July 18, 1804
28.72% Complete
Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

July 18, 1804

 
altd. North Star [2]
Time    10 23 m 18    81° 9' 15" July 17
Cronometer too Slow 6 Mts    51 s 6/10 to Day

July 18th Wednesday    a fair morning    the river falling fast, Set out at Sunrise under a gentle Breeze from S. E by S.    at 3 miles passed the head of the Island on L. S. called by the French Chauve or bald pate (1) opsd. the middle of this Island the Creek on L. S. is within 300 yds. of the river.    back of this Island the lower point of (2) another Island in the bend to the L. S.    passed large Sand bar making out from each point with many channels passing through them, "Current runs 50 fathm. in 41 Seconds" but little timber on either Side of the river, except the Isds. & points which are low wet & Covered with lofty trees, Cotton wood Mulberry Elm &c. &c.    passed the head of a long Island in high water    at this time no water passes thro: the Channel (3) opposit the Lower point of a Island on the L. S.    pass the Island and opsd. the point (4) above & on the L. S. the hills come to the river, This Hill has Sliped into the river for about ¾ of a mile, and leaves a Bluff of considerable hight back of it    this Hill is about 200 foot high compsd. of Sand Stone inter mingled with Iron ore of an inferior quallity on a bed of Soft Slate Stone. [3]

Course Distance & Rifferes July 18th, 1804
N. 28° W.   3 ¾ ms. to Curve in the bend to the L. S. passing Bend of the
Island on L. S.    Several Sand bars on Left the Creek
Nea[r] (1)
S 28° W.   3 ¾ ms. to a pt. on the S. S    psd. the head of the Island on the
L. S.    one behind this (2)
S 32° W.      ½ me. on S. pt.    passed a Sand bar, a long Island on the L. S. in high water
S 88 W.      ¼ me. on Do. a Sand bar to the left    wind from the S. W.
hard
N 55 W.      ¼ me. on do    do    do    do—
N. 48 W.   2 ½ ms. to a pt. on L. S.    psd. a Sand bar L. S.
N. 64 W.   2 ½ ms. to a pt. on S. S.    passed the 〈head〉 Place where water
runs out to form the Isd of the Island (2) and lower pt. of
a Isd. S. S. (3)
N 50 W   3 Ms. to a pt. on S. S. opsd. a red bank on L. S.    Iron ore (4)
N. 8° E   1 ½ ms. to a pt on L. S.    opsd a Small Island in the middle of
the river    Camped (5)
  18  

We passed a verry bad Sand bar (4) a little above the hill and incmpd [hole] on the L. S. opposit a Small Island in the river, [4] Saw a Dog this evening    appeared to be nearly Starved to death, he must have been left by Some party of Hunters    we gave him Some meet, he would not come near, G Drewrer brought in 2 Deer this evening

 

a fair morning    the river falling fast    Set out this morning at Sun rise under a Gentle Breeze from the S. E. by S. passing over the Prarie, at about 3 Miles we passed the head of the Island L. S. Called by the French Chaube or Bald pate    opposit the middle of (1) This Island the Creek on the S. S. is nearest the river, In high water an Island is formed in the bind above the last (2)—    Measured the Current and found that in forty one Seconds it run 50 fathoms    but little timber is to be Seen except in the Low points on Islands & on Creeks, the Groth of timber is generally cotton Mulberry Elm Sycomore &c &c.    passed a Island on the 2d point to the S. S. oposite the water (3) whin high passes out in the Plain    oppsid this Island on the L. S. the hills jut to the river (4)    this Hill has Sliped from the top which forms a Bluff above & 200 foot above the water, about ¾ of a mile in length & about 200 feet in Depth has Sliped into the river    it is Composed of Sand Stone intermixed with an indiffert. Iron ore    near the bottom or next to the water is a Soft Slate Stone, Som pebble is also intermixt, we passed a verry bad Sand bar and incamped on the L. S. at the lower point of the oven Islands & opposit the Prarie Calld. 〈by the french Four le Tourtue〉 [NB: Baker's oven] [5]    Saw a Dog nearly Starved on the bank, gave him Som meet, he would not follow, our hunters killed 2 Deer to day

Course distance & reffers. July 18th
N. 28° W   3 ¾ ms. to a Curve in the bank    passed a bend of
the Isd. & Several Sand bars (1)
S. 28° W   3 ¾ ms. to pt. on S. S.    psd. the head of the Isd.
on L. S. one back in bend (2)
S. 32° W      ½ me. on S. pt.    psd. a Sand bar
S. 88° W      ¼ me. on S. S. wind S. W.
N 55° W      ¼ me. on S. S.
N. 48° W   2 ½ mes. to a pt. on L. S.    psd. a Sand bar L. S.
N 64° W   2 ½ ms. to a pt. on S. S.    low banks on L. S. (2)    an
Isd. S. S. (3)
N 50° W   3 ms. to a pt. on S. S. opsd. a red bank on L. S.
Some Iron (4)
N. 8° E   1 ½ mes. to pt. on L. S. opsd. a Small Isld. in the
river on above (5)
  18  

The Cremimoter too Slow 6 minits 51 seconds & 6/10

altitude of the north Star ★ last night at
h      m      S   d      '        "
10    23    18 was 81    9    15
 

Wednesday July 18th 1804.    we Set out at Sun rise under a gentle Breeze from the S. E. by S.    a fair morning, we proceded on along this prarie    passed Several Islands, the current of the River Runs 50' fathom in 41 Seconds, their is but little timber on either Side of the River, except the Islands and points which are low wet & covered with lofty trees Cotton wood Mulbery Elm [6] & C.—&C.—    we passed hill praries, and a place in a high bank where Some appearance of Iron oar where the Bank Sliped in to the River about 200 feet high.    we camped on the South Side of the Missouris.    towards night we Saw an Indian dog on the Bank of the River, which appeared to have been lost. Drewyer joined us with 2 Deer this evening late.

 

〈Thursda〉 Wendesday July 18th 1804    we Set out at Sun Rise    the day Clear wind fair    Sailed the Side of the Prarie    Hear we toed for about 5 or 6 miles    the Elke Sine is [v]erry plenty    Deer is not as plenty as it was below    passed Som High Clifts on the South Side Which hase the apperence of 〈ore〉 Iron ore    the Clay is Red    passed a verry Strong pace of Water. Saw a Dog on the Bank Which we Sepose to be Indians had ben Lost    this is the first Sine of Indians we have Saw    Camptd on the South Side    the Land is Low    that on the N. Side is prarie Land

 

Wednesday 18th.    Early this morning we prosecuted our voyage with a fair wind and pleasant weather. This is the most open country I ever beheld, almost one continued prairie. Two of our hunters went by land with the horses as usual. On the south side we passed high handsome banks or bluffs of red and blue strata; [7] found some iron ore here, and encamped on the south side, where one of the hunters [8] brought us two deer.

 

Wendy 18    the Morning was Clear    Got under way at day light    the wind blew fair    Saild. 13 miles Before Dinner.    passd. an Iron oar Mine [9] on the Bank of the River on the W. S.—    wint 22 Miles—    the hunters brough 2 deer in with them

Wednesday July 18th    This morning being clear, we got under way at day light, with a fair wind, and sailed 13 Miles before Noon, we passed a Mine of Iron Ore, laying on the bank of the River on the So. West side.    The hunters brought us in this evening 2 Deer which they kill'd.    We encamped on the bank of the River, having Sail'd this day 22 Miles—

1. Under this and the following entry in the Field Notes are the following, in Lewis's hand, indicating the sheet's use as an envelope during the winter at River Dubois: Capt. William Clark    River Dubois    pr. Sergt. Floyd    Note—    send your letter down if possible by Monday evening—. There are also some calculations:
85    :    33      [illegible] 11 ½ = 12
9           25      
76           8       12  
        12  
        20  
        35  
    2   |79  
        38  
        29    due  
    as party to  
    [words unclear]  
    55   due  
      3   dollars  
    20   for Clo:  
    75  
    [29?]  Pay  
    32      Clo:  
    61  
(back)
2. This line and the following two could go with the July 17 entry. Clark chose to place it with July 18 in his Codex A entry, and I have followed his order. (back)
3. Rocks along the bluffs of the Missouri River near Nebraska City have been mapped as Pennsylvanian Wabaunsee Group. The lower part of the Otoe shale is a red shale, which has stained the very thin limestone beneath it and may have been mistaken for "Iron ore of an inferior quallity." A sandstone bed overlies the Otoe, and it is underlain by a bluish gray shale. Condra & Reed. (back)
4. Probably in present Otoe County, Nebraska, a little below Nebraska City and above the Missouri-Iowa boundary on the opposite shore. MRC map 21; MRR map 59. (back)
5. Nicollet shows Lower and Upper Oven islands; opposite the former, on the bluffs in Fremont County, Iowa, he indicates a feature labeled "Terrien's Oven." Apparently the name persisted for some years after 1804, but it does not appear on MRC map 21 of the 1890s or on later maps. The actual location is in the vicinity of present Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska. Coues (HLC), 1:48–49 n. 110; Nicollet (MMR), 382–83; MRR map 59. Biddle apparently crossed out "by the french Four le Tourtue" and substituted "Baker's oven." (back)
6. American elm, Ulmus americana L. (back)
7. Probably in Otoe County, Nebraska, a little south of Nebraska City. (back)
8. McKeehan's note: "By Bluffs in the Western Country is understood high steep banks, which come close to and are washed at their base by the rivers." (back)
9. Drouillard again. (back)
10. No one else suggests that actual mining operations had been carried on here; the reference is to the iron ore deposits near present Nebraska City, Otoe County, Nebraska. (back)
11. In Otoe County, a little south of Nebraska City. (back)