August 31, 1806
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

August 31, 1806

 

all wet and disagreeable this morning.    at half past 11 〈P. M.〉 last night the wind Shifted about to the N. W. and it began to rain with hard Claps of thunder and lightning the Clouds passd over and the wind Shifted about to the S W. & blew with great violence So much So that all hands were obliged to hold the Canoes & Perogue to prevent their being blown off from the Sand bar, however a Suden Squal of wind broke the cables of the two Small canoes and with Some dificuelty they were got to Shore Soon after the 2 Canoes in which Sergt. Pryor and the indians go in broke loose with wiser and Willard in them and were blown quite across the river to the N E. Shore where fortunately they arived Safe, I Sent Sergt. Jo Ordway with a Small perogue and 6 men to prosue the 2 Canoes and assist them in effecting a landing, those 2 Canoes being tied together 2 men could not manage them, the wind Slackened a little and by 2 A. M. Sergt Ordway with Willard wiser and the 2 Canoes returned all Safe, the wind continud to blow and it rained untill day light all wet and disagreeable.    all the party examind their arms and put them in order and we Set out and proceeded on down. Saw Several Indians on the hills untill we passed the Island of Cedar [1] 9 A. M the morning Cloudy and wind down the the river at 4 P. M. passed the doome [2] and lowest village of Barking Squirels.    this is also the highest up the river where I observed the fox Squirel [3] in the bottom above the doome on N. E Side I killed 2 fox Squirels.    we Saw no game of any kind to day as the banks as usial.    the Sun Shone with a number of flying Clouds.    we encamped on he N. E. Side [4] a little below our Encampment of the 5th of Septr. on no preserve Island haveing Come 70 Miles.

 

Sunday 31st August 1806.    we had hard Showers of rain all last night and verry high winds caused one of our canoes broke loose and I took another canoe and to take it back and with Some difficulty goot it back to Camp [5]    a verry disagreeable night.    we Set out this morning as usal and roed on hard all this day without makeing any halt to cook. Musquetoes where we Camped on N. Side—

 

Sunday 31st.    There was a cloudy morning, after a disagreeable night of wind and hard rain. We set out early; went on very well all day, and in the evening encamped, where we found the Musketoes very troublesome.

1. The later Little Cedar Island between Gregory and Charles Mix counties, South Dakota, which the party first passed on September 10, 1804. Atlas maps 7, 20; MRC map 34; MRY maps 31, 32. (back)
2. Clark means "dome." First noted on September 7, 1804, and then called a cupola, it was identified as the "Tower" in Boyd County, Nebraska; it is now called Old Baldy. It is the Steeple on Atlas map 19; the village of "barking squirrels" (prairie dogs) is shown just above it. MRC map 33. (back)
3. For squirrel, Sciurus niger. Burroughs, 96. (back)
4. The party camped in Charles Mix County, as Clark notes a little below their camp of September 5, 1804, which was on "no preserve Island," nameless on Atlas map 19. They were near the mouth of Chouteau Creek, "Goat Creek" on the Atlas map. MRC map 32. (back)
5. Clark adds some detail to this event. (back)