July 23, 1804
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Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

July 23, 1804

 

a fair morning—    Sent out a party of 5 men to look to timber for Ores two other parties to hunt    at 11 oClock Sent, G. Drewyer & Peter Crusett ½ Indn. to the Otteaus Village about 18 ms. West of our Camp, to invite the Chiefs & principal men of that nation to come & talk with us &. &., also the panis if they Should meet with any of that nation (also on the S. Side of the Plate 30 ms. higher up) (at this Season of the year all the Indians in this quater are in the Plains hunting the Buffalow from Some Signs Seen by our hunter and the Praries being on fire in the derection of the Village induce a belief that the Nation have returned to get green Corn)    raised a flag Staff    put out Some provisions which got wet in the french Perogue to Sun & Dry—    I commenced Coppying may map of the river to Send to the Presdt. of U S. by the Return of a pty of Soldiers, from Illinois [1]    five Deer Killed—    one man a bad riseing on his left breast. [2]    Wind from the N. W.

Equal altitudes taken at this place the two following days Viz:
  h      m      s   h      m      s
July the 22nd Sunday A M 8    53    53 P M 2    58    37
  "    55    20   3      0      0
        56    48   3      1    28
Given altitude 92° 37 0      
  h      m      s    
July 26th A M 7    33    32 P M 4    15    21
       34    35   "    16    51
       36    22   "    18    14
 

Equal altitudes July 23rd 1804

Cromtr. [two?]

        Time
  h      m      s     h    m    s
A M 8      0    49   P M 3    51    56
  "      2      9     "    52    14
  "      3    38     "    53    45

Altitude 72° 49' 00"

Camp White Catfish 〈Nine〉 10 Miles above the Platt River Monday the 23rd of July 1804—

A fair morning    Set a party to look for timber for Ores, two parties to hunt.    at 11 oClock Sent off George Drewyer & Peter Crousett with Some tobacco to invite the Otteaus if at their town and Panies if they Saw them to Come and talk with us at our Camp &c. &c.    (at this Season the Indians on this river are in the Praries Hunting the Buffalow but from Some Signs of hunters near this place & the Plains being on fire near their towns induce a belief that they this nation have returned to get Some Green Corn or rosting Ears)    raised a flag Staff Sund & Dryed our provisions &c.    I commence Coppying a map of the river below to Send to the P. [president] [blank] U S    five Deer Killed to day    one man with a tumer on his breast, Prepared our Camp    the men put their arms in order

Wind hard this afternoon from the N. W.

Equal altitudes taken at the White Catfish Camp, 10 miles above the river Platt

July the 22nd Sunday 1804
  h      m      S     h    m
A M 8    53    53   P M 2    58    37
  "    55    20     3    00    00
  "    56    48     "      1    28
Given Altitude    92° 37' 00"
July 25th Wednesday
  h      m      s     h      m      s
A M 8      5    20   P M 3    44    38
  "      6    42     "    —    —    lost
  "      8      7½     "    47    27
Altd Given    74° 19' 30"
July 26th Thursday
  h      m      s     h      m      s
A m 7    33    32   P. M. 4    15    22
  "    34    55     "    16    51
  "    36    22     "    18    14
Altitude Given not put down
 

Observed Equal Altitudes of the ☉ with Sext.

  h      m     h      m      s
A. M. 8    —    49   P. M. 3    51    56
  "      2      9     "    52    14
  "      3    38     "    53    45

Altitude by Sextant at the time of Obstn.    72° 49' —"

Observed Meridian Altd. of ☉'s L. L. with Octant by the back observt.    46° 55' —"

Latitude deduced from this Obstn. [blank]

 

Monday July 23rd 1804.    clear morning. G. Drewyer and [St?] [4] Peter went to the Zottoas & Panies village (45 miles to nations) to invite them to come to our Encampment to treat.    we hoisted the american Collours on the Bank    the loading of the Boat put out to air &C—. The Latd. at this place is 41D 3m 19¾s North, one of the hunters killed 2 Deer,

 

monday July 23d 1804    we Lay By for the porpos of Resting and take Som observations at this place and to Send for Som Indians    Sent George Drougher and ouer 〈entarp〉 Bowsman [5] wo is aquainted with the nations    nothing worth Relating to day

 

Monday 23rd.    Six men were sent out to make oars; and two [6] to a nation of Indians up the Platte river, [7] to inform them of the change of government in this country, and that we were here ready to treat with them. We hoisted a flag, and sent them another.

Our people were all busily engaged in hunting, making oars, dressing skins, and airing our stores, provisions, and baggage. We killed two deer and caught two beaver. Beaver appear plenty in this part of the country.

We continued here to the 27th. On the 24th there were some showers; but during the remainder of the time there was clear weather. Our people were generally employed as before. The hunters killed five more deer; and the two men returned from the Indian village, without finding any of the natives.

 

Monday July 23rd 1804.    a clear morning    G. Drevyer & St. Peter [8] Set out to go to the Zotoe & Paunie [9] village 45 miles to Invite them to come to our camp for Certian purposes &c—    we hoisted the american Collours on the Bank    The Latidude at this place is 41D 3m 19S ¾ North.    one of the hunters killed 2 Deer to day—

Monday July 23rd    We remaind here this day in Order to get an Observation, the weather being fine & clear    The commanding officers sent George Drewer & a frenchman named St. Peter to the Zotoe & pawne Villages, distance 45 Miles, in order to invite the Indians inhabiting those Villages, to come to our Camp, in order to hold a Council with them.    We hoisted the American Colours on the bank of the River, and Captain Lewis and Clark took an observation, and found this place to lay in Latitude 41° 3' 19s North, we named this place White catfish Camp, one of our hunters killed 2 Deer this day which he brought into our Camp.—

1. There are no extant Clark route maps of the Missouri to Camp White Catfish, except for a few sketch maps in the Field Notes (figs. 6, 9, 10, 14, and 15). It seems likely that there were twelve maps of the river that are now lost. See Atlas, 7. The map Clark was working on was not sent back at this time, since a return party was not dispatched. The soldiers for the intended return party were of Corporal Richard Warfington's squad, consisting at this time of Frazer, Boley, Dame, Tuttle, and White (see above, May 26, 1804). They were "from Illinois" in the sense that their unit, Captain Amos Stoddard's artillery company, was stationed in the "Illinois country." See Appendix A. (back)
2. A boil or abscess. (back)
3. Lewis's observation from Codex O. (back)
4. Whitehouse also uses this designation for Cruzatte. (back)
7. To the Oto village east of Yutan, Saunders County, Nebraska. (back)
8. Apparently Cruzatte, with terminology used also by Ordway. (back)
9. Whitehouse's spelling of Oto and Pawnee. (back)