk and deer.
Wednesday April 24th This day we had Clear weather; but the Wind still blowing from the North West (ahead Wind) that we lay by, at the place we encamped the last night. A party of our Men were sent out a hunting. They returned in the Evening, they had met with great succees, having kill'd a considerable number of Buffalo, Elk and Deer, one of the party brought in with him 6 Young Wolves, which he caught.— The Country where we encamped, is a Rich & level land, being priaries with some Wood land, lying on the back of them.— The growth of the Wood land being chiefly Cotton Wood, Walnut [3] & Wild Cherry.— all very large sized.—
Created by the Center for Digital Research in the Humanities
in partnership with the University of Nebraska Press
and funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities.