June 25, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

June 25, 1804

 

Monday June 25th    a heavy fog Detaind us about an hour    Set out passed the Isd on a course from the last point S 49° W, 3 Ms to a point on the S. S.    S 55° W ½ Me. S. S.   a Coal-Bank on the opposit or L. S Side, this bank appears to Contain great quantity of excellente Coal, [2] the wind from the N: W    a Small Creek Called Coal or (Chabonea) [3] N 50° W to the Pt, L. S. 3½ Miles    Hard water & logs, Bank falling in, Passed a Small Creek L. S. Called Labeenie [4] 〈Lat. 38 37' 5"〉    a Prarie is Situated on the S. S. a Short Distance from the river, which contains great quantities of wild apples of the Size of the Common apple, [5] the French Say is well flavered when ripe, which is the time the leaves begin to fall N 70° W ½ me. along the right Side of a Willow Isd. Situated on the L. Side S. 80° W ½ me. L. S.    S 55° W. ½ me. to Pt. of Smal Isd. L. S.    S 15° W ½ me. L. S.—    S. 2° E 2 me. pt on Lbd S. (here I will only remark that the Deer in the Morning & evening are feeding in great numbers on the banks of the River, they feed on young willow, and amuse themselves running on the open beeches or points[)]    We have hard water this afternoon round the heads of Small Islds. on the L. Side below a Small High Prarie S. 48° W. 2 Ms. pt. S. S.    passd. a small Isd. on which we Camped [6] The party on Shore did not join us to day, or have we Seen or her [heard] of them    river falling fast about 8 Inches in 24 hours, the Hills on the L. S. this evening higher than usial about 160 or 180 feet.    the lands appear of a Simalier to those passed

 

25th, June Monday    a thick fog detained us untile 8 oClock, passed a Island, at 3 miles passed a Coal-mine, or Bank of Stone Coal, on the South Side, this bank appears to Contain great quantity of fine Coal, the river being high prevented our Seeeing that contained in the Cliffs of the best quallity, a Small Creek mouth's 〈in〉 below This bank Call'd after the bank Chabonea [NB: Charbon] [7] Creek    the Wind from the N. W.    passed a Small Creek on the L. Side at 12 oClock, Called Bennet's Creek    The Praries Come within a Short distance of the river on each Side which Contains in addition to Plumbs [8] Raspberries & vast quantities of wild 〈crab〉 apples, 〈which is of a [blank] [9] and wild flowers〉    great numbs. of Deer are seen feeding on the young willows & earbage in the Banks 〈op〉 and on the Sand bars in the river.    our party on Shores did not join us this evening    we Camped on an Island Situated on the S. Side, opposit some hills higher than Common, Say 160 or 180 feet above the Bottom. The river is Still falling    last night it fell 8 Inches

Course & Distance June 25th
S. 49° W.   3 ms. to a pt on S. S.
S. 55 W      ½ me. on the S. S.    psd. a Coal Mine
N. 50° W   3 ½ ms. to Pt. on L. S.    psd. a Creek L S
N. 70° W      ½ me. on L. S. pass willow Isd.
S. 80° W      ½ me. on L. S.    ditto
S. 55° W      ½ me. on L. S.    ditto
S. 15° W      ½ me. on L. S.    ditto & round Pt.
S. 2° E   2 ms. to a pt. on S. S.
S, 48 W   2 ms. to a pt. on S. S.    psd. a Isd.
  13  
 

Monday June 25th 1804.    a foggy morning.    it Detained us about an hour.    we Set out, passed a Coal Bank on the North Side which appears to have Great quantity of Coal in it.    we passed a Small Creek Called Coal [10] or (Chaboned) on the Same Side.    we passed a Creek on the South Side called Labeenie . [11]    we Saw a great nomber of Deer feeding on the Sand Beachs    they feed on young willow [12] & are verry numerious.    we passed Some handsom high praries on the South Side of the River.    passed Some high hills on the South Side. Some rocks, &.C. Signs of Springs on the N. Side of Sd. hills. R. Fields killed a Deer.    we Came 11½ Miles & Camped on an 〈the〉 Isd. lower point of an Island Near the North side of the River. Capt Lewis killed a Rabit. [13]    R. Fields kille a Deer this evening.    our flanking party did not git to us this evening,

 

Monday June 25th    we Set out at 8 oclock after the Fogue was Gon, [WC:    pass a Coal mine on the South Side above a Small Island, a Small Creek below which takes its name from the bank of Coal, and large Creek at about one Mile higher up the River on the Same Side Called (un batteur La benne River)]    [X: passed several small Islands on the South Side. Some hard water, & camped on a small Island near the North Side    Capt Lewis killed a Rabit, R. Fields a Deer this eving    our Flanking party did not join us this evening    (my hand is painfull)]

 

Monday 25th.    The morning was foggy and at seven o'clock we pursued our voyage. The river here is narrow with high land on the south side. We passed a creek on the south side called Labenile, [14] and encamped on an island.

 

Monday 25    Got on our way at hard Scrable Perarie    passd two Creeks the One Calld. la beane [15] and the other Rowling Creek— [16]    S. W. S[ide]    a litle above the latter two wolves appeard On Shore    A man from on board of the white Peiroug went ashore Shot One of them    On the E side is high land and well timberd    the hills puts in neer the River—    Roed 14 Miles—    Incampd on a small Island    the hunters— [17]

Monday June 25th    This morning early we left hard scrabble priari, and passed two creeks in about one Mile distance from where we started; the first called Labeane and the other rowling Creek laying on the So. side their courses being to their heads South west by South, a small distance above the latter creek, we saw two Wolves, on the shore; one of our Men went a shore from on board the pettiauger, and shot one of them.    The land on the North side of the River lays high & is well Timber'd.    Several hills running near the River, the current still running strong.    in the Evening we came too, and encamped on a small Island called hunters Island, the distance we rowed this day being 14 Miles.—

1. This latter part of this entry and most of the next is written over a note by Lewis. See his entry for June 12, 1804, above. (back)
2. Several coal beds, ranging from six inches to two and one-half feet thick, are known from the eastern part of Jackson County, Missouri. One, the rush Creek mine east of Kansas City, produced coal for several years but was abandoned in 1904. Hinds, 211–14. (back)
3. Perhaps later Sleepy Branch, Jackson County. MRM map 40. (back)
4. The "Bennet's Creek" of the Codex A entry, perhaps named for François M. Benoit, later referred to by Clark as " Bennet" (see below, July 14, 1804), or a member of his family. Biddle gives it as "La Benite," the name it bears in Nicollet. La Benite Park perpetuates that name. It is evidently the later Sugar Creek in Jackson County. Coues (HLC), 1:32 and n. 69; Osgood (FN), 62 n. 8; Nicollet (MMR), 368; MRC map 14; MRM map 41. (back)
5. Probably Pyrus ioensis (Wood) Bailey, wild crab, which is the most common crab apple in Missouri. P. coronaria L., wild crab, is also known in the area but is much less common. Steyermark, 799. (back)
6. They evidently went around the later Liberty bend, now cut off by the Missouri, and camped opposite the modern community of Sugar Creek, Jackson County, a suburb of Kansas City. MRC map 14. (back)
7. Biddle apparently crossed out "Charbonea" when he sustituted "Charbon." (back)
8. Probably Prunus americana Marsh., wild plum. Steyermark, 860. The captains gave the word plums, like currants, a broad application. (back)
9. A space of more than half a line was left here for a later insertion that was never made. The entire phrase, placed in brackets in the original, was later crossed out. (back)
11. Evidently Sugar Creek, Jackson County, and perhaps named for François M. Benoit (see Clark's entry for this day). Only Floyd (or a writer in his journal) adds the words "um batteur," probably meaning "a bateau." (back)
12. An unknown willow, Salix sp. (back)
13. Only Ordway and Floyd (or a writer in his journal) report Lewis getting an eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus, on this day. (back)
14. One of expedition members' several variations of the creek perhaps named for François M.Benoit; present Sugar Creek, Jackson County, Missouri. (back)
15. Evidently Sugar Creek, Jackson County, Missouri, and perhaps named for François M. Benoit (see Clark's entry for this day). (back)
16. Not mentioned by the other journal keepers. Perhaps it is a much distorted version of Coal Creek, or of the French name which Clark gives as "Chabonea," and which Nicholas Biddle gives as "Charbon" in his edition of the journals. That stream is perhaps present Sleepy Branch, Jackson County, Missouri. However, "Rolling Creek" may be meant. (back)
17. Given as "Hunters Island" in the fair copy, another place-name used only by Whitehouse. The island was evidently opposite Sugar Creek, Jackson County. (back)