Clark: May 30, 1805

May 30th Thursday 1805 The rain conmmenced yesterday evining, and
continued moderately through the course of the night, more rain has now
fallin than we have experienced Since the 15th of September last, the rain
continued this morning, and the wind too high for us to proceed, untill
about 11 oClock at which time we Set out, and proceeded on with great
labour, we were obliged to make use of the Tow rope & the banks were
So muddey & Slipery that the men could Scercely walk not with Standing
we proceeded on as well as we could wind hard from the N W. in attempting
to assend a rapid our toe Cord broke & we turned without injurey,
those rapids or Shoaley points are noumerous and dificuelt, one being at
the mouth of every drean Some little rain at times all day one man
assended the high Countrey and it was raining & Snowing on those
hills, the day has proved to be raw and Cold. Back from the river is
tollerably leavel, no timber of any kind on the hills, and only a fiew
Scattering cotton willow & ash near the river, much hard rock; &
rich earth, the Small portion of rain which has fallen causes the rich
earth as deep as is wet to Slip into the river or bottoms &c.

we discover in Several places old encampments of large bands of Indians, a
fiew weeks past and appear to be makeing up the riverThose Indians
we believe to be the Blackfoot Inds. or Menetares who inhabit the heads of
the Saskashowin & north of this place and trade a little in the Fort
de Prarie establishments. we Camped in a grove of Cotton trees on the
Stard Side, river rise 11/2 In.