Journal Entry

Clark: August 23, 1804

August 23, 1804
Missouri River near Vermillion area

23rd August Thursday 1804 Set out this morning verry early, the two men R.
Fields & Shannon did not Come up last night, I went out and Killed a
fine Buck, J. Fields Killed a Buffaloes, 2 Elk Swam by the boat whilst I
was out and was not Killed, many guns fired at it R. Fields Came up with
the horses & brought two Deer, Collins Killed a Small doe, Several
Prarie wolves Seen Course West 4 Mls. to the mouth of a Small run between
two Bluffs of yellow Clay North 31/4 miles to the upper Pt. of Some timber
in the bend to S. S. near where R. fields Killed the Buffalow passed the
pt. of High Land on S. S at 1/4 of a mile, Capt. Lewis went out with 8 men
& brought the buffalow to the river at this bend, C. Lewis Killed a
Goose, wind blew hard of the flying Sands which rasies like a Cloud of
Smoke from the Bars when the wind Blows, the Sand being fine and
containing a breat perpotion of earth and when it lights it Sticks to
every thing it touches at this time the grass is white S 48° 3 miles to a
point of willows on the S. S. haveing passed the Sand Island L. S Camped
on the L S above the Island Saw an elk Standing on a Sand bar. Shields
Shot it thro the neck 101/4

23rd August Thursday 1804 Set out this morning verry early the two men
with the horses did not Come up last night I walked on Shore & Killed
a fat BuckJ. Fields Sent out to hunt Came to the Boat and informed
that he had Killed a Buffalow in the plain a head Cap Lewis took 12 men
and had the buffalow brought to the boat in the next bend to the S S. 2
Elk Swam the river, and was fired at from the boat R. Fields came up with
the Horses and brought two Deer one Deer Killed from the Boat. Several
Prarie Wolves Seen to day Saw Elk Standing on the Sand bar

The Wind blew hard West and raised the Sands off the bar in Such Clouds
that we Could Scercely See this Sand being fine and verry light Stuck to
every thing it touched, and in the Plain for a half a mile the distance I
was out every Spire of Grass was covered with the Sand or Dust We Camped
on the L. S. above a Sand Island one Beaver Cought

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