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.
September the 20th Thursday 1804 Detchd, 3 men [1] across the Big bend [(]Called the Grand deTour [2]) with the horse, to stay and hunt & jurk provisions untill we get around (1) passed a Island on the S. S. [3] the river Crouded with Sand bars, [4]
| N. 50° W. | 3 ¼ | miles to the upper Point of an Island [5] on the S. S. about 2 me. long |
| North | 4 | mes. to a pt. on th L. S. passed one on the S. S. abov the Island— |
| N. 10° W | 1 ½ | mes. to a pt. of wood on the L. S.— |
| N. 22° W. | 3 | mes. to the L. S.— |
| N. 60 W. | 2 | mes. to a Small timber on the L. S.— |
| West | 3 | mes. to a wood on L S. |
| S. 73 W. | 3 ½ | mes. to a pt of wood on L. S.— |
| South | 4 | miles to a tree on L. S. passed a Island (1) situated on the L. S. this island [6] is Small with a large Sand |
| S. 74 E | 3 ½ | Miles to a point of wood on the L. S. pass Sands & Cpd. (2) &. |
| S. 56 E | 3 ½ | to a pt. on the S. S. opsd. a high hill on the L. S. |
| S. 28. E. | 2 | mes. to a Ceder hill on the L. S in a bend opposit the Gorge of this bend where the river is only 1¼ mile across & 30 Miles around, the hills high with Some low land— This Day is refured to (1) (2) &c. for farth[er] explanition |
| 33 ¼ |
20th of September 1804 Thursday (Continued[)]
(1) at the N W. extremity of this bend passed an Small Island on the L. S. opposit the upper Point of this Solitary Island Came too [7] to [one word illegible, perhaps "pipit"] at the mouth of a Small run on the S. S. & Newmon & Tomson picked up Some Salt mixed with the Sand in the run, [8] Such as the ottoes Indians Collect on the Sands of the Corn de Cerf R. [9] & make use of, Camped on a Sand bar on the S. S. above the Island— I went out to examine the portage which I found quit Short 2000 yards only, the Prarie below & Sides of the hills containing great quantites of the Prickly Piar which nearly ruind my feet, I saw a hare, & I beleve he run into a hole, he run on a hill & disapeared, I Saw on this hill several holes. I Saw Several Goats Elk Ders &c. & Buffalow in every Derection feeding. R. Fields Killed a Deer & 2 Goats one a female, which differs from the male as to Size being Something Smaller, Small Straight horns without any black about the neck Camped late
| North | 4 | mes. to a pt. on the L. S. Passed one on the S. S. above the island about one & ½ me. |
| N. 10° W. | 1 ½ | mes. on the L. Side |
| N. 22° W. | 3 | mes. on the L. Side pd. a Sd. Id. |
| N. 60° W. | 2 | mes. on the L. Side |
| West | 3 | mes. on the L. S. 〈passed a Small Island on the L. S. a large Sand bar above & below.〉 |
| S. 73° W. | 3 ½ | mes. on the L. Side |
| South | 4 | mes. on the L. S. passed a Small Island on the L. S. a Small run opsd. S. S. (1) |
| S. 74° E | 3 ½ | mes. to a pt. of wood on the L. S. Camped (2) |
| S. 56° E | 3 ½ | mes. to a pt. on the S. S. opsd. a high hill (3) |
| S. 28° E | 2 | mes. to a Ceder Valey in a bend on the L. S. at this place the gorge is 2000 yds. |
| 30 |
20th of September, Thursday 1804
a fair morning wind from the S E detached 2 men to the 1st. Creek abov the big bend with the horse to hunt and wait our arrival proceeded on passed the lower Island opposit which the Sand bars are verry thick & the water Shoal. I walked on Shore with a view of examining this bend Crossed at the narost part which is a high irregular hills of about 180 or 190 feet, this place the gorge of the Bend is 1 mile & a quarter (from river to river or) across, from this high land which is only in the Gouge, the bend is a Butifull Plain thro which I walked, Saw numbrs of Buffalow & Goats, I saw a Hare & believe he run into a hole in the Side of a hill, he run up this hill which is Small & has Several holes on the Side & I could not See him after, I joined the boat in the evening— passed a Small Island on the L. S. in the N. W. extremity of the bind Called Solitary Island, and Camped late on a Sand bar near the S. S.— R. Fields killed 1 Deer & 2 Goats one of them a feemale— She Differs from the mail as to Size being Smaller, with Small Horns, Stright with a Small prong without any black about the neck—
