The Journals
of Lewis and Clark: Dates September 15, 1804 - September
18, 1804
The following
excerpts are taken from entries of the Journals of Lewis
and Clark. Dates: September 15, 1804 - September 18, 1804
September 15, 1804
Saturday, September 15. We passed, at an early hour, the
creek near our last night's encampment; and at two miles
distance reached the mouth of White river, coming in from
the south. We ascended a short distance, and sent a sergeant
and another man to examine it higher up. This river has
a bed of about three hundred yards, though the water is
confined to one hundred and fifty: in the mouth is a sand
island, and several sandbars. The current is regular and
swift, with sandbars projecting from the points. It differs
very much from the Platte, and Quieurre, in throwing out,
comparatively, little sand, but its general character is
like that of the Missouri. This resemblance was confirmed
by the sergeant, who ascended about twelve miles; at which
distance it was about the same width as near the mouth,
and the course, which was generally west, had been interrupted
by islands and sandbars.
The
timber consisted chiefly of elm; they saw pine burrs, and
sticks of birch were seen floating down the river; they
had also met with goats, such as we have heretofore seen;
great quantities of buffalo, near to which were wolves,
some deer, and villages of barking squirrels. At the confluence
of White river with the Missouri is an excellent position
for a town; the land rising by three gradual ascents, and
the neighborhood furnishing more timber than is usual in
this country. After passing high dark bluffs on both sides,
we reached the lower point of an island towards the south,
at the distance of six miles. The island bears an abundance
of grapes, and is covered with red cedar: it also contains
a number of rabbits. At the end of this island, which is
small, a narrow channel separates it from a large sand island,
which we passed, and encamped, eight miles on the north,
under a high point of land opposite a large creek to the
south, on which we observe an unusual quantity of timber.
The wind was from the northwest this afternoon, and high,
the weather cold, and its dreariness increased by the howlings
of a number of wolves around us.
September 16, 1804
September 16, Sunday. Early this morning, having
reached a convenient spot on the south side, and at one
mile and a quarter distance, we encamped just above a small
creek, which we called Corvus, having killed an animal of
that genus near it. Finding that we could not proceed over
the sandbars, as fast as we desired, while the boat was
so heavily loaded, we concluded not to send back, as we
originally intended, our third pirogue, but to detain the
soldiers until spring, and in the mean time lighten the
boat by loading the pirogue: this operation, added to that
of drying all our wet articles, detained us during the day.
Our camp is in a beautiful plain, with timber thinly scattered
for three quarters of a mile, and consisting chiefly of
elm, cottonwood, some ash of an indifferent quality, and
a considerable quantity of a small species of white oak:
this tree seldom rises higher than thirty feet, and branches
very much; the bark is rough, thick and of a light color;
the leaves small, deeply indented, and of a pale green;
the cup which contains the acorn is fringed on the edges,
and embraces it about one half: the acorn itself, which
grows in great profusion, is of an excellent flavor, and
has none of the roughness which most other acorns possess;
they are now falling, and have probably attracted the number
of deer which we saw on this place, as all the animals we
have seen are fond of that food. The ground having been
recently burnt by the Indians, is covered with young green
grass, and in the neighborhood are great quantities of fine
plums. We killed a few deer for the sake of their skins,
which we wanted to cover the pirogues, the meat being too
poor for food: the cold season coming on, a flannel shirt
was given to each man, and fresh powder to those who had
exhausted their supply.
September 17, 1804
Monday, September 16. Whilst some of the party were
engaged in the same way as yesterday, others were employed
in examining the surrounding country. About a quarter of
a mile behind our camp, and at an elevation of twenty feet
above it, a plain extends nearly three miles parallel to
the river, and about a mile back to the hills, towards which
it gradually ascends. Here we saw a grove of plum-trees
loaded with fruit, now ripe, and differing in nothing from
those of the Atlantic states, except that the tree is smaller
and more thickly set. The ground of the plain is occupied
by the burrows of multitudes of barking squirrels, who entice
hither the wolves of a small kind, hawks, and polecats,
all of which animals we saw, and presumed that they fed
on the squirrel. This plain is intersected nearly in its
whole extent by deep ravines and steep irregular rising
grounds from one to two hundred feet. On ascending the range
of hills which border the plain, we saw a second high level
plain stretching to the south as far as the eye could reach.
To the westward, a high range of hills about twenty miles
distant runs nearly north and south, but not to any great
extent, as their rise and termination is embraced by one
view, and they seemed covered with a verdure similar to
that of the plains. The same view extended over the irregular
hills which border the northern side of the Missouri; all
around the country had been recently burnt, and a young
green grass about four inches high covered the ground, which
was enlivened by herds of antelopes and buffalo; the last
of which were in such multitudes, that we cannot exaggerate
in saying that at a single glance we saw three thousand
of them before us.
Of
all the animals we had seen the antelope seems to possess
the most wonderful fleetness: shy and timorous they generally
repose only on the ridges, which command a view of all the
approaches of an enemy: the acuteness of their sight distinguishes
the most distant danger, the delicate sensibility of their
smell defeats the precautions of concealment, and when alarmed
their rapid career seems more like the flight of birds than
the movements of an earthly being. After many unsuccessful
attempts, Captain Lewis at last, by winding around the ridges,
approached a party of seven, which were on an eminence,
towards which the wind was unfortunately blowing. The only
male of the party frequently encircled the summit of the
hill, as if to announce any danger to the females, who formed
a group at the top. Although they did not see Captain Lewis,
the smell alarmed them, and they fled when he was at the
distance of two hundred yards: he immediately ran to the
spot where they had been, a ravine concealed them from him,
but the next moment they appeared on a second ridge at the
distance of three miles. He doubted whether it could be
the same, but their number and the extreme rapidity with
which they continued their course, convinced him that they
must have gone with a speed equal to that of the most distinguished
racehorse. Among our acquisitions to-day was a mule-deer,
a magpie, the common deer, and buffalo: Captain Lewis also
saw a hare, and killed a rattlesnake near the burrows of
the barking squirrels.
September 18, 1804
Tuesday, September 18. Having everything in readiness
we proceeded, with the boat much lightened, but the wind
being from the N.W. we made but little way. At one mile
we reached an island in the middle of the river, nearly
a mile in length, and covered with red cedar; at its extremity
a small creek comes in from the north; we then met some
sandbars, and the wind being very high and ahead, we encamped
on the south, having made only seven miles. In addition
to the common deer, which were in great abundance, we saw
goats, elk, buffalo, the black tailed deer; the large wolves
too are very numerous, and have long hair with coarse fur,
and are of a light color. A small species of wolf about
the size of a gray fox was also killed, and proved to be
the animal which we had hitherto mistaken for a fox: there
are also many porcupines, rabbits, and barking squirrels
in the neighborhood.
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