The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates July 1, 1804 - July 11, 1804
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: July 1, 1804 - July 11, 1804
July 1, 1804
July 1st. We proceeded along the north side of Diamond island,
where a small creek called Biscuit creek empties itself.
One and a half miles above the island is a large sandbar
in the middle of the river, beyond which we stopped to refresh
the men, who suffered very much from the heat. Here we observed
great quantities of grapes and raspberries. Between one
and two miles farther are three islands a creek on the south
known by the French name of Remore. The main current which
is now on the south side of the largest of the three islands,
ran three years, as we were told on the north, and there
was then no appearance of the two smaller islands. At the
distance of four and a half miles we reached the lower point
of a cluster of small islands, two large and two small,
called Isles des Pares or Field Islands. Paccaun trees were
this day seen, and large quantities of deer and turkies
on the banks. We had advanced twelve miles.
July 2, 1804
July 2d. We left our encampment, opposite to which
is a high and beautiful prairie on the southern side, and
passed up the south of the islands, which are high meadows,
and a creek on the north called Pare creek. Here for half
an hour the river became covered with drift wood, which
rendered the navigation dangerous, and was probably caused
by the giving way of some sandbar, which had detained the
wood. After making five miles we passed a stream on the
south called Turky creek, near a sandbar, where we could
scarcely stem the current with twenty oars, and all the
poles we had. On the north at about two miles further is
a large island called by the Indians, Wau-car-da-war-card-da,
or the Bear Medicine island. Here we landed and replaced
our mast, which had been broken three days ago, by running
against a tree, overhanging the river. Thence we proceeded,
and after night stopped on the north side, above the island,
having come eleven and a half miles. Opposite our camp is
a valley, in which was situated an old village of the Kansas,
between two high points of land, and on the bank of the
river. About a mile in the rear of the village was a small
fort, built by the French on an elevation. There are now
no traces of the village, but the situation of the fort
may be recognized by some remains of chimnies, and the general
outline of the fortification, as well as by the fine spring
which supplied it with water. The party, who were stationed
here, were probably cut off by the Indians, as there are
no accounts of them.
July 3, 1804
July 3d. A gentle breeze from the south carried us
eleven and a quarter miles this day, past two islands, one
a small willow island, the other large, and called by the
French Isle des Vaches, or Cow island. At the head of this
island, on the northern shore, is a large pond containing
beaver, and fowls of different kinds. After passing a bad
sandbar, we stopped on the south side at an old trading
house, which is now deserted, and half a mile beyond it
encamped on the south. The land is fine along the rivers,
and some distance back. We observed the black walnut and
oak, among the timber; and the honey-suckle and the buck's-eye,
with the nuts on them.
July 4, 1804
The morning of the 4th July was announced by the
discharge of our gun. At one mile we reached the mouth of
a bayeau or creek, coming from a large lake on the north
side, which appears as if it had once been the bed of the
river, to which it runs parallel for several miles. The
water of it is clear and supplied by a small creek and several
springs, and the number of goslings which we saw on it,
induced us to call it the Gosling lake. It is about three
quarters of a mile wide, and seven or eight miles long.
One of our men was bitten by a snake, but a poultice of
bark and gunpowder was sufficient to cure the wound. At
ten and a quarter miles we reached a creek on the south
about twelve yards wide and coming from an extensive prairie,
which approached the borders of the river. To this creek
which had no name, we gave that of Fourth of July creek;
above it is a high mound, where three Indian paths centre,
and from which is a very extensive prospect. After fifteen
miles sail we came to on the north a little above a creek
on the southern side, about thirty yards wide, which we
called Independence creek, in honor of the day, which we
could celebrate only by an evening gun, and an additional
gill of whiskey to the men.
July 5, 1804
The next day, 5th, we crossed over to the south and
came along the bank of an extensive and beautiful prairie,
interspersed [22]with copses of timber, and watered by Independence
creek. On this bank formerly stood the second village of
the Kansas; from the remains it must have been once a large
town. We passed several bad sandbars, and a small creek
to the south, which we called Yellow Ochre creek, from a
bank of that mineral a little above it. The river continues
to fall. On the shores are great quantities of summer and
fall grapes, berries and wild roses. Deer is not so abundant
as usual, but there are numerous tracks of elk around us.
We encamped at ten miles distance on the south side under
a high bank, opposite to which was a low land covered with
tall rushes, and some timber.
July 6, 1804
July 6. We set sail, and at one mile passed a sandbar,
three miles further an island, a prairie to the north, at
the distance of four miles called Reevey's prairie, after
a man who was killed there; at which place the river is
confined to a very narrow channel, and by a sandbar from
the south. Four miles beyond is another sandbar terminated
by a small willow island, and forming a very considerable
bend in the river towards the north. The sand of the bar
is light, intermixed with small pebbles and some pit coal.
The river falls slowly, and, owing either to the muddiness
of its water, or the extreme heat of the weather, the men
perspire profusely. We encamped on the south having made
twelve miles. The bird called whip-poor-will sat on the
boat for some time.
July 7, 1804
In the morning, July 7th, the rapidity of the water
obliged us to draw the boat along with ropes. At six and
three quarter miles, we came to a sandbar, at a point opposite
a fine rich prairie on the north, called St. Michael's.
The prairies of this neighborhood have the appearance of
distinct farms, divided by narrow strips of woodland, which
follow the borders of the small runs leading to the river.
Above this, about a mile, is a cliff of yellow clay on the
north. At four o'clock we passed a narrow part of the channel,
where the water is confined within a bed of two hundred
yards wide, the current running directly against the southern
bank with [23]no sand on the north to confine it or break
its force. We made fourteen miles, and halted on the north,
after which we had a violent gust about seven o'clock. One
of the hunters saw in a pond to the north which we passed
yesterday a number of young swans. We saw a large rat, and
killed a wolf. Another of our men had a stroke of the sun;
he was bled, and took a preparation of nitre which relieved
him considerably.
July 8, 1804
July 8. We set out early, and soon passed a small
creek on the north, which we called Ordway's creek, from
our sergeant of that name who had been sent on shore with
the horses, and went up it. On the same side are three small
islands, one of which is the Little Nodawa, and a large
island called the Great Nodawa extending more than five
miles, and containing seven or eight thousand acres of high
good land, rarely overflowed, and one of the largest islands
of the Missouri. It is separated from the northern shore
by a small channel of from forty-five to eighty yards wide,
up which we passed, and found near the western extremity
of the island the mouth of the river Nodawa. This river
pursues nearly a southern course, is navigable for boats
to some distance, and about seventy yards wide above the
mouth, though not so wide immediately there, as the mud
from the Missouri contracts its channel. At twelve and a
quarter miles, we encamped on the north side, near the head
of Nodawa island, and opposite a smaller one in the middle
of the river. Five of the men were this day sick with violent
headache. The river continues to fall.
July 9, 1804
July 9th. We passed the island opposite to which
we last night encamped, and saw near the head of it a creek
falling in from a pond on the north, to which we gave the
name of Pike pond, from the numbers of that animal which
some of our party saw from the shore. The wind changed at
eight from N.E. to S.W. and brought rain. At six miles we
passed the mouth of Monter's creek on the south, and two
miles above a few cabins, where one of our party had encamped
with some Frenchmen about two years ago. Further on we passed
an island on the north, opposite some cliffs on the south
side, near which Loup or Wolf river falls into the Missouri.
This river is about sixty yards wide, it heads near the
same sources as the Kansas, and is navigable for boats,
at some distance up. At fourteen miles we encamped on the
south side.
July 10, 1804
Tuesday 10th. We proceeded on by a prairie on the
upper side of Wolf river, and at four miles passed a creek
fifteen yards wide on the south, called Pape's creek after
a Spaniard of that name, who killed himself there. At six
miles we dined on an island called by the French Isle de
Salomon, or Solomon's island, opposite to which on the south
is a beautiful plain covered with grass, intermixed with
wild rye and a kind of wild potatoe. After making ten miles
we stopped for the night on the northern side, opposite
a cliff of yellow clay. The river has neither risen nor
fallen to day. On the north the low land is very extensive,
and covered with vines; on the south, the hills approach
nearer the river, and back of them commence the plains.
There are a great many goslings along the banks.
July 11, 1804
Wednesday 11th. After three miles sailing we came
to a willow island on the north side, behind which enters
a creek called by the Indians Tarkio. Above this creek on
the north the low lands are subject to overflow, and further
back the undergrowth of vines particularly, is so abundant
that they can scarcely be passed. Three miles from the Tarkio
we encamped on a large sand island on the north, immediately
opposite the river Nemahaw.
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