None of those Goats has any Beard, they are all Keenly made, and is butifull
| miles | |||||
| From River Dubois to St. Charles— | 21 | in Latitude | 38° | 54' | 39" |
| from Do—to the Mouth of Gasconade | 104 | do | 38 | 45 | 35 |
| do do—to the Mouth of Osarge R: | 138 | do | 38 | 31 | 16 |
| do do Mine river on the South | 201 | do | |||
| do do to Grand R. on the N. Side | 254 | do | 38 | 47 | 54 |
| do do to Kanzies R on the South | 366 | do | 39 | 5 | 25 |
| do do to Creek indepenanc at the Kanzies old village South |
433 |
do |
39 |
25 |
42 |
| do do Nodaway River N Side | 481 | do | 39 | 39 | 22 |
| do do Nema har R. S. Side | 511 | do | 39 | 55 | 56 |
| do do Bald pated Prarie N. Side | 570 | do | 40 | 27 | 7 |
| do do the mo. of the Great River Plate on the South Side |
632 |
do abt. |
41 |
00 |
0 |
| from the mouth of Missourie river to the Councel Bluffs opsd. the Ottoes |
682 |
in Latd. |
41° |
17' |
0" |
| to Little Sieoux River on N Side | 766 | do | 41 | 42 | 34 |
| to Mahar village S. Side 3 ms. off R. | 864 | do | 42 | 13 | 41 |
| to Mouth of the Great River Souex 3 miles west of Floyds river on N. Sd. |
880 |
do |
42 |
23 |
49 |
| to Mo. of River Jacque on the N. Sd. | 970 | do | 42 | 53 | 13 |
| to mo. of River que Curre or the rapid river on the South Side |
1020 |
do |
— |
|
|
| to
no preserves Island 5 miles North of the Poncaries Village on the little river Pania on the S. Side— |
1037 |
do |
— |
|
|
| To White River on the L. S. is | 1142 | do | |||
| Grand de Touit [tour] or Big bend | 1283 | do | 44 | 11 | 33 3/10 |
on the lard. shore at the commencement of the big bend observed a clift of black porus rock which resembled Lava tho' on a closer examination I believe it to be calcarious and an imperfect species of the French burr— preserved a specemine, it is a brownish white, or black or yellowish brown—
Thursday 20th Sept. a fair morning Drewyer & Shields went on with the horse across a bend in order to hunt— we Set off eairly proceeded on under a gentle Breeze from the E. passed an Isl. on N. S. passd. the mo of a creek on S. S. named prickly pair creek [12] passd. a bottom (& long bend point) covered with thin Timber. Capt. Clark walked on Shore across the point— we proceeded on passed a handsom Bottom covered with Timber on S. S. where we halted took dinner. Capt. Lewis & R. Fields walked out to hunt we Sailed along Round the Big Bend about 27 miles passd. 2 Islands & Several Sand bars & a Saltish Sand run on N. S. & camped [13] on a Sand bar on N. S. the Captains & the men who had been with them returned to the Boat had killed 1 he Goat one She Goat & 1 long tailed Deer— We Saved the Skins of the Goats and the Bones in order to Send back to the States next Spring— The She Goats have verry little horns but are a handsome animal— about 1 OClock at night the Sand bar where we lay was falling verry fast. the current Swift. we ware obledged to git on board as Soon as possable & proceed on about a mile & made over to S. S. where we Camped again. the moon Shined pleasant all night.— we passed a black Bluff on S. S. where their is Some Salt peter on the Stones &.C.
Thursday 20th. We renewed our voyage at an early hour, and had a clear day and fair wind. Passed handsome rising prairies on the north side, and bottoms covered with timber on the south side. Two of the men [14] with the horse went across the neck of the Long, or Grand bend, which we were obliged to go round with the boat, a distance of 30 miles. At one o'clock we stopped for dinner, and Captain Lewis and one of the men [15] went to hunt, Captain Clarke had gone out in the morning. At 2 we proceeded again on our voyage, and passed a long chain of bluffs on the north side, of a dark colour. From these and others of the same kind the Missouri gets its muddy colour. The earth of which they are composed dissolves like sugar; every rain washes down great quantities of it, and the rapidity of the stream keeps it mixing and afloat in the water, until it reaches the mouth of the Mississippi. We encamped at 7 o'clock on a sand beach on the north side. Here Captain Lewis, Captain Clarke and the other man joined us. They had killed two goats and two deer. At 1 o'clock at night, the bank where we were stationed began to fall so much, that we were obliged to rouse all hands, and go on a mile and cross the river before we could again encamp.
Thursday 20th Sept. Set off eairly a clear day & fair wind. passed handsom riseing prarie on N Side and a bottom covered with timber on the S. Side. Capt. Clark walked on Shore. Drewyer and Shields went across a point withe the horse about 2 miles which was 30 miles round by water, which is called the Grand bend of the missourie. at one oClock we halted to dine. Capt. Lewis and R. Fields went a hunting. at 2 oC we proceeded on passed a long range of bluffs on N. S. of a dark coulour. out of those and others of the Same kind is where the missourie Gets its muddy colour for this Earth melts like Sugar, and every rain that comes they wash down and the rapidness of the current keeps continualy mixing through the water all the way to the mouth of the Mississippi. at 7 oC. we Camped on a large Sand beach on N. S. here boath the Captains and R. Fields joined us. had killed 2 Goats and 2 deer at 1 oClock at night the bank began to fall in So fast we had to raise all hands and go on one mile further before we could Camp. then crossed the river & Camped again.
Thursday Septemr. 20th We set off early this morning, having fine weather, we passed 2 Priaries, lying on the North side of the River, and a fine bottom of land, cover'd with timber, lying on the South side. Captain Clarke walked along shore, two of our Men went with the horse across a point about 2 Miles, which is 36 Miles round it by Water.— This is the place called the Great bend of the Mesouri River, at 1 o'Clock P. M we halted to dine. At 2 oClock P. M Captain Lewis, and some of the Men went hunting We proceeded on, and passed a long range of bluffs, lying on the North side of the River, these bluffs were of a black Colour; from those and others of the same kind, it is supposed that the Water of the Mesouri river, derives its muddy colour; the black Mud lying on those black bluffs, melting like Snow at every Rain, and runs rapidly into the River; The current at this place runs very Rapid, so that it keeps the muddy Water, from those bluffs, continually mixing with the Water of the River, adding to which the falling in of the banks of the River, is thought the sole cause, of the Mesouri being muddy from its Mouth upwards.— at 7 oClock P. M. we encamped on a large sand beach, lying on the North side of the River.— we were joined shortly after, by both our Captains & one of the Men, they had killed 2 Goats and 2 Deer which they brought with them.— At 10 o'Clock P. M. (night,) the Bank of the River on the side we were encamped began to fall in, It fell in so fast, that Captains Lewis & Clark, thought it dangerous to continue at our encampment, They order'd all the hands to their Oars, and we proceeded on One Mile and crossed the River before we could find a place fit to encamp upon, where we again Encamped.—
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.