Clark: December 2, 1805

December 2nd Monday 1805 Cloudy and Some little rain this morning I
despatched 3 men to hunt and 2 and my Servent in a Canoe to a Creek above
to try & Catch Some fish- I am verry unwell the drid fish which is my
only diet does not agree with me and Several of the men Complain of a lax,
and weaknessI expect Capt. Lewis will return to day with the
hunters and let us know if Elk or deer Can be found Sufficent for us to
winter on, If he does not come I Shall move from this place, to one of
better prospects for game &c. Joseph Fields came home with the marrow
bones of an Elk which he had killed 6 miles distant, I sent out 6 men in a
canoe for the meat, the evening being late they did not return this night,
which proved fair moon Shineing nightThis is the first Elk we have
killed on this Side the rockey mounts a great deal of Elk Sign in the
neighbourhood

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Monday 2nd December 1805 Cloudy with Some rain this morning I Send out
three men to hunt & 2 & my man york in a Canoe up the
Ke-ke-mar-que Creek in Serch of fish and fowlI feel verry unwell,
and have entirely lost my appetite for the Dried pounded fish which is in
fact the cause of my disorder at presentThe men are generally
Complaining of a lax and gripeingIn the evening Joseph Field came
in with the Marrow bones of a elk which he killed at 6 miles distant, this
welcome news to us. I dispatched Six men in a empty Canoe with Jo.
mediately for the elk which he Said was about 3 miles from the water this
is the first Elk which has been killd. on this Side of the rockey
mountainsJo Fields givs me an account of a great deel of Elk Sign
& Says he Saw 2 Gangs of those Animals in his rout, but it rained So
hard that he could not Shoot themThe party up the Creek returned
without any thing and informs me they could not See any fish in the Creek
to kill and the fowls were too wild to be killed, this must