December 3, 1805
73.32% Complete
Aug 30, 1803 Sep 30, 1806

December 3, 1805

 

a fair windey morning wind from the East, the men Sent after an Elk yesterday returnd. with an Elk which revived the Sperits of my men verry much, I am unwell and cannot Eate, the flesh    O! how disagreeable my Situation, a plenty of meat and incaple of eateing any—    an Indian Canoe Came down with 8 Indians in it from the upper village, I gave a fish hook for a fiew Wap-e-to roots, which I eate in a little Elk Supe, The Indians proceeded on down.    wind Contines to blow, and Serjt. Pryor & Gibson who went to hunt yesterday has not returnd. as yet    I marked my name & the day of the month and year on a large Pine tree on this Peninsella & by land "Capt William Clark 〈November〉 December 3rd 1805.    By Land. U States in 1804 & 1805"— [1] The Squar Broke the two Shank bones of the Elk after the marrow was taken out, boiled them & extracted a Pint of Greese or tallow from them—    Serjt. Pryor & Gibson returned after night and informed me they had been lost the greater part of the time they were out, and had killed 6 Elk which they left lying haveing taken out their internals. Some rain this afternoon

 

a fair windey morning wind from the East    the men returned with the Elk which revived the Spirits of my party verry much    I am Still unwell and Can't eate even the flesh of the Elk.    an Indian Canoe of 8 Indians Came too, those Inds. are on their way down to the Clât Sops with Wap pa to to barter with that nation, I purchasd. a fiew of those roots for which I gave Small fish hooks, those roots I eate with a little Elks Soupe which I found gave me great relief    I found the roots both nurishing and as a check to my disorder.    The Indians proceeded on down through emence high waves maney times their Canoe was entirely out of Sight before they were ½ a mile distance. Serjt. Pryor & Gibson who went hunting yesterday has not returned untill after night, they informed me that they had killed 6 Elk at a great distance which they left lying, haveing taken out their interals that they had been lost and in their ramble saw a great deel of Elk Sign.    after eateing the marrow out of two Shank bones of an Elk, the Squar choped the bones fine boiled them and extracted a pint of Grease, which is Superior to the tallow of the animal. Some rain this evening

I marked my name on a large pine tree imediately on the isthmus William Clark December 3rd 1805. By Land from the U. States in 1804 & 1805.—

 

Tuesday 3rd Decr. 1805. Cloudy    about 10 oClock A. M. the men returned with the meat.    2 hunters [2] Stayed out a hunting    a number of Indians came in a Canoe to our Camp.    in the evening the two hunters returned    had killed Six Elk about 5 miles distance from this place.—

 

Tuesday 3rd.    The morning was foggy. About 9 o'clock the men came in with the meat of the elk.— They had a disagreeable trip, it being dark before they arrived at the place where the elk had been killed; and the darkness, fallen timber and under-brush prevented their return; so that they had to encamp out all night. Six of the natives came to our camp, the first who have appeared since our arrival, and after staying an hour proceeded down the river. The greater part of the day was fair, but in the evening it clouded over and rained again. At dark our other two hunters came in, and had killed 6 elk some distance from the river.

 

Tuesday Decemr 3rd    This morning cloudy.    At 10 o'Clock A. M. the Men returned with the Canoe, & Elk meat, which was a very welcome sight to us all.    A Canoe loaded with Indians came to our Camp, but soon left us & went down the River.    In the Evening the 2 hunters [3] that had staid out 2 days returned to our Camp    they had killed 6 Elk about 5 Miles from this place & had seen a number more of them.—

1. Clark probably modeled his inscription after that of Alexander Mackenzie, written on a rock at the end of his journey to the Pacific: "Alexander Mackenzie, from Canada, by land, the twenty second of July, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-three." DeVoto, 355. (back)
2. Pryor and Gibson. (back)
3. Pryor and Gibson. (back)