Clark: July 10, 1805

July 10th Wednesday 1805 a fair windey day wind hard the most of the day
from the S. W.rained modderately all last night (by Showers) we dispatched
Serjt. Ordway with 4 Canoes loaded & 8 men by water to assend as high
as I Should have found timber for Canoes & formed a Camp;-. I Set out
with Sergt. Pryor four Choppers two Involids & one man to hunt,
Crossed to the Std. Side and proceeded on up the river 8 miles by land
(distance by water 231/4 ms.) and found two Trees which I thought would
make Canoes, had them fallen, one of them proved to be hollow & Split
at one End & verry much win Shaken at the other, the other much win
Shaken, we Serched the bottoms for better trees and made a trial of
Several which proved to be more indifferent. I deturmined to make Canoes
out of the two first trees we had fallen, to Contract thir length so as to
clear the hollow & winshakes, & ad to the width as much as the
tree would allow. The Musquitors emencely noumerous & troublesom,
Killed two deer & a goat. The Canoes did not arrive as I expected,
owing to the hard wind which blew a head in maney places. we ar much at a
loss for wood to make ax hilthes,13 hath been made & broken in this
piece of a day by the four Choppers, no other wood but Cotton Box elder
Choke Cherry and red arrow wood. we Substitute the Cherry in place of
Hickory for ax hilthes ram rods, &c. &c